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Developmentally Appropriate Leadership with Children Who Show Challenging Behaviors

by Dan Gartrell and Michael Gallo
November/December 2015
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Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/developmentally-appropriate-leadership-with-children-who-show-challenging-behaviors/5022601/

Part One of this series explored the idea that children who cause conflicts in early childhood settings are reacting to unmanageable stress levels in their lives (Exchange, September/October 2015, pp. 18-22). Their challenging behavior is really mistaken survival behavior (Gunnar, Herrera, & Hostinar, 2009). They are reacting to impulses (showing reactive aggression) or to misguided personal strategies (instrumental aggression) in an effort to defend themselves against real and imagined threats. Ironically, the challenging behaviors that these children show may actually help them defend themselves outside the haven of the early childhood program (Cairone & Mackrain, 2012). 

Challenging life experiences — which can range from deprivation of food and shelter, to unpredictable dynamics and relationships within the family, to witnessing or experiencing violence — are major environmental contributors to toxic stress. (Shonkoff & Garner, 2012). There may also be neurological causes within the brain, which can be aggravated by adverse life experiences. Upon arrival in the program, stressed young children do not have the capacity to declare to a teacher, “I am highly stressed due to some difficult situations last night. May I sit and ...

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