Supporting Families (Case Study)

Building strong relationships with families is essential when working with young children. When supporting a child with challenging behavior, making these connections early is important so that you and the family can partner together for the child’s success.

Read Collaborating with Parents in Using Effective Strategies to Reduce Children’s Challenging BehaviorsLinks to an external site..
Read Part 4 of the interactive ECD410 Behavioral Methods Case Studies Download ECD410 Behavioral Methods Case StudiesLinks to an external site.. Choose one of the children from the case study who you want to focus on for your discussion. You will develop a behavior intervention plan for this same child in your Behavior Intervention Plan Final Project in Week 5.
Choose whether you are going to complete your discussion using a 2- to 3-minute video response or a 200-word written response.
In order to complete this discussion as a video response, you may use the native video tool in your classroom. Please review the Canvas Video Submission InstructionsLinks to an external site. in order to get started. This guide will familiarize you with the tool and explain how to record your video to the classroom.

As an alternative, you may use an external platform called Screencast-O-MaticLinks to an external site.. Please review the Screencast-O-Matic Quick-Start GuideLinks to an external site. in order to get started. This guide will familiarize you with the tool and explain how to upload your video to the classroom. If you choose to use another video recording tool for your submission, please follow the guide’s instructions on how to upload an MP4 video file into your classroom using the same steps.

If you choose the video option, submissions require an upload of the video to the classroom. Submission of a link to a video does not fulfill the submission requirements.

In your initial post,

List the name of the child you chose from the ECD410 Behavioral Methods Case StudiesLinks to an external site. in the first line of your post.
Explain what you would do to prepare to meet with the family of the child.
Discuss two strategies you would use while discussing the child’s behavior with the family.
Summarize two strategies you would propose to the family to help with their child’s behavior at home.

Full Answer Section

          While discussing Marcus's behavior with his family, I would use two key strategies:
  1. Strengths-Based Approach and Collaborative Language: I would start by highlighting Marcus's strengths and positive attributes, such as his energy or curiosity, before gently introducing concerns about his challenging behaviors. I would use non-judgmental, collaborative language (e.g., "I've noticed Marcus sometimes struggles with sharing during free play, and I'm wondering if you've observed similar patterns?" or "How can we, as a team, help Marcus learn to manage these big emotions?"). This fosters trust and frames the discussion as a shared problem-solving effort.
  2. Active Listening and Validation: I would actively listen to the parents' perspectives, concerns, and any insights they have about Marcus's behavior at home. I would validate their feelings and experiences, acknowledging that parenting a child with challenging behaviors can be difficult. This shows respect for their expertise on their child and builds a strong foundation for partnership.
Two strategies I would propose to the family to help with Marcus's behavior at home are:
  1. Consistent Positive Reinforcement: Suggest identifying specific positive behaviors (e.g., sharing toys, waiting for a turn, using gentle hands) and immediately praising or providing a small, preferred reward (e.g., extra playtime, a sticker) when Marcus exhibits them. This makes desired behaviors more likely to reoccur.
  2. Visual Schedules and Clear Expectations: Propose creating a simple visual schedule for daily routines at home (e.g., morning routine, playtime, bedtime). This can help Marcus understand expectations, anticipate transitions, and reduce anxiety that might contribute to challenging behaviors.

Sample Answer

        Child Chosen: Marcus To prepare to meet with Marcus's family, I would first thoroughly review all available information on Marcus, including any existing observations of his challenging behaviors at school, previous interventions attempted, and academic or developmental assessments. I would also mentally prepare a clear agenda for the meeting, focusing on open communication and partnership rather than blame. My goal would be to understand their perspective, their observations of Marcus's behavior at home, and their hopes for his development. I would ensure the meeting environment is private, comfortable, and free from distractions.