Module 5Understanding Temperament

Mind in the Making:Review of key concepts

1. What makes learning memorable?

2. Essential connections, dance of being in and out of sync

3. Our role in helping children with state regulation

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Module Four Review

• Sharing the Moving on and Doing More activities– Did engaging the children socially,

emotionally and intellectually change how they learned or behaved? If so, how?

– How did planning from the S-E-I perspective change your planning strategies?

– Will this knowledge affect your teaching in the future? If so, how?

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Ice Breaker

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Learning Goals

Teachers will understand that effective

teaching requires becoming increasingly

aware of the role that temperament

plays in child and adult behavior and

learning. They will also become more

aware of the importance of a goodness

of fit with the children they teach.

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Research shows…

• Children are born with

different temperaments

and their growth and

learning is shaped by

an ongoing interaction

between their genetic

endowments and the

experiences they have

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Research shows…

• Children develop

best when adults

can create a

goodness of fit

between

themselves and

children.

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Research shows…

• Children are more likely to cooperate and do

something when adults:

– Help children anticipate what is expected of

them

– Use positive language

– Explain in brief and simple terms rather than,

Because I say so

– Give doable, not overwhelming tasks

– Give limited and valid choices

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Research shows…

• Children are more likely to comply when

asked not to do something when adults:

– Select only a few issues that are important

– Use what researchers call other-oriented

discipline

– Tell the children what they can do

– Establish consequences

– Teach problem-solving skills

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Definitions

Temperament: the behavioral disposition influenced by both genetics and experience

Goodness of fit: when the child’s personality is a match to the adult’s ideal for the child

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• To understand your

own temperament

• To understand each

child’s temperament

• To seek a goodness of

fit between you and

each child

Major Tasks of Teaching Young Children

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Outcomes

• Teachers will become better at:– being aware of their own

temperaments;– being aware of children's

unique temperaments;– being aware of how to

create a good fit between themselves and children; and

– helping children develop skills and abilities that develop their temperaments as assets.

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Get Ready!

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Did You Know? – Research Video

Dr. Jerome Kagan

Harvard University

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What Do You Think?

• Part 1:

– Discuss numbers 2 and 3 on page 5 of the

facilitator guide with your learning partner

– Debrief with large group –

• What was the difference whether you did or didn’t

experience a good fit with a teacher?

• How did the fit affect your learning and feelings

about yourself?

• How does your temperament impact how you

teach?

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What Do You Think?

• Part 2:

– Read Peter’s story in the Appendix 1

•Discuss how the parent reacted with your

learning partner.

•How did the temperament of the teacher

and the child affect the situation?

•What would have made a difference?

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What can you do?

• Think about the list of children you wrote down in Module 2– What role did

temperament play in who you remembered first and who you forgot?

– Pick one or two of the children and figure out a way to create a better fit.

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Tips

• Take time to learn

more about how your

temperament affects

the children you teach

• Observe the children

you teach

• Help a child’s

temperament become

an asset

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Quotes

The behavior you see in a child is

like observing the sky without a

telescope. You see just a little.

You’re got to peer deeper.

--- Dr. Jerome Kagan

Please see additional quotes in your binders.

Journal Reflection

• OR

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Moving On and Doing More

• Use Chart 5.2 to describe the temperaments or styles of the children you teach.

• Use the ideas you came up with for creating a better fit with each child

• Make a list of what works best for you. Use this list when you get out of synch and need to get back in synch with a child.

Story

Leo the Late Bloomer

• by Robert Kraus• Illustrated by Jose

Aruego

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