Using positive communication: do’s instead of don’ts
· Handout B-3, “Using Positive Communication” and teacher’s key
Handout B-3
Using Positive Communication
The following are common responses to children’s behavior. With your partner, read each and come up with a positive replacement. .
Common Reponses
| Positive Replacements
|
| “Don’t just drop your coat on the floor.” | |
| “Stop running around the room.” | |
| “Quit hitting! Bad boy!” | |
| “Stop climbing on the table.” | |
| “Why are you so slow?” | |
| “Stop that screeching noise.” | |
| “Please quit whining.” | |
| “You don’t get to take all the Play-doh.” | |
| “Okay, who tore up the snack mat?” | |
| “Why can’t you share?” | |
o “If you hang up your coat, people will not walk on it and get it all dirty.”
o “When your coat is hung up, you can go paint.”
o “Running is for outside. Would you like to build with the blocks or join me at the art table?”
o “I can see you have a lot of energy. Come help me set the table for snacks.”
o “You are very angry. Use your words to tell James what made you mad.”
o “We do not hit. We use our words”
o “Would you like to sit on the blue carpet square or the green carpet square?”
o “Would you like to pick a book before you come and sit down?”
o “When the blocks are picked up, we can go outside.”
o “Would you like me to help you pick up the blocks?”
o “Use an inside voice to tell me what you want.”
o “Let’s play quietly.”
o “When the chairs are pushed in, they are out of the way so that no one will trip on them.”
o “We push in our chairs before leaving the table.”
o “Choose one color that you like to play with.”
o “Share the play-doh with John and Sally.”
o “Oh, dear. One of the snack mats has been torn. Now we do not have enough for everyone.”
o “One of the snack mats has been torn. What can we do so everyone has one?”
o “Which color do you want to use first?”