According to Smith and Fox, challenging behavior is defined as “any repeated pattern of behavior, or perception of behavior that interferes with or is at risk of interfering with the child’s optimal learning or engagement in pro-social interactions with peers and adults”.
Several literature studies have explored the impact of negative aspects on young children with challenging behaviors in preschool. Such behaviors have been perceived to be detrimental as they weaken communications with peers, decrease the quality of the educational process, and reduce the performances and job satisfaction of teachers.
In addition, Aksoy, suggests that children may display challenging behavior due to uncertainties in classroom rules, teacher’s lack of classroom management, and there are probabilities for the occurrence of negative behaviors due to limitations in their cognitive capacities and deficiencies in the social skills.
Furthermore, a study by Beaudoin, Mihic, and Location, investigated how teachers perceive managing children’s behavior in their classroom. The study stresses that the significant predictor of an effective classroom is how teachers manage children’s behavior with classroom management skills.
These skills include how teachers respond proactively with strategies and prevent negative behaviors tactfully. Teachers in the study emphasize that the components of classroom management strategies are complex, and it is important to understand the child’s background and the home environment to apply management strategies.
However, amidst the myriad of classroom management strategies available for preschool teachers, studies also point out using positive approaches to managing children with challenging behaviors. Positive approaches are contrary to disciplining a child with punishment.
The positive approach stresses acknowledging and providing feedback when the child displays desired behavior than being reactive in administering punishment when a child displays inappropriate behavior.
