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A STUDY TO DETERMINE IF DESIRABLE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND TAUGHT TO NURSERY SCHOOL CHILDREN by LENORE JAY NELSON A professional paper submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION with concentration in Elementary Education Approved: MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana June, 1974 iii ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer wishes to express her gratitude to Dr. Franklin Greenough of the Elementary Education Department at Montana State University. His help and advice was greatly appreciated. The writer also wishes to thank the staff at the Montana State University's Child Development Center for granting permission for the study to be conducted among the Center's students. She is also grateful for the staff's aid in devising a list of desired social behaviors upon which- this study was based. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES viii ABSTRACT. ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . 2 NEED OR PURPOSE OF THE STUDY . 3 QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED . 4 • GENERAL PROCEDURES . 5 LIMITATIONS. 6 DELIMITATIONS. ......... ..... 7 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS ......... 7 SUMMARY. . . 8 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 10 THE CONTENTS . . . 10 Environmental Factors. .......... 10 The Socialization Process 12 The Acquisition of Values 15 THE METHODS. ........ ...... 17 Sharing Behavior ......... 17 Self-Concept 19 Sex Role Development 21 V Chapter Page Developing Creativity 23 Following Directions . . ; 24 SUMMARY 26 3. PROCEDURES 29 POPULATION DESCRIPTION AND SAMPLING PROCEDURES . . . . 29 TREATMENTS OF THE STUDY. 30 METHOD OF COLLECTING DATA. 32 METHOD OF ORGANIZING DATA. ......... 34 QUESTIONS. . . . . 34 ANALYSIS OF DATA 35 PRECAUTIONS TAKEN FOR ACCURACY 35 SUMMARY. ........ 36 4. ANALYSIS OF DATA ' 37 TEST I 37 Desired Social Behavior 37 Pre-test and Post-test 37 .Learning Experience. 38 Analysis of Table 1 39 TEST II 39 Desired Social Behavior 39 Pre-test and Post-test 39 Learning Experience. 40 vi Chapter Analysis of Table 2. . . . TEST III Desired Social Behavior. . Pre-test and Post-test . . Learning Experience. ... Analysis of Table 3. . . . TEST IV. ......... . Desired Social Behavior. . Pre-test and Post-test . . Learning Experience. ... Analysis of Table 4. . . . TEST V . . Desired Social Behavior. . Pre-test and Post-test . . Learning Experience. . . . Analysis of Table 5. . . . SUMMARY. .......... 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. . . . RESTATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS CONCLUSIONS. . . . . . . .• . SUMMARY Page 41 41 41 41 42 43 43 43 43 43 44 45 45 45 46 46 47 48 48 49 55 56 vii Chapter Page APPENDIX 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY 60 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Instances of Sharing and Taking Turns . . . . . . ... . 38 2. Instances of Initiative, Resourcefulness, and Imagination 40 3. Instances of Confident Expression of Feelings ...... 42 4. Instances of Liberation From Sex Roles. . . 44 5. Instances of Being Able to Follow A Series of Directions. 46 t ABSTRACT Problem. The problem of this study v/as to determine if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. Sample. Groups of children aged four and five years old participated in the study. The children were students at Montana State University’s Child Development Center. Procedures. Five desirable social behaviors were studied. Each behavior was introduced to children by using a pre-test immediately followed by a learning experience. After at least one week, a post-test which exactly duplicated the pre-test, was given. The testing ascer¬ tained if a certain behavior was present and if the. children's behavior changed after the learning experience. The five behaviors studied were: (1) sharing and taking turns; (2) use of initiative, resource- . fulness, and imagination; (3) confident expression of feelings; (4) liberation from sex roles; and (5) being able to follow a series of directions. Conclusions. Study findings indicated that the children learned the following desirable social behaviors: (1) use of initiative resourcefulness, and imagination; (2) confident expression of feelings; and (3) being able to follow a series of directions. The children did not learn the following desirable social behaviors: (1) sharing and taking turns and (2) liberation from sex roles. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Contemporary problems in nursery school education are changing along with the content of various curricula. Teachers are now becoming concerned with classroom concepts other than those in the cognitive area of education. Children are now being influenced by the social, emotional, and affective aspects contained within the school environ¬ ment. Society and culture, once taught as part of the social studies, are now becoming an active curriculum in itself. The investigation of every day life is now becoming part of the education process. Included in this affective domain is the process of socializa¬ tion. Children learn how to behave by watching for the appropriate responses from their teachers, parents, and peers. The first years in school are the crucial ones for developing personality and social behavior in the child. Social ways of older children have their beginnings in early childhood. Educators hope schooling will produce an individual who can fit into the society and be accepted as a func¬ tioning member. Early childhood education is a good place to start