Lena teaches a toddler class in which the parents are very upset about a child’s repeated-biting. How can Lena help Ellen, who is almost 2, stop biting and also help the parents who are worried about their own children?
to stay away from Ellen, some have complained to the director. I
explain calmly that we too are very concerned and are dealing with
the problem. I also explain to parents that some behaviors are an
inevitable part of group care. We’ve even had parents from other
classrooms ask their teachers about the biting and what’s being
done about it. I’m not sure why they’re worried when it’s not in their children’s classes.
Last night I attended a meeting of the Parent Advisory Committee. When we got to new business, one of the parents from my class brought up the biting problem. “Would it be possible to put something in the newsletter?” Mrs. Weng asked. “Perhaps you could ask parents to ex- plain to their children that biting is not allowed at school.”
I was very surprised. How could parents think that the biting would end if a parent just “explained” to his child that biting was bad? Don’t they realize what the parents of the biter are going through? Or how hard they are working to get her to stop? Or the stress that they are under? I can understand how upsetting it must be to have your child bitten at school; however, some of these par- ents are really blowing the problem out of proportion, aren’t they?
1What do you think about the way Lena is handling the challenge of get- ting Ellen to stop biting? Can you think of a different approach that might be more successful-o other ideas that Lena could try? What health and safety concerns, especiallyregarding communicable diseases, need to be considered?
2. How would you reply to Mrs. Weng? What would you say to the parents in this class?
3.What do you think the role of the director should be in talking with parents about the biting problem?
4.Why do you think Ellen is biting? Do you think Lena is right? What do you know about this age that would help you understand Ellen? How can Jean Piaget’s developmental theory help us understand? How about Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development? Erik Erik-son’ stages of psycho- social development?
5. Retell this case from the perspective of one of the toddlers’ parents. Now tell it from Ellen’s parents’ standpoint. What can you learn from viewing the situation through their eyes
