Spotlight on Young Children

Preventing and Responding to Challenging Behavior

Addressing challenging behavior is a daily concern for early childhood educators. It’s estimated that roughly 10 to 14 percent of children from birth to 5 years old demonstrate serious behavioral concerns, resulting in significant impacts to their learning and social interactions.

Children engage in challenging behavior for many different reasons; preventing and responding to that behavior begins with understanding why it occurs. This book curates and organizes articles from Young Children and Teaching Young Children that

Help teachers build trust and connections with children
Highlight evidence-based positive behavior intervention and support strategies
Aim to prevent suspension, expulsion, and other punitive discipline
Support teachers and families in implementing effective teaching strategies for social and emotional skills children can use instead of challenging behavior
Show how to adapt practices to consider the cultures and contexts of children

Each article in this collection is accompanied by questions to prompt deeper thinking on the content. With this resource, fully see and hear children as you honor and support their well-being, as well as your own.

Charis L. Wahman, PhD, BCBA-D, is assistant professor of special education at Michigan State University. She also serves as a clinician in early care settings to support young children with social and emotional needs. Charis has conducted research, published articles, and presented on the social and emotional development of young children and families' experiences with suspension and expulsion at national conferences.

Janice K. Lee, PhD, BCBA, is state coordinator for the Nevada Pyramid Model Partnership through the University of Nevada, Reno. In addition to conducting research and publishing articles on the pyramid model, she also provides training, coaching, consultation, and technical assistance on social and emotional skill development to teachers, practitioners, and families to prevent and address challenging behavior.