this training. It is the child’s first experience with relationships other than his immediate family. The researcher hopes this paper will influence nursery school teachers involved in the important role of teaching social behavior. These teachers have the task of presenting the child with his first 2 view of the process of assimilation into society. Personalities are formed which will be the basis for the child*s future. The teacher realizes what a monumental undertaking this is. Dealing with human emotions, values, and behavior needs serious consideration and planning It is also hoped this research will influence nursery school curriculum planners. Identifying social behavior, and attempting to teach it to children, has to be kept up to date along with the changes in the society. Values and attitudes change as the world changes. Updating of curriculum must be necessary in order to make the nursery school program a meaningful one. Since behavior is the focal point of entering society, the researcher studied early behaviors in children. The first school years and the nursery school teacher influence children's perceptions of the way they should behave. The researcher considers nursery school teachers as being the first people in the education process to have control over a child's affective domain. Therefore, this study con¬ centrated on how desirable social behavior can be taught to nursery school children. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem of this study was to determine if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. The investigation was concerned with how children acquire five desirable 3 social behaviors selected by the researcher. ■ . * NEED OR PUPxPOSE OF THE STUDY The researcher proposed the idea that adulthood is the conclu¬ sion of development of behavior started in childhood. Adulthood effects childhood by showing appropriate ways of acting. Childhood effects adulthood because the earliest experiences of an individual form the basis for personality in later life. Children can be considered as individuals who enter formal schooling lacking in knowledge of society*s social mores. They are released as an end product absorbed with as much insight into mankind as possible. Education strives to produce children who have developed an awareness of their intellectual abilities. Implications for educating the child to function in society must be considered by teachers. In nursery school, children are introduced to, and interact with, social systems. Society bases its entire future upon the education of its young. Human infants are regarded as creatures who are treated in such a manner that they will eventually fit well into social schemes laboriously developed by their predecessors. Their sur¬ vival and the survival of their group are dependent upon how well they can become integral parts of a particular human society. Their society looks at children as the means to perpetuate itself against all internal and external threats (Ritchie and Roller, 1964:11). 4 The early school behavior of children is indicative of later functioning in school. Early adjustment problems tend to persist in later life. The close interaction between nursery school personnel, children, and parents is an advantage for identifying and solving problems before the child advances in school. Observations of nursery school teachers should be helpful in screening out behavior teachers feel hinders a child1s schooling. Observations based upon how children relate with other peers can help bring early intervention of problems to the surface. "The nursery school, then, in addition to whatever inherent value it has for individ¬ ual children and their families, is a strategic outpost for mental health warning and intervention (Westman, et. al., 1967:731)." This study is important because nursery school teachers are in a position to influence the socialization processes when children become a part of society. If teachers want children to develop cultural processes, they must be aware of what behavior is desired and how this behavior can best be incorporated into the child's personality. QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED - 1. What do teachers in the field of nursery school education consider to be desirable social behavior? 2. Can desirable social behavior be identified in nursery school children? 5 3. Can desirable social behavior be taught to nursery school children? 4. What should be included in the content of the nursery school curriculum for teaching desired social behavior? 5. How should the process of helping children learn certain behaviors be taught? 6. Under what conditions does the teaching of desirable social behavior become most effective? GENERAL PROCEDURES The problem was solved by reviewing the literature pertaining to social behavior in children. The researcher gained a background in what is considered desirable social behavior and methods of teaching the behavior to children. The researcher selected five behaviors to be studied. Selection was based on the researcherTs preference for the behaviors considered to be of most importance. The behaviors selected were: (1) sharing and taking turns; (2) use of initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination; (3) confident expression of feelings; (4) liberation from sex roles; and (5) being able to follow a series of directions. Students enrolled at the Child Development Center at Montana State University during the spring quarter of 1974 were used as the population for the research. One of the sections containing the four 6 and five year olds was the specific group involved. The