Positive Behavior Support, Episode 2: Planning Ahead

For materials on this topic in English, Spanish, and Somali

Season 2, Episode 2: Planning Ahead: Environments that Support Positive Behavior

Home » Circle Time Magazine » Season 2: Positive Behavior Support Edition » Positive Behavior Support, Episode 2: Planning Ahead

When infants and young children can count on an environment to be safe, predictable, and supportive, the more likely they are to develop skills needed to deal with challenging situations. Episode 2 discusses how to create those positive environments with small changes that can make a world of difference.

Watch now: Episode 2, Planning Ahead: Environments that Support Positive Behavior!

Join us for episode 2 of Circle Time Magazine to see how the environment can be designed to help children communicate effectively, and much more!

Download your copy: Edition 2: Environments that Support Positive Behavior!

Circle Time Magazine Season 2, Episode 2, print version

To learn more about Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and how creating a nurturing and predictable learning environment can help children manage their behavior download the print version or view the magazine online.

Download to Read

View Online to Read

Free Tips and Visual Supports

Video and Print Magazine Resources

Download these free visual supports for using in your learning environment to promote positive behavior and developmental growth.

Designing Environments: Tips for Educators – A “Yes” Environment

Tips and Ideas for Making Visuals to Support Young Children with Challenging Behavior

PDF: This tip sheet from Vanderbilt University’s Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), explains why visual supports are important, shows different types of visual supports, and has tips on how to make them.

Classroom Visuals and Supports

Post these visuals from the Head Start Center for Inclusion (HSCI) in your learning environment to support children’s learning and independence.

Managing the Classroom: Tips for Supporting Children who are Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

PDF: These tips help educators better understand the role of culture and language in expectations for children’s behavior.

Behavior Guidance: Tips for Children who are DLLs

PDF: These tips help educators better understand the role of culture and language in expectations for children’s behavior.

Helping Children Understand Routines and Classroom Schedules

PDF: This handout from CSEFEL gives quick tips and reminders about setting a predictable schedule and teaching the steps of daily routines.

Dive into Books

Bilingual Book Recommendations:

Know and Follow the Rules by Cheri Meiners (Bilingual: Saber y seguir las reglas por Cheri Meiners)
Hands are not for Hitting by Martine Agassi (Bilingual: Las Manos no son Para Pegar por Martine Agassi)
Teeth are Not for Biting by Elizabeth Verdict (Bilingual: Los dientes no son Para Morder por Elizabeth Verdict)
Let’s Play in the Forest by Claude Rueda (Bilingual: Juguemos en el Bosque por Claude Rueda)
Leo Loves Baby Time by Anna McQuinn (Bilingual: A Leo le gusta Bebelandia por Anna McQuinn)

Book Recommendations:

Little Dinos Don’t Hit by Michael Dahl
Little Tiger Picks Up by Michael Dahl
Bella’s Rules by Elissa Haden Guest
Please Baby Please by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee
Dinosaur vs. School by Bob Shea
Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman & David Clemesha
Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Going to Sleep? by Michael Sampson

Helpful Resources—Episode 2: Environments that Support Positive Behavior

Go Deeper...

with this collection of additional reading on the main topics of each episode.

See more resources

Tiered Levels of Support

VIDEO: Listen to Kathleen Meeker, PhD, as she describes the three tiers of practices educators can use to support children who demonstrate challenging behaviors: universal practices for all children, a secondary level of practices to support some children, and a top level for children with higher needs.

Using Environmental Strategies to Promote Positive Social Interactions

PDF: In this What Works Brief from CSEFEL, learn more about environmental strategies and how they can increase positive social interactions.

Solving the Puzzle: Dual Language Learners with Challenging Behaviors

Webpage: Read this article to get a deeper understanding of the impact that communication barriers can have on behavior, and ways to improve a program that includes children with diverse abilities and language skills.

Take a look! Visual Supports for Learning

PDF: Learn how visual supports provide helpful guidance to young children and support diverse learners. Tips on creating visuals are also provided.

Helping Children Make Transitions Between Activities

PDF: Read this article from CSEFEL to understand the importance of transitions and learn ways to support smooth transitions between activities.

Try these Learning Activities...

and improve your practice by engaging in these activities designed to help you put your knowledge into practice.

See more resources

Creating Environments that Include Children’s Home Languages and Cultures

PDF: This handout offers suggestions for creating physical early learning environments that reflect and value all children’s home languages and cultures.

A Well-Designed Environment Reflection Tool

PDF: Use this tool to find the strengths in your learning environment and adjustments you can make to increase children’s safety and engagement in learning.

Learning Activity: What Are Developmentally Appropriate Expectations for Young Children?

PDF: Use this handout to reflect on the expectations you have for the children in your care and to consider if they are reasonable based on each child’s developmental abilities.

Learning Activity: Anticipating Behaviors

PDF: Complete this activity to better anticipate and address challenging behaviors that may occur throughout the day in your learning environment.

Learning Activity: Red Light, Green Light

PDF: Complete this activity to practice green light thinking as a way of building resilience.

See it in Action...

with these video exemplars that showcase the concepts discussed in the show and magazine, in practice.

See more resources

Overview: Infant-Toddler Room

Video: As the camera pans around this infant-toddler room, see how the environment is set up to be safe and promote positive behavior. Educators also demonstrate zoning and teacher-talk.

Routines: Visual Outerwear

Video: Watch this educator teach and use a visual support to assist a child through the steps for getting ready to go outside.

Reviewing the Schedule

Video: See how an educator posts and references a visual schedule to provide toddlers with a predictable environment and a clear understanding of what daily activity they will do next. This practice creates smooth transitions for children and educators.

Reflect on Bias and Behavior...

with these resources to increase your self-awareness and address unconscious biases that are likely to be impacting children in your program.

See more resources

Having Conversations About Race, Bias, and Equity

Webinar: Watch this webinar to understand what the research shows regarding the impact of racial bias on teaching, learning, and decision-making in early childhood environments.

Fix a Broken System Where Preschoolers are Expelled

Web page: Read this article, written by two members of the Cultivate Learning team, to explore the impact of preschool expulsion on children and families. Read on to understand the steps that educators can take to interrupt bias and teach positive social and emotional skills.

TRANSLATION NOTE: Please be aware that there might be slight discrepancies and minor differences between the posted, printed, or electronic text in English and the corresponding Spanish translation, due to the editing and updating of the different versions.

Contact Us

Please contact us at cultiv8@uw.edu if you have questions about Circle Time Magazine. Like Cultivate Learning on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected to our latest work.