7. Engagement

Jump to: Reflective Activities | Further Reading | Diagrams and Figures

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Reflective Activities

• To reflect upon how children are viewed in modern society
• To review how children in the setting are helped to identify and express their feelings
• To reflect on one child’s behaviour and their needs
• To consider a child’s well-being in relation to their behaviour
• To reflect upon how adults communicate with babies and/or young children
• To reflect upon the impact practitioners have on children’s lives
• To reflect upon how you think children should behave and why
• To reflect on how you convey to children the behaviours which are and are not acceptable in particular circumstances
• To consider how engagement can impact learning

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Further Reading

Overview

Children’s behaviours in ECEC settings are linked to a great many aspects of their lives and experiences. The following selection of readings provide both behaviour management techniques and facilitate reflection upon children’s experiences of ECEC settings.

O’Connor, A. (2013) Understanding transitions in the early years: supporting change through attachment and resilience, London: Routledge.

Brooker, L. (2002) Starting School: Young Children Learning Cultures, Buckingham: Open University Press.

Brooker, L. (2008) Supporting Transitions in the Early Years, Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.

Rogers, B. and McPherson, E. (2009) Behaviour Management with Young Children, London: Sage Publications.

Bradford, H. (2012) The Well-being of Children Under Three, Oxford: Routledge.

Clark, A., Kjorholt, A., and Moss, P. (2005) Beyond Listening: Children's Perspectives on Early Childhood Services, Brostol: Policy Press.  

Goouch, K. (2010) Towards Excellence in Early Years Education: Exploring Narratives of Eexperience, London: Routledge.

Docking, J. (1996) Managing Behaviour in the Primary School (2^nd ed.), London: David Fulton.

Children will also need to be supported to develop the skills needed to express and manage their feelings. The following readings may be useful:

Dowling, M. (2014) Young Children’s Personal, Social and Emotional Development (4^th edn.), London: Paul Chapman.

Mathieson, K. (2005) Social Skills in the Early Years: Supporting Social and Bbehavioural Learning, London: Paul Chapman Publishing. 

Thinking about practice is crucial when seeking to understand children’s behaviours, we recommend:

Laevers, F. (Ed.) (1994) Defining and Assessing Quality in Early Childhood Education. Studia Paedagogica, Leuven: Leuven University Press.

Laevers, F. (1997) Assessing the quality of childcare provision: “Involvement” as criterion. In: Settings in interaction. Researching Early Childhood, 3, 151-165, Göteborg: Göteborg University.

Nutbrown, C. (1996) Respectful Educators-Capable Learners. Children's Rights and Early Education, London: Paul Chapman Publishers.

Media files

• The Leuven Involvement Scale
• Restorative Practice

Useful links

• Behaviour Policy example 1 - Nursery World
• Behaviour Policy example 2 - Sure Start
• Behaviour Policy example 3 - Glenbrook Nursery

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Diagrams and Figures

• Figure 7.1 Elements influencing behaviour