researcher obtained a list of desirable social behaviors compiled by the staff at the Child Development Center. Listed were the behaviors considered most important by the teachers at the Center and the ones they felt children should learn by the time they leave nursery school. (See the Appendix for the list of behaviors.) . The researcher observed and recorded the behavior of a different group of children with each of the five behaviors selected. A pre-test and post-test situation were devised. A learning situation was instituted after each pre-test. The learning experience was taught by the researcher. A different experience was conceived by the researcher for each behavior. The data from each testing session was compiled into tables showing the number of incidences the specific behavior appeared. The procedures and descriptions of the pre-tests, post¬ tests, and learning experiences are described in detail in Chapter 4. LIMITATIONS 1. The number of weeks making up the spring quarter of 1974. 2. The number of children enrolled in the class at the Child Development Center at Montana State University during the spring quarter of 1974. 3. The ratio of girls to boys in the class was developed by the Child Development Center teacher. 7 4. The specific children selected for each testing situation were picked by the Child Development Center teacher. DELIMITATIONS 1. The use of only the Child Development Center at Montana State University constituted the population to be studied. . 2. The age group of the nursery school children was the four and five year old class. 3. The five behaviors studied were selected by the researcher. The original list included fourteen behaviors. 4. Supplies and equipment were selected by the researcher. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS Desirable. In this study, desirable refers to behaviors which society requests and considers proper for becoming a worthwhile citizen. Social behavior. Refers to conducting oneself when relating to the public or companions in an environment. Socialization. Refers to the process by which the child learns the ways of society and thus becomes a part of the total population within the society. 8 Nursery school. In this study, nursery school is a setting for children before they enter the formal schooling of either kindergarten or the first grade. The program is centered upon the total development of the specific age group attending the school. The social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of each child is stressed. Affective domain. Refers to the feelings or emotional aspects involved in learning or other experiences. Cognitive domain. Refers to knowledge, perception, and intui¬ tion derived from a learning experience. Child Development Center. A laboratory for students enrolled in specific courses relating to young children. The Child Development Center is organized around a classroom and play area and provides a program based on nursery school education. This Center is located on the campus of Montana State University. SUMMARY Through this study, the researcher determined if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children Nursery school teachers are in an ideal position for observing and teaching behavior to children. It is the child1s earliest association with a large group, and it seems feasible to start as soon as the child 9 associates with a group of children. The researcher obtained a list of desired behaviors from the staff at Montana State University’s Child Development Center. Different groups of children at the Center aged four and five years old were observed during testing periods. Techniques were developed to teach the behaviors to these children. Observations were recorded as the investigation was studied. The researcher hopes this study will help nursery school teachers realize the need for early intervention into children’s behavior. It is easier for teachers to help children find their way into the culture of our society when the socialization process is begun as soon as a child enters nursery school. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE This chapter will look at two aspects of social behavior in nursery school children. The categories are (1) the contents of a social studies program incorporating what is meant by desirable social behavior and (2) the methods to help teach the contents in various ways. THE CONTENTS It should be noted in reviewing the related literature, material referring to social studies contents will be divided into three parts. Each part will describe a factor contributing to social behavior. The divisions are (1) environmental factors, (2) the socialization process, and (3) the acquisition of values. Environmental Factors To decide what is desirable social behavior in nursery school children, one must first determine what has been researched in the field of early childhood education. Katz (1973:138) states that the early childhood years are the most important and influential times in a child's life. These years are the most formative and easily molded ones in the development of growing children. Due to the idea, educators try to fill those early years with as much stimulation and enrichment as possible. 