Hearing Behavioral Messages: Avoiding Misinterpretation to Make Effective, Inclusive Decisions

Behavior is a form of communication. For many young children, they may engage in certain behaviors to consciously or subconsciously communicate a need to access something, such as a desired adult or peer, sensory stimulation, or a tangible item. Other times, children may engage in a behavior to escape or avoid something, such as a particular environment. Sometimes the behaviors in which young children engage can be interpreted as challenging, based on the perceptions of those who work with the child, including the child’s early childhood teacher. These interpretations of challenging behavior derive from one’s own cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and biases. Such interpretations can lead to discriminatory discipline practices, particularly against children from marginalized and minoritized backgrounds. Instead, teachers can consider the behavioral messages expressed by the children they work with from an unbiased perspective, identify if the behavior in which the child is engaging is truly challenging, and implement appropriate intervention if necessary. The purpose of this paper is to present a plan for hearing behavioral messages of marginalized and minoritized children in a way that systematically addresses their needs while also considering the potential mismatch between teacher and child identities.