Encouraging appropriate behavior

Having classroom-wide strategies for encouraging children’s positive behaviors increases children’s motivation to follow classroom expectations and helps prevent behavior problems from occurring in the first place. For example, teachers can notice children who are being helpful and kind to others. Then they can use specific encouragement to support these behaviors (“Jose, you are doing a good job of sharing your blocks.”). Teachers also can use celebrations or special attention such as being allowed to select a book for story time to support appropriate behavior.