11 Helping children make sense out of their environments enables them to have a better understanding of the world in which they live. This suggests that the teacher*s role should be one of alerting children to the surroundings they encounter every day. - Agreement with this idea is reported by Berman (1973:275-282). A program was devised based on the premise that children may have no control over the circumstances in which they are placed, but they can have at least partial control concerning their responses to lifefs situations. The program focuses on process skills. Process skills, when defined, means a person establishes certain competencies allowing him to feel he can act responsibly in a given situation. Awareness of choices becomes available and helps the person to achieve a role in the specific situation. "Obviously the young child is not going to know the meaning of responsible freedom (Berman, 1973:275)." Keeping this statement in mind when planning programs for young children, attention should be given in setting the environment for learning. The Center for Young Children at the University of Maryland is trying to develop materials based on the assumption that children should be transacting human beings. In this case, transacting is the ability to act upon one!s environment. Spodek (1974:40-42) further discusses the importance of using environmental factors with young children. He describes it as using 12 the "here and now" for the basis of social, and other, learning to take place. The idea of using present environmental conditions for learning becomes understandable to the child. "The remote in time and space Is reserved for study later in the child's elementary school career, when experience and maturity will allow the child to deal with more abstract content (Spodek, 1974:41)." As an example of using the present as a learning situation is explained by Ellison (1968:261-264). The assassination of Martin Luther King created concepts in nursery school children that were confusing. Children misused words such as looting, troops, and curfew when talking with each other. The day's story about Easter egg dying was put aside and replaced by the true story of the events happening around the children. It is an example of one way to give children the facts in a context that retains the values and the emotions aroused by their environment. The Socialization Process Curriculums in social studies utilize environmental phenomena when teaching socialization practices to preschool children. Teachers need to take into account that learning in the classroom should be as closely related as possible to real life situations. Social studies plays a role in education that has been revised throughout the years. Attitudes change as the world keeps changing 13 year after year. "The ultimate goal of education in the social studies i is the development of desirable sociocivic and personal behavior (Allen, et. al, 1962:315)." The statement further explains that man exhibits behavior derived from values, ideals, beliefs, and attitudes which he accepts. Abilities and skills are learned to allow thinking to take place. This will lead a child to build his own values and behavior in society. Social studies programs promote the idea that behavior learned by children should contain desirable traits. "No society will prosper unless its members behave in ways which further its development (Allen, et.al., 1962:315)." The definition of the word desirable has different meanings in different societies. American social studies programs find behavior is based upon personal convictions accepted on an emotional level. Schools have become responsible for socializing children by conveying cultural traditions. A child learns his role as a student plus his role in becoming part of the total society. The school conveys the behavior that is desired by the society in which the child lives (Spodek, 1974:41). An attempt to ascertain the importance of behavior in nursery school children was studied at the Brockport Campus School in Brockport, New York. Records were used involving nursery school teacher's pre¬ dictions for later school behavior. Comments were divided into the following categories: (1) peer relationships, (2) teacher-pupil 14 relationships, (3) group activities, (4) task orientation, and (5) personality traits (Chamberlain and Nader, 1971:597-601). ! The study discovered that nursery school behavior is related to behavior in later school years. One should be able to seek out and identify a child who may need early intervention to help socialization for future years. "Most behavior is learned in a variety of ways in the society in which the individual grows up. Some kinds of behavior are not acceptable in a democratic society at any time (Allen, et.al, 1962:316)." If certain behavior is unacceptable, Chamberlain and Nader's investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of seeking out such behavior early in life. Socialization and desirable behavior manifests itself differ¬ ently among boys and girls, as well as being influenced by teachers and parents. For desired behavioral traits to be formulated in young children, one must remember this. Spodek (1974:41-45), throughout his paper, cites that children's play reflects social learnings. Social studies programs should be built upon this framework. Studies have been researched using children's play as the basis for the investigation. Baumrind and Black (1967:291-327) studied parental attitudes and behaviors in preschool children. Their findings, based on children at play, indicated traits in parents such as: (1) granting independ¬ ence, (2) consistent discipline, and (3) a loving nature produced 15 children who were less authoritarian, more firm, and loving. These traits were exhibited during interactions among the children's peer group. Within the study, boys and girls with acceptable behavior exhibited it in different ways. One finding was that consistent disciplinary behavior ascerted by parents produced boys who were independent and assertive in nursery