1. REFLECTIVE PRACTICE GUIDANCE LOGS
DATE: March 27, 2012
GUIDANCE STRATEGY USED: Direct guidance: delivering I-message and teaching
helpful or appropriate behaviour.
OBSERVATION
(observe, identify the problem, examine the context of the problem)
Pseudonyms: “Mickey” and “Vicky”
Age of the child:
Observation: After lunch, the observer and I untied the seatbelt of the high chair and let
the children go to free play, while one of the ECEs was still feeding the other younger
children. On the other hand, while the rest of the children were crawling and plating on
the mat, one of the ECEs placed one child on the rocking chair. The high school co-op
student sat on the ground while she held a story book with both hands. Mickey came
over and leaned in front of her, and then the high school co-op student started to tell the
story about “the bear.” Mickey flipped the pages with her right hand and then Vicky
looked at them and she ran over to “Mickey” with a smile and tried to sit in front of her.
When Vicky sat down, Mickey frowned and stretched out her neck to bite Vicky’s wrist
and extended her right hand to hit Vicky’s head, and then, Vicky cried.
Context of the Problem: Mickey bit Vicky and hit her head, when Vicky tried or
attempted to sit in front of her. This behaviour may indicate that Mickey is still
developing her concept of sharing.
DECISION
(choose a guidance strategy from this course that fits with the problem. Clearly state
why the chosen strategy is appropriate for this child/situation)
From the above situation, I chose to apply direct guidance strategy particularly by
teaching helpful or appropriate behaviour and by delivering i-messages. As Marion
shared, through the use of teaching helpful or appropriate behaviour, I can help Mickey

2. “build self-control and helpful behaviours (Guidance of Young Children, p.125).” As
Marion mentioned, ECEs use I-messages if “they own the problem.” By owning the
problem, it means “a child has done something that interferes in some way with the
adult’s needs (Guidance of Young Children, p.135).” In this case, the child interfered to
the group’s supposed reading activity by showing the mentioned behaviour to the child
who wants to join the group. Marion also discussed that ECEs who uses such strategy
has fully realized that “a child has done something annoying that has cost them time,
energy, or money, but they know that they are the ones experiencing the feelings
(Guidance of Young Children, p. 136).” Also, Mickey’s behaviour can be considered
unacceptable that’s why I-message can be appropriate for the situation since in this
strategy the adult “take responsibility for communicating the feelings to the child in a firm
but respectful and nonaccusatory way (Guidance of Young Children, p. 136).” I believe
that this strategy can efficiently solve the problem because you’re avoiding accusing the
child, thus saving her dignity but at the same time, you’re addressing his unacceptable
behaviour.
ACTIONS
(Clearly discuss your actions, the child’s response and the results of the guidance
strategy)
After Mickey bit Vicky, Vicky cried and her wrist appeared a little bit red. I came over to
the spot and “stop it.” I held Vicky away from Mickey and checked how hurt she is. I told
Vicky, “Don’t worry, it will be fine. I know you are suffering.” I placed Vicky beside the
music table, and then she seemed to be amazed by it. And then I asked her, “Where is
the sound coming from? Can you hear that? Oh! Can you press some button to make
some sound?” and after five minutes she stopped crying and being cranky, then she
focused on the musical table. I came back to Mickey and said “Stop it. I don’t like it. You
hurt Vicky that’s why she cried.” Mickey laughed as a response and then I told her, “I am
not laughing, I am serious.” I picked up a baby doll and brought it in front of her and then
I said, “when you play with your little friend, please just gentle touch. No fighting.” This I-
message is to tell the children what you’re feeling is. I gave data about the child’s

3. behaviour, while still avoiding accusing the child. The I-message that I told the child
clearly communicates “what the adult saw, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted and are
stated in a way that you’re just translating facts and not opinions (Guidance of Young
Children, p.136).” Just like what I did, I told the child what she did. On the other hand, I
also communicated my feelings towards her behaviour and not towards her. By saying
telling Mickey this, “Stop it. I don’t like it. You hurt Vicky that’s why she cried” – I told her
that I don’t like what she did to Vicky, which made her friend cry. After telling that,
Mickey let her head down a little bit and didn’t say anything. When she went back to
play with the other children, I told her “gentle touch, no fighting.”
REFLECTION
(Specify what went well. Are there some things that you need to change)
STRENGTHS NEEDS
From the above situation, I had applied What I thought is, I should consider which
guidance strategies for children such as, child will have a hard time to go along with
“teaching helpful or appropriate behaviour others. I should set some limits before they
and delivering I-messages.” When gather together to play. Aside from this, I
necessary, teacher should intervene with will always try to scan the environment,
children’s play. Such as fighting for a toy, and foresee situations that might cause a
hitting, bullying, biting, and the like. I series of problems. For example, some of
showed concrete example to Mickey by the children may prefer playing on his/her
bringing a doll in front of her and shared to own and they might dislike other children
her how appropriate behaviour is through interrupting their play – I may need to pay
dramatizing how gentle touch is and more attention about this so that when the
reminded her how to be friendly and not to same situation happens again, I can
fight with others. I also kept reminding the immediately come over to prevent it. In
appropriate behaviour during free play. daily observations, I should try to write
When I implemented the I-message insights regarding children’s temperaments
strategy, I have acknowledged my feeling that will assist me to understand their
of anger, but still refraining from accusing personality better. This will make it easier
the child’s behaviour. I just explained the for me to solve their problems and at the
behaviour that she did and how it affected same time, meet their needs.
the other child.

