FamilyFamily ConversationsConversations

#3

Temperament:Temperament: ExpectationsExpectations

andand Attributions

Standards, Outline, and Materials

Program Goal: To foster school success and promote resiliency of young children by encouraging home/school partnerships and active participation of families in the education of their preschool and kindergarten children.

Session Objectives: • To encourage adult family members to consider the impact of temperament on their

relationship with their children • To encourage family members to examine the effects of expectations on behaviors and

relationships • To encourage family members to use strategies that support their child’s readiness and

success in school

Florida School Readiness Performance Standards: Social & Emotional Development Domain: Self-Control (three and four year olds) • Follows simple rules and routines

o Example: Removing a finished painting from the easel and knowing where to hang it up to dry

• Manages transitions o Example: Accepting transitions with little or no protest

Approaches to Learning Domain: Persistence (four year olds) • Attends to tasks and seeks help when encountering a problem

o Example: Paying attention to songs and stories during circle time o Example: Completing favorite puzzles over and over again

Outline for Family Conversations: • 15 minutes Greeting/Starter Activity: Acrostic Poem • 20 minutes Conversation Time: Mismatch and Accommodation • 5 minutes Transition to Meal: Who Is Going to Dinner? • 25 minutes Meal and Discussion: Strategies to Accommodate Your Child’s

Temperament • 5 minutes Transition to Literacy: My Hands

Session Materials: • Handouts (per participant)

o Paper for writing Acrostic Poem o Words to transition activities (Who Is Going to Dinner? and My Hands) o Temperament, Expectations, and Attribution Matching Game o Strategies to Accommodate Your Child’s Temperament

• Example of Acrostic Poem on chart paper • Timer • Pencil, crayons, and markers (per participant)

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

Title of Starter Activity: Acrostic Poem Length of Time for Activity: 15 minutes Format of Activity: This is a starter activity. Encourage immediate involvement, participants should begin upon arrival. If a participant finishes their poem with timeremaining encourage her/him to write a second poem using the letters of their child’s name. Involvement in the starter activity is limited to the first 15 minutes of the workshop. Note for Presenter: Provide assistance to participants as needed. Materials: Timer, example of Acrostic Poem on chart paper; per participant – paper for writing Acrostic Poem, pencil, crayons, and markers

Procedure:

Set timer for 13 minutes right at the starting time of the workshop.

Say to each participant as he/she arrives,

o “Last week you identified characteristics that described your temperament.”

o “This evening you will begin by writing a poem about yourself.”

o “Tonight, we want you to write an Acrostic Poem about yourself – this will be a

poem that uses the letters in your name as the first letter of each line.”

o “In other words, the first word in each line of your poem should be a letter from

your name that describes something about you.”

o “There is an example on the chart for you to see.”

Give each participant a piece of paper and say,

o “On your table there are pencils, crayons, and markers for you to use.”

o “Be sure the words describe you – and you use the letters in your name.”

As participants are completing the poem, facilitator should move from group to group

and encourage participants to complete the poem.

When the timer goes off, ask participants to put their materials down and

turn toward you. Say,

o “Who would like to share their poem with us?” (Allow participants to

share.) Temperament: Expectations and Attributions Script

Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

Title of Conversation Time Activity: Mismatch and Accommodation Length of Time for Activity: 20 minutes Format of Activity: Participants should be seated at tables in small groups. Note for Presenter: Participants need to carefully listen to directions. Be prepared to repeat the directions if necessary. Materials: Per participant - Temperament, Expectations, and Attribution Matching Game handout

Procedure: Say,

o “Last week we talked about Temperament and the similarity or dis-similarity

between your child’s temperament and yours.”

Pass out the Temperament, Expectations, and

Attribution Matching Game handout and say,

o “On this chart there are three examples for how

a situation can be handled.”

o “Let’s start in the first column on the left – the

bottom box says that the child’s temperament leads to behavior that matches the

adult’s expectations. What does the adult tend to do in response?” (Listen for

responses – specifically the adult encourages and supports child’s efforts as

stated in second box; the adult describes the child in positive ways, praises the

child---thinks the child is smart, nice, easy to get along with.)

Read and discuss the other two boxes in the first column. Then say,

o “As noted in the middle column, when the child’s temperament leads to behavior

that does not match adult’s expectations, the adult typically undermines the

child’s efforts and makes attributions that are negative”

o “What will the adult generally do in response? (Listen for the response noted on

the chart - The adult will generally express disappointment and irritation with the

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

child if their temperament is not like theirs; the adult describes the child in

negative ways, for example the adult may say— the child can’t learn, never pays

attention, stubborn, gets on their nerves.)”