school. This same type of parent produced girls who were dependent and conforming. Clark and associates (1961:205-216) focused on free play in the nursery school. Since their study turned up a range of sex differences, they decided to also discuss why there are similarities. A similarity observed was that persistence and attention span during play time showed no sex differences. Yet it was discovered that girls seek activities using fine motor coordination, while boys enjoy activi ties using grosser motor involvement. Boys showed a preference for companions of their own sex during free play. The Acquisition of Values Research findings indicate that values are a part of social studies and the teaching of social behavior (Allen, et.al., 1962:315- 318, 327; Berman, 1973:275-282; Spodek, 1974:40-45). Social studies teachers need to realize how values are acquired and what mental processes are involved to understand them. 16 Psychologists are divided into two groups concerned with how values are acquired. One group describes young children as exhibiting certain behaviors, which in return are rewarded or punished. Rewards will increase the probability of a behavioral trait to reoccur. Value acquisition is determined when the child decides what is desirable according to the rewards he receives. . A second group of psychologists view value acquisition differently. Relationships are developed where a warm and supporting atmosphere exists. The term "empathic identification" describes the interaction between the child and an individual or group. The child acquires values because he is able to perceive rewards from the significant others" in his environment. Values are established by feeling as others do (Greer, 1971:911-915). ‘ The first issue deals with the cognitive domain, because the** child simply recalls what is appropriate. The second issue is con¬ cerned with the cognitive and affective mental processes. The child is aware of how others feel, while also being able to determine why they feel a certain way. Another theory proposed by Simon (1971:902-905, 915) advocates a system of value clarification instead of indoctrination. Values'" cannot be handed out from person to person. Each child has to find the right set of values for his life style. Children have difficulty accepting another's values simply because a teacher or parent says it 17 is so. A child is not going to accept something simply because a teacher or adult says it is so. This becomes the process of indoc¬ trination. Values clarification utilizes the child's reflections upon his own experiences. Values are carved from these reflections. Certain skills are necessary to carry out this process. Simon has devised five strategies to allow the child to clarify his present values by listing his feelings in categories such as (1) Things I love to do, and (2) I learned that I . . . . Students are told there is no right answer, and participation is voluntary. Children of any age can become involved and develop their own style. THE METHODS In reviewing the related literature, material referring to methods of teaching desirable social behaviors will be divided into five social concepts. The divisions are (1) sharing behavior, (2) developing a positive self-concept, (3) sex role development, (4) developing creativity, and (5) following directions. Sharing Behavior An important aspect of sharing behavior is the willingness of the individual, under appropriate circumstances, to give to another person something which he would like to keep for himself. Doland and 18 Adelberg (1967:695-700) studied the learning of sharing behavior using nursery school children. The mean age of the children was four and a half years. Very little is known about how a child learns to share, or why some individuals find it difficult or impossible to do so. Doland and Adelberg hypothesized that sharing is an aspect of the childTs behavior that is learned through social reinforcement. Therefore, it was taken into consideration that the presence of sharing behavior in the child's repetoire would have two implications. First, that he is responsive to social reinforcement and, second, that he has at some time been in the appropriate learning situation. An appropriate learning situation is one in which the child has received social reinforcement upon exhibiting the sharing response. Failure to exhibit sharing behavior when faced with an appropriate situation might signify either a lack of respon¬ siveness to social reinforcement or insufficient exposure to relevant learning situations (Oilman and Doland, 1967:696). The results of this study supported the hypothesis that initial nonsharers would learn to share under conditions of social reinforce¬ ment. Girls were more responsive to the incentive of social approval .from an adult, yet both sexes did learn to share by observing the praising of a peer. Another study on sharing went a step further. Presbie and Coiteux (1971:1033-1038) agreed with the theory that social reinforce¬ ment increases sharing behavior. They decided to investigate sharing 19 when a model always shares, but with varying degrees of generosity. That is, the model either gave away many (generous) or only a few (stingy) objects. Children exposed to the generous model who observed either the models self-praise or the experimenter's praise of the model were expected to share more than children not observing such praise. The results proved that children shared more when viewing a generous model and shared less when viewing a stingy model. Vicarious reinforcement does affect sharing. The import.ant aspect of this study is that, not only did praise following generous behavior accentuate sharing, but also praise following stingy behavior further increased the stinginess of the subject. Thus sharing is another behavior influenced by vicarious reinforcement; and counter to the expectations that social approval may not affect sharing, the sacrificing of material goods is a behavior that is molded by social approval (Presbie and Coiteux, 1971:1037). Self-Concept A review of the literature suggests that the individual with a healthy personality is one who masters his environment, shows a unique personality, and is able to perceive the world and himself correctly. Clearly, none of these applies to a child. The child is only beginning to form his personality when he enters nursery school. Teachers can help by allowing the child to build a positive self-concept.