4. CHANGES
This is my first time to see a child get bitten in the daycare centre. When I saw this
situation, at that moment, I was so scared and stunned. The thing I want to change is
that moment where I could have separated Mickey from Vicky before things occurred. I
could have made a different activity to attract Vicky instead of approaching Mickey. I
should have seen signals and/or cues for appropriate behaviour ahead of time. During
their play, I should have reminded the children about appropriate behaviour rather than
after the situation happened. On the other hand, I lack the experience that could teach
me how to deal with this inappropriate behaviour, that’s why I feel like I wasn’t that
confident when I dealt with the situation. I felt nervous after seeing the child cry. By
reviewing our placement manual, it reminded me that at any time, I should remain
professional and calm.
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE GUIDANCE LOGS

5. DATE: March 19, 2012
GUIDANCE STRATEGY USED: Indirect guidance: Redirection through diversion
and/or distraction
OBSERVATION
(observe, identify the problem, examine the context of the problem)
Pseudonym: Child A
Age of the child:
Observation: During free play, three children and I were sitting on the mat, while one
child was pushing the baby walker. The younger one was sitting on the bouncing chair
holding a rattle with both hands, and sucking it. The ECE placed the youngest child to a
bumbo chair for her to feed the child with some cereals. The rest of the children were
walking around and playing. One of the ECEs was writing an observation while the ECA
was changing the diaper of Child A. After five minutes, Child A walked towards the table
and he bended down to pick up a toy insect. He picked it up and placed it inside his
mouth. He threw it on the floor and climbed on a chair. He used both hands, holding two
sides of the handle, and stepped one foot on the stool and stood up on the chair.
Context of the problem: Child A could have hurt himself when he climbed and stood
up on the stool.
DECISION
(choose a guidance strategy from this course that fits with the problem. Clearly state
why the chosen strategy is appropriate for this child/situation)
The strategy I chose to deal with this situation was redirection, particularly diverting and
distracting children. As Marion discussed, this is a strategy where “an adult immediately
does something to distract a child from the forbidden or dangerous activity (Guidance of
Young Children, p. 132).” Based on the observation, while Child A was standing on the
chair, he was in danger and he might possibly fall down.

6. As for guiding the child to do a safer and more acceptable way, I also applied
substitutions for the child. When I discovered the child’s behaviour in an unsafe
environment, the first thing I thought was to distract them and the next step is to makes
substitutions to entice them and instruct them to play in a safe surrounding.
ACTIONS
(Clearly discuss your actions, the child’s response and the results of the guidance
strategy)
Child A stood up on the stool and put both hands over his head and had a big smile. I
saw this case and immediately said: “Hi, do you know, I think it is time to play the piano
now. I know you like it, right? Let’s go!” I went over to Child A, and held him in his arms.
Child A was unwilling to get down of the chair, and he was struggling and wanted to do
what he wanted. The observer put him down and then he threw himself to the floor. I
took the piano in front of him and pressed the keyboard and said, “I remember the last
time you played with this, you played it really well. You created a beautiful music. Try it
again!” Child A hesitated at first, looked at me for a few seconds and then he picked up
the stick and hit the keyboard with it. When he was able to create some sounds, he kept
on repeating it over and over again. I clapped and said, “Oh you’re doing great! You
played better than last time.” Child A smiled and stood up and walked to the front door,
went to the cupboard and pulled up the sink.
REFLECTION
(Specify what went well. Are there some things that you need to change)
STRENGTHS NEEDS
I consider the application of redirection as
my strengths in handling the situation. I
adhered to the professional attitude to
solve the problem. When the child’s
behaviour places himself in a dangerous
situation or when his inappropriate
behaviour may endanger other children or
animals, applying a correct strategy to
solve the challenging situation is believed

7. to be important.
REFERENCE
Marion, M. (2011). Guidance of Young Children. (8th Edition). Upper Saddler River, New
Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.