click on the link below to receive information about Why it is necessary to Strengthen Adult Capabilities to Improve Children's Outcomes.......

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/building-adult-capabilities-to-improve-child-outcomes-a-theory-of-change/ 

A Preschool Scenario To Reflect On:

Consequences of Stress of Children’s Development

The consequences of a 4-year old preschool boy is clearly observed by the center administrator and other professionals who intervened to help him adjust in the classroom. This example is from a series of classroom observations and interventions made to help him become more accepting and accountable for his teacher’s directions; structured routines in the classroom and his daily interactions towards his peers as he is displaying daily anger and oppositional behaviors towards his teachers and others in the classroom:

-         -  the child often ignores his female teacher’s request to wash his hands after using the toilet. he says “I want to play ______ (in a preferred center)” and walks towards the classroom by himself. he falls onto the floor and uses his shoe or an object he randomly picks-up and kicks the nearby steel radiator. he often hits/punches/kicks his teachers when they try to intervene – his mother or center administrator is called many times throughout the day to intervene. in addition, his mother refuses to allow a free observation, family review and referral be made by a qualified, credentialed team early intervention professionals to help the child adjust and comply with center/classroom  rules. 

-         - the child falls onto the floor, refusing to wash his hands before and after playing in the sandbox at center time. he often hits/punches/kicks his teachers when they try to intervene – his parent or center administrator is called throughout the day to intervene — his mother continues to refuse to allow a free observation, family review and referral be made by a qualified, credentialed team early intervention professionals to help the child adjust and comply with center/classroom rules

-          - the child spontaneously slapped another peer in the face when she took a toy out of his hand without asking and she suffered a significant bruise on her face – his mother was called into the office to discuss his current need for early intervention services – both his mother and father agreed and this request for early intervention services which was immediately made by his teachers on his behalf.

Early Intervention Results called for:

-         -  his teachers to be trained on setting a daily warm environment with predictable routines and praise for all the children in the classroom to follow

-         -  both parents to work together and set-up an acceptable a daily routine that reinforces daily predictable structured routines, rewards and caring, respectable interactions with others

-         - both parents to take turns spending daily extended time with the child, especially at pick-up and drop-off times of the day where teachers have the opportunity to deliver face-to-face daily reports on his behavior(s) thatt will ultimately make him more accountable for his actions during the day and allow the opportunity to be rewarded by his parents for actively displaying positive behaviors.

Summary of Results

It seems once the child was given ample opportunities for: 1) more quality time with both his parents; 2) a better system of positive feedback to be set in place; 3) more structured, predictable routines to be put in place and followed at home and at school and 4) more opportunities for him to be more accountable and be more verbally expressive at home and at school, he began to flourish and so far, this child is more accepting of daily routines, transitions in school and his peer interactions. Additionally, he is beginning to use his words more instead of hurting others.