Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives on Guidance Provided to Children Who Cause Classmates Physical Harm
Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Patricia Anderson
Abstract
Approximately 10% of preschool children cause classmates physical harm intense enough to require the filing of incident reports. Aggressive behavior can lead to suspension or expulsion from childcare centers and disrupts student learning. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of preschool teachers working in the Southeastern United States regarding children who cause classmates physical harm intense enough to require the filing of incident reports and identify actions teachers take to manage and guide children who show aggressive behavior. The study’s conceptual framework was Bandura’s social cognitive theory of human behavior. Ten lead teachers with at least one year of experience were interviewed to address (a) teachers’ perspectives of children who cause classmates physical harm, and (b) techniques they used to manage and guide children with aggressive behavior. Interviews were then analyzed for themes. The findings indicated that teachers believed that children’s aggressive behaviors were often linked with home factors and the lack of prosocial skills. Teachers indicated that they used strategies and techniques like behavioral plans and intervention programs to help children develop prosocial skills and modify children’s behaviors. Teachers suggested additional training and more assistance from outside behavior specialists would improve their ability to help children who exhibit intensely challenging behavior. The findings from this study may lead to a solution to the problem of aggressive behavior initiated by children in preschool settings and inspire positive social change in improved child management and guidance, improved child behavior, and fewer occasions for child suspension or expulsion from preschool.
Recommended Citation
Frinks, Vangalene, "Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives on Guidance Provided to Children Who Cause Classmates Physical Harm" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12980.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12980