Read and discuss the other two boxes in the middle column. Then say,

o “Let’s now look at the third and final column.”

o “When the adult’s behaviors are based on an

understanding of the child’s temperament, and

how the child’s temperament may differ from

the adult’s the adult supports the child’s

efforts and guides the child to behave in ways

that are appropriate for the situation. There are many ways the adult can support

the child and we will discuss some of them at dinner.”

o “When the child behaves as the adult expects, the adult praises and encourages

the child and describes the child in positive ways. As a result, the adult/child

relationship thrives.”

o “This third column is called ACCOMODATION. Why do you think this is how it is

labeled?” (Listen for responses and encourage discussion.)

Say,

o “So we see that it is important to have an understanding of your child’s

temperament and accept your child’s uniqueness and differences. When you

understand your child’s temperament and adjust your actions so that you are

constructive and supportive of your child your relationship will be more positive

and your child will thrive.”

o “One of the ways we can help children manage their behavior is through the

routines we use in our everyday life and we will discuss daily routines next week.”

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

Title of Transition to Meal Activity: Who Is Going to Dinner? Length of Time for Activity: 5 minutes Format of Activity: A quick and short transition activity so participants are aware that they will be transitioning from Family Conversations to mealtime. Note for Presenter: Give participants the handout of words to the song ahead of time. Materials: Per participant - handout of words to song – “Who Is Going to Dinner?”

Procedure: Give each participant a handout with words to the song “Who Is Going to Dinner?” and

say,

o “We are going to sing a song called “Who Is Going to Dinner?”

Review the words to the song. Say,

o “We are going to sing the last verse a few times. I will point to different people

and we will insert their names into the song.”

Encourage participants to sing the song as they transition to mealtime.

Who Is Going To Dinner? (Sung to the tune of: The Farmer in the Dell)

The farmer in the dell. The farmer in the dell.

Hi, ho the Derry-O, The farmer in the dell.

Who is going to dinner? Who is going to dinner?

Hi, ho the Derry-O, Who is going to dinner?

Becca is going to dinner, Nilda is going to dinner.

Hi, ho the Derry-O, Afesa is going to dinner.

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

Title of Meal and Discussion Activity: Strategies to Accommodate Your Child’s Temperament Length of Time for Activity: 25 minutes Format of Activity: Participants should be seated at tables in small groups while eating. Note for Presenter: Some participants may be hesitant to share in front of the group. Encourage participants to share. Materials: Per participant – Strategies to Accommodate Your Child’s Temperament handout

Procedure:

Begin this time period by allowing participants to get their meal and find a seat at a

table.

Once everyone is seated and has started eating their meal, begin the discussion by

saying,

o “As you finish your meal we are going to continue discussing temperament and how

important it is to understand your child’s

temperament.”

o “Let’s look at strategies that we can use to help

accommodate your child’s temperament.”

Give each participant a Strategies to Accommodate

Your Child’s Temperament handout.

Review some of the strategies listed on the handout Strategies to Accommodate

Your Child’s Temperament.

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009

Title of Transition to Literacy Activity: My Hands Length of Time for Activity: 5 minutes Format of Activity: A quick and short transition activity so participants are aware that we will be transitioning from mealtime to Literacy Learning component. Note for Presenter: Add other items of clothing to the chant as appropriate. Notice that the final line says “If you are wearing clothes, you may line up” so that anyone left sitting can then line up. Materials: Per participant - handout of words to chant – “My Hands” Procedure:

Give each participant a handout with words to the chant “My Hands” and say,

o “I am going to say a chant called “My Hands.”

o “As we say the chant about our hands, we will do movements to match the words.”

o “Follow along and say the chant with me.”

Say one line of the chant at a time:

My Hands

Sometimes my hands are at my sides

Then behind my back they hide.

Sometimes I wiggle my fingers just so.

Shake them fast and shake them slow.

Sometimes my hands go clap, clap, clap.

Then I rest them in my lap.

The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part of the Virtual School Readiness Incubator Project, the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families as part of the Early Learning Opportunities Act/Bringing Education and Support to Teachers, Parents and Children (ELOA/BEST) Project, and the Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida. These prototype materials are still in development and refinement and should be used with this caution in mind. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the views or policies or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and/or the University of North Florida.

Temperament: Expectations and Attributions ScriptFlorida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida © 2009