Managing Emotions in Early Childhood Education

Importance of Modeling Behavior

• Early childhood professionals need to model appropriate expression of feelings.
• Teachers should not assume impulsive actions from children are intentional or meant to push buttons.

Understanding and Managing Personal Feelings

• Recognize personal "hot buttons" and how they affect reactions.
  • Important to identify and describe symptoms of escalation.
• Teachers often experience a range of emotions, including sadness, anger, and frustration.
• Personal feelings can inadvertently be projected onto children, which is unfair.
  • Acknowledging this is often considered taboo, but it's crucial for effective teaching.

Strategies for Staying Calm

• Realize that children who push buttons often need the most support.
• Importance of de-escalating rather than reacting impulsively.
• Techniques include:
  • Taking a deep breath and observing the situation.
  • Using humor to diffuse tension.
  • Replacing personal reaction with professional action.

Communication and Support

• Teachers should engage in reflective conversations with colleagues.
  • Discuss personal challenges and tag out when necessary.
  • Supportive team dynamics are crucial.
• Self-speak in front of children to model emotional management.
  • Example: "Wow, I'm really frustrated right now."
• Use as a learning opportunity to mirror supportive behavior.

Acknowledging and Expressing Feelings

• Teachers must practice acknowledging their feelings, as they ask children to do.
• Encourage appropriate emotional expression in the classroom.
• Use teachable moments to show it's okay to feel emotions, but focus on handling them constructively.