Behavior Moments
A 3 year old throws blocks across the room during center time. What do you do?
Stop unsafe behavior, In a calm, neutral tone say: “Block's stay on the floor.", Remove blocks if needed, Redirect to a safe option, offer choices
A child trips on the playground and is crying but appears okay. What do you do first?
Check for injury first at a distance, Comfort child if needed, Monitor for changes, Document if required
Children are running instead of cleaning up. What do you do?
Make cleanup a game/song, Give specific jobs/choices, Use visual cues, Reinforce participation
A parent is upset about a small scratch on their child’s arm. What do you say?
Stay calm and listen to the parent's concerns, Acknowledge their feelings, Share only the facts about what happened and how it was handled, Explain the care that was provided, Avoid guessing or assigning blame
Your co-teacher handles discipline very differently than you. What do you do?
Talk privately with them and be honest in a kind way, learn common expectations, monitor what works, seek outside support if needed
A child screams “NO!” and refuses every instruction during clean-up. What do you say/do?
Give simple choice: “You can help clean up blocks or books.” Use first/then language, Model clean-up, Praise any participation
You notice a person walking on the playground but they don't look familiar to you or your co teacher. What do you do?
Ask respectfully who they are and if they need something. Refer them to the office if they're unsure where they are and notify office staff.
A child is screaming at drop off and trying to run out the door. What do you do?
Hold them safely if need be, attempt to redirect or use calm down activities, acknowledge feelings, offer a choice, close the door temporarily if needed
A parent says “Why was that child sent to the office?”
Protect the child’s privacy, do not share details about another child, acknowledge the parent’s concern, and redirect the conversation back to their own child.
You find a co worker has been talking negatively about you behind your back. What do you do?
Stay professional, avoid reacting to rumors, speak with the coworker privately if needed, involve my supervisor if the issue continues, and focus on maintaining a positive work environment.
A child repeatedly leaves circle time and disrupts others. What do you do long-term to fix this?
Shorten circle time, add movement and engagement
give child a role (helper), use seating supports or boundaries, observe pattern and adjust expectations
A child has a minor bite mark from another student. Parent is arriving soon. What do you do before pickup?
Clean and assess injury, Document incident, Inform admin, Prepare factual explanation, Avoid blaming language and inform parent
Nap time is stressful and half the class won’t rest. What do you do?
Allow/encourage kids to rest for an appropriate amount of time based on their age, offer quiet activities, let them sit next to you and do something quietly
A parent texts you while you're at work asking if you can send them a photo of their child. What do you do?
Communicate appropriately on school wide used app, only share photos through approved methods, communicate with parent that the best way to reach you is through Procare
You feel overwhelmed and unsupported during the day. What do you do professionally?
Prioritize the most important tasks and continue keeping kids safe, discuss with your co teacher at an appropriate time how you feel, if that doesn't help go to your director to discuss
A student is walking out of line and kicking the peer in front of them as they walk. What do you say/do?
Remind the student of hallway expectations, check that the other student is okay, and offer a simple choice (e.g., walk safely with the class or hold Ms. Smith's hand). Discuss it after the transition and have the student apologize to the peer
You notice a child is missing during headcount after transition. What do you do immediately?
Immediate headcount recheck, Alert staff/admin, Systematic search following policy, Do NOT delay or assume child is elsewhere, Follow emergency procedures immediately
One center is overcrowded every day while others are ignored. What do you do?
Express expectations of centers and limit of how many can be in there, let them know they can have a turn once someone leaves or if the timer goes off, change the activities in the centers so they are more inviting
A parent is emotional and raising their voice during pickup. What do you do?
Stay calm, listen respectfully, speak professionally, move to a private area, and involve a supervisor if necessary.
A new staff member is struggling and unsure of routines. What do you do to support them?
Offer support, model routines, answer questions, check in regularly, and encourage them as they learn.
A child is upset that they don't get to go to the center they wanted. They begin screaming and throwing chairs, what do you do?
Move other children away, take objects away that can be thrown, use simple directions/choices, teach appropriate ways to calm down
You are alone momentarily with a full class and ratio is tight. What do you do?
Ensure all children are supervised, Call for coverage, Combine groups if allowed, Keep environment structured, Follow licensing requirements strictly
You get stuck changing the diapers, cleaning the table, sweeping the floor every single time. What do you do?
Communicate with my team, ask for support, share responsibilities fairly, come up with a schedule and work together to maintain a positive classroom environment.
A parent is talking negatively about another teacher to you. What do you do?
Keep the conversation focused on the child's well-being, refrain from saying something negative about the teacher, encourage the parent to speak directly to the teacher or to Director, inform director of conversation
You hear of something that has happened with a child. Others are saying the teacher should have done something differently and begin stating negative things about the teacher. What should you do?
Communicate kindly to your fellow employees not to jump to conclusions because they may not know the entire story, suggest that as a team we shouldn't talk negatively about others but instead go directly to them if we have an issue