Creating a Supportive Environment for Positive Behavior Management

Katherine Dyson, M.S., Point Coupee Early Childhood Coalition Coach

I recently had the pleasure of presenting a session on Positive Guidance and Behavior Management at the professional development event, Effective Classroom Techniques for Engaging Young Learners. Early childhood educators play a crucial role in shaping young children's social-emotional development, and implementing effective behavior management strategies is key to fostering a positive and engaging learning environment. In this blog post, we share highlights from our presentation.

The Foundation: A Supportive Environment

To facilitate young children’s social-emotional growth, educators must understand the importance of creating a supportive classroom environment. Children thrive in predictable, well-structured spaces that offer both security and opportunities for exploration, and the physical setup of the classroom, visual supports, and class routines can serve as proactive behavior management tools. See below for examples of each.

• Physical Environment: Arrange the classroom in a way that minimizes congestion, provides clear activity zones, and ensures children have access to needed materials that foster independence and reduce disruptive behaviors.

• Visual Supports: Label areas, using picture schedules, and display clear expectations to help guide children’s actions and support their self-regulation.

• Routines: Establish and maintain consistent daily routines to help children feel secure and understand what is expected of them; this reduces anxiety and improves cooperation.

Using Clear, Consistent, and Positive Expectations

Another crucial aspect of behavior management is the use of clear, consistent, and positively framed expectations. Rather than focusing on what children shouldn’t do, phrase directions positively. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t run!” we encourage teachers to say, “Use your walking feet inside.”

By setting explicit expectations and reinforcing them through modeling and repetition, teachers can help children internalize appropriate behaviors. We also encourage teachers to use positive reinforcement—acknowledging and encouraging desired behaviors rather than primarily addressing negative ones. Simple strategies, such as specific verbal praise and class reward systems, can reinforce positive actions and boost children's motivation to engage appropriately.

The Teacher-First Model for Self-Regulation

The final component of the plan to facilitate social-emotional development focuses on self-regulation strategies and the role of the teacher in modeling these skills. Young children are still developing self-regulation, so they rely on the adults around them to guide and co-regulate their emotions. One model for accomplishing this is the Teacher-First Model, which emphasizes that before helping children regulate their emotions, teachers must regulate their own. One effective strategy to employ is breathing exercises, which help teachers minimize stress while managing the classroom and help children learn to calm their bodies and minds. 

Techniques such as deep belly breathing, balloon breaths, and guided imagery provide simple yet powerful tools for emotional regulation. See below for a description of each:

• Deep belly breathing: Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. As you inhale and exhale, feel your belly lifting and falling. Repeat three times.

• Balloon breathing: Place your hands on top of your head; as you inhale, create a large, wide circle over your head (like a balloon). As you exhale, lower your hands back to your head as if the balloon is deflating. Repeat three times.

• Guided imagery: Walk the children through a guided imagery setting by having them close their eyes and imagine both the setting and feelings. Some children prefer to focus on a calm place like an outdoor space or the beach. Others may prefer to imagine their rooms or somewhere where they feel safe. Walk students through the scenery, pointing out what they might hear, feel, or see. You can find many examples of other scenarios online.

By incorporating mindful breathing exercises into daily routines—such as morning meetings, transitions, or moments of heightened emotion—teachers can help children build essential self-regulation skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom.

Behavior management is not about control—it is about guidance, support, and positive relationships. By creating a structured and nurturing environment, using consistent positive reinforcement, and modeling self-regulation, early childhood educators can empower young learners to succeed.

Katherine Dyson, M.Ed., is an Early Childhood educator and instructional coach specializing in teacher training and classroom quality improvement. With experience in urban education and daycare settings, she focuses on practical, engaging methods to enhance instructional effectiveness. Her research explores structured video self-reflection as a professional development tool, emphasizing teacher self-efficacy. She designs hands-on, impactful learning experiences, such as lunch-and-learn sessions on the CLASS tool. Passionate about early education, she bridges research and practice to support teachers in creating enriching environments for young learners.