Question about child care discipline laws- what is the law and what do you think??

Question

I work in a preschool/day-care center and I love it.
I have a question about something that I have always done, and lately it has been challenged by the other teachers who work there.
Most of the time, the children behave pretty well, and you can tell them to stop doing something or follow the line leader and they will do it.
Sometimes, though...there's a child who only wants to do things his/her way. They pitch fits and tantrums and hang on to furniture or lash out at other students.
In some of these cases, I have gently but firmly picked up the child and put them in a time-out or carried them where they were supposed to go.
I was stopped last week by one of the teachers who said we are not supposed to pick kids up or force them to do anything they don't want to do. Another teacher told me it's a law. They said if the child wants to stay on the playground/in the classroom, we have to let them stay there.
I think as long as I don't hurt the child, I can physically move them.

I'm just wondering what is the law here??
And what's your opinions on all of this?
Parents- would you mind if a teacher physically removed your child from distracting the classroom if they were pitching a screaming fit??

Answer 1

In most states, the school boards do not allow teachers to lay hands on children for any form of discipline. There are a few exceptions...usually for teachers and aides who work with children with severe special needs and they have recieved training on the safest way to do so. In most cases, these rules have been put in place to protect the school and the teachers from abuse accusations/litigation. While it has made teaching even more difficult, many districts simply could not afford the costs of such accusations and felt there was no other option.

I was a pre-school educator at the time when the rules were just starting to change. Generally, we were told to attempt to persuade the child to move or comply vocally. If that failed, we could move the rest of the class as long as another staff member was present to stay with the child being seperated from the group. With the older students (our school went up to 6th grade), the office was to be called immediately and parents would be notified. If the child still refused to comply, at that point the parents were called again and told to come and take the child home for the rest of the day.

My advice is to never touch a child during a disciplinary situation. Ask your director what to do in this situation and have a planned worked out about who will remove the other students if it becomes neccessary. Keep the child seperate and when he finally does calm down, let him know his behavior is not acceptable and that he has lost a privelage (he will have to wait and choose his toy last during free time, he will have to sit and look at books on the playground rather than swing). If, when he does calm down he goes and does what he was asked to do, thank him for listening and then drop it. It won't be easy...there are days. But it is in your best interest to follow both the rules and the law.

Answer 2

I also work in a childcare center it can be tough the only time we pick up children to physically remove them is if they are going to hurt another child or teacher/student or have hurt themselves and need comforting. If they are pitching a fit or throwing tantrums we offer to take them to another room like the toddler room NOT because they are behaving below the age but because the rest of the group is ready to go and they are holding up the activity/playtime. we actually say to the child " I can see you are not ready but all the other children are so we are going I cannot leave you by yurself its not safe so I will see if there is room in the toddler room/office/jr room where ever you can put them. After missing a few activities and hearing the other children talk about how much fun it was usually this works. good luck ps ( we have sometimes had to carry teh child to the other room for their safety of not being left alone.

Answer 3

Talk with other teachers and find out where they where coming from. In the heat of battle you maybe too forceful. Best thing to do with child trowing fit is to let them simmer down if this can be done safely. This can get turned into good learning lesson, as other watch and learn why child x lost some privilege. What you are describing sounds fine, but possibly you need object view of your acts which other teachers can give you. Time-out does not have to happen immediately, but should happen close to event. Would only be speculating to answer second part of your question except for strong dislike for all needed to be taken to protect yourself from someone looking to make fast buck.

Answer 4

You should check out the laws with DFS on your area, in the HeadStart in My area that my children have all attended there was no problem eith picking up a child or holding them so that they do not harm themselves or another child, and they have to know there are boundries and most of the timet hey will only do this stuff once or twice... you have to be the adult... definaltely check out the laws, sounds like the other teachers need some education... i would not be upset with you if you were kind and had to remove my child for a fit or some possible harm to herself or someone else...

Answer 5

it absolutly disgusts me that teachers cannot so much as look at a child the wrong way and its wrong thats why things are so ****** up. all the shooting in schools and stuff its because teachers and parents arent allowed to disipline. if i got a ruler smacked across my hand at 7(like my mom did) for being disruptive i think i would get the message. but now its that kind of mentality"let them do whatever they want" is why kids have no respect for adults. anyway i dont care what the law says if i was the teacher im in charge and a 6 year old isnt gonna stay on the playground just because he feels like it and if he didnt listen i would also pick him up take him in and then write a note to his parents.

P.S i wouldnt mind a bit if the person i left in charge of my kid did what they needed to do. because the teacher is taking my place.

Answer 6

I have been in the exact same situation, and for my own safety I would not pick up a child. There a lot of crazy parents out there who will sue at the drop of a hat. I stay back and try to convince them verbally then I send a child or adult to go get the administrator and let them deal with it. Protect yourself because you don't want this to come back to haunt you!!!

Answer 7

I agree with Mama. Our society is going downhill and it's all because we have this idea that kids should be allowed to do whatever they want. I have great respect for you being a teacher because I think I would get arrested in your place. I believe in a little discipline. I think parents should do their parts and not put such a burden on the teachers. I think, however, that you should inform yourself on the laws in regards to this kind of situation because you might get yourself into a lot of trouble if one of the other teachers wanted to make you look like the bad one.

Answer 8

Go to www.naeyc.org and check out the Code of Ethical Conduct : Guidelines for Responsible Behavior in Early Childhood Education. Everything you need to know, according to the law is there.