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Aggressive behavior in young children is not an uncommon occurrence. It is often difficult to unlearn patterns of behavior formed in the early years, and children whose aggressive behavior is not managed well in early childhood will usually go on to exhibit aggression throughout their life. Knowing how to respond to these situations will not only help caregivers provide a safe environment but will teach more acceptable behavior as early as possible. What is aggressive behaviour in young children? Physically harming behaviours include biting, hitting, kicking, pushing, pinching, scratching and pulling hair. Although these behaviours are often seen in young children, they need to be replaced with other behaviours that are not hurtful. Why does student aggression exist in young children? Young children have not yet developed the skills to make their wishes and needs know. children who are in a group environment are even more likely to experience frustration and conflict. A child who has limited motor control, verbal and social skills may resort to physical means. Other stressors that may cause a child to act out are boredom, hunger, transitions, toilet learning, tiredness and illness. Sometimes an environment that is over-stimulating or overcrowded may cause the child to feel the need to defend his space and favorite toys. A child may also be acting out because of the home environment. Is there something going on at home that is stressing the child, for example a new sibling or a divorce? Is the child exposed to domestic violence or TV with violent themes and images? But what exactly should a teacher do when responding to verbal or physical aggression from a student? teacher responses to aggression must be, to the greatest extent possible, both nonaggressive and instructive. As a teacher you want to send a strong message that the aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. In addition, you want to help children build skills for dealing with stressful situations, conflict and negative emotions. Be sure, however, to avoid harsh punishment or humiliation. Harshly disciplining an aggressive student might fuel his anger and make him more determined to continue the aggressive behaviour. Step in and Stop it immediately. If two students are engaged in a fight, use a strong loud voice to stop it. After the incident is over, meet with the combatants together so they can give you their versions of what happened and you can help them resolve any lingering problems. Respond calmly but firmly to an aggressive student. Speak in a firm, no-nonsense manner to stop a student's aggressive behaviour. When responding to the student, pay attention to your verbal as well as non-verbal language. Even if he is yelling at you, stay calm. Allow him to express what he is upset about without interrupting him and then acknowledge his feelings. Avoid crossing your arms, pointing a finger or making threats; any of those actions could intensity his anger and stiffen his resistance. Consider giving the student a time out. You might come to the conclusion that the student's aggressive behaviour needs separating him from the rest of the class, either to send him a strong message that what he did merits a serious consequence or to protect the other students. You can do that by giving him a time out in class or by sending him to the office. In the classroom time-out area, have him sit in a chair and instruct him to remain quiet. Let him know that he can return to the class activity after a predetermined number of minutes. If he leaves the chair or acts in a disruptive manner, reset the timer to zero. After the aggressive student cools down, talk with him privately. It's also important to talk to the student about the aggression during a calm moment. In a steady voice, explain to the child that hitting, biting, kicking, and other aggressive behaviors are wrong. For younger children, those between 18 months and 2 years, keep it simple. Hold them and explain, “No hitting. It is wrong.” Remember that you may have to repeat this rule numerous times, using the same words, until your child gets it. Be firm and consistent each time the child becomes aggressive. Have a plan in place for consequences if aggressive behavior starts. For older children, those between 3 and 7, remember that they may be experimenting with cause and effect. In other words, they want to see what you will do when they act out. It's your job to provide the consequences for the "effect" to work. Since older children are more verbal, you can use a variety of phrases when they misbehave. Examples include, “Biting is not OK,” or “Hitting hurts others. You need to stop.” Have the student apologize. You don't want to force an aggressive student to say he is sorry because that might fuel his anger, however, you do want to strongly encourage him to make amends with the student he hit. If he is willing to do that, it will help soothe hurt feelings and avoid future conflicts. When is aggression a concern? If you are trying to determine whether or not a young person has a serious problem with aggression, ask yourself the following questions: • Does the behavior occur regularly (that is, every day, every week or every month)? • Has the young person been behaving aggressively for a long time? • Are you concerned about the young person's behavior for any other reasons besides aggression? • Does the behavior persist or appear to be getting worse? • Does the young person explode at situations that don't bother other young people—or for no obvious reason? • Is it difficult to calm the young person down after an outburst? • Has the young person injured himself or herself or anyone else? • Does the young person's behavior lead to conflicts with parents, siblings, peers or teachers? • Do all the young person's friends behave aggressively or anti-socially? The earlier a young person with an aggression problem is identified and receives help, the greater the chance that the chosen treatment will have lasting benefits. Getting help Maybe you suspect that a young person with whom you work may have an aggression problem requiring special help. General practitioners (family doctors) are often the first health care providers whom people turn to in this situation. The family doctor might make an assessment, or might make a referral to a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker.