5 Mistakes to Avoid When Working With Children

Whether at a daycare or a classroom setting, helping younger children and serving as a mentor for their future is one of the most important jobs out there. Children are going to be adults all their lives so it is crucial that they gain the proper knowledge and morality to sustain successful futures and boost their self-esteem. While this may sound like a huge responsibility, children’s minds have yet to develop, making them rather susceptible to positive appraisal and motivation. However, as such, children are just as susceptible to negative appraisal as well which is a deficit to their feelings and their future. Psychologists list 5 examples of things to abstain from doing or saying when working with children to ensure that a beneficial interaction is conducted:

Being Too Rigid and Redundant: Working with children is a more diverse job than many people realize. Everybody is born is different environments and different circumstances meaning they learn concepts in a different manner. “If you have a behavior system that seems to be incompatible with the students, do not assume that the child is not conforming to the standards”,says Katherine Merry P.H.D. “Instead, you the mentor, may need to tweak your behavior plan slightly to tailor to the student’s circumstances”. Being too redundant and sticking to one plan will not work will all students so it is important to ensure each student is learning through a lesson plan suitable to them.

Using the Phrase “Good Job” Without Context: As a kindergarten art teacher, for example, it is easy to walk around the classroom saying “Good Job!” to students that are painting a nice picture. However, social psychologist Susan Newman explains the paradox with this approach: “While saying ‘good job’ is always uplifting, the phrase can become like white noise after a while to a child’s mind. Eventually, ‘good job’ becomes monotonous and can even led to distrust and skepticism amongst the child. This is because the child does not understand why a good job has been performed”. As such, instead of simply uttering the phrase “good job”, provide more context to the child: “Good job, Brandan, you painted a really nice tree!”. Using good job with meaning helps the child understand they did properly as well as boost their happiness and confidence in the long run.

Lacking Parent Contact: Parent-teacher conferences exist for a reason. It is crucial that the child’s parent understands what the student is excelling at and what they are struggling with. “Parents are far more concerned about their children than the teachers are, so keeping a constant line of communication is crucial so that each party can reciprocate their level of concern”, writes an article by “We Are the Teachers Staff”. Even in a non-elementary school setting, these mentors can gain a better understanding and relationship with the children they are working with.

Letting Paperwork Pile Up: In grammar school and college settings alike, procrastination is a terrible plague that affects almost everyone. This can be especially detrimental is an elementary classroom setting because many young students are anxious to find out their grade on their multiplication math test. The longer the child has to wait, the more hopeless and confused they feel. Furthermore, loads of math tests to grade can become overwhelming for the teacher as well which may, in turn, set a negative self-image for the students. “Make it a goal to grade at least 10 student’s tests one day and 10 the next day if it’s easier”, says Kindergarten teacher Chad Boender. “Before you know it, you’ll be ready to distribute the grades to your students”.

Forgetting to Have Fun: Working with young students is all about creating a atmosphere of structure and discipline but also a joyful and active environment. Katherine Merry continues, “Incorporating events such as Circle Time, Story Time, and Snack Time ensure students are happy and engaged while boosting their self-esteem and creativity”. Kids get excited very easily so make sure they unleash this excitement in an organized and learning-oriented way.

Avoiding these 5 mistakes can ensure students can learning and socializing properly while creating a positive atmosphere desirable to the child. Every day is a new opportunity for growth for teachers and students alike so taking advantage of these days is a must to ensure a proper childhood and adulthood for the road ahead.