* The child needs to express confident feelings about 20 himself. Ellsworth (1967:54) stated that he has never seen a person with emotional problems who did not have negative feelings about him¬ self. Three common causes of these feelings are overprotection, domination, and neglect. If a mother continually does things for her child that he could do for himself—feed him, dresses him, decides for him—he develops feelings of helplessness and inadequacy. Before he even enters school he may have a negative self-concept. Then a teacher bosses the child around. This is telling him he cannot make decisions on his own. Teachers should help children become responsible human beings in a spirit of love, respect, confidence, trust, and faith in themselves. "I am not saying we should throw away discipline. If one canTt disci¬ pline without anger and threats, it might be better to let some mis¬ behavior pass (Ellsworth, 1967:55).n A teacher should never discipline by using shame and humiliation. Developing a child*s positive self-concept can be accomplished. Treat each child as an individual so he can discover the truth about his identity. Let each child feel respect, trust, confidence, admira- 'tion, and understanding (Ellsworth, 1967:54-56). Once a child has developed a positive feeling about himself, he can develop feelings of initiative and imagination. Nursery school children use this stage of development as an aid in learning about their world. 21 This is the period vrhen fantasy substitutes for literal execution of desires and the neagerest equipment provides material for high imaginings. It is a chance for the child to use his own self as a creative outlet for expression. "If enterprise and imagination are/**M» too greatly curbed, if severe rebukes accompany the frequently necessary denial of permission to carry out desires, a personality may result that is over-constricted (Erikson, 1951:11)." A sense of initiative is the outcome of emerging without being constricted. A teacher can discourage a child*s developing sense of initiative by not allowing his dreamed up project to be carried outside of his imagination. The child senses the universe as a big "No." It is very important, therefore, for a healthy personality to be encouraged to try out ideas and find out the results. Teachers should keep punishment at a minimum. Instead, convince the child that some¬ day he will do things as well, or maybe better, than those he is trying to emulate (Erikson, 1951:6-25). Sex Role Development Experts on behavior will readily admit that girls are different from boys. Yolles (1967:168-171) follows the theory that these differ¬ ences are taught. However, the majority of differences are due to hormonal and genetic causes. Taking this into consideration, Yolles suggests that activities should be segregated by sex to alleviate 22 feelings of frustration in the early years. For example, an experiment was done in Fairfax County, Virginia, with separate elementary classes for boys and girls. Teachers were previously commenting on how boys are noisy and easily swayed from a task. Girls were more conscientious and compliant. Girls were receiving better grades. With separate classes, teachers found boys concentrated, even while being noisy. Girls were not doing their own thinking, but relying on the teacher and repeating everything she said. The results of the experiment shovzed significant improvement in both sexes' studies in school. Even Yolles admits that schools cannot completely segregate the sexes. Devices such as all-girl or all-boy contests, debates, etc. could be utilized. Boys would not be competing against girls for grades. If Yolles' biological theory is correct, this competition would leave the boys falling behind and not being able to do much about it. With the emergence of sex roles, the most successful person¬ alities are those who have the widest range of interests and abilities. In our changing world, more women have careers of their own than ever before. More men are helping around the house with what was once labeled as "women's work." Young children can learn about this new life style through nursery school activities. This includes insight .into the thinking of the opposite sex. 23 One psychologist brought his three year old girl a truck when she asked for it, to the consternation of her grandmother. Another brought home an abandoned engine his pretty twelve year old daughter had longed to tinker with . . . One mother encouraged her son to experiment with cooking (Yolles, 1967:171). When children start to discover sex roles, teachers can convey the message of freedom to choose, do, act, and become whatever interests each child the most—and still remain a girl or a boy in the process. Developing Creativity Teachers are forever stating that they want to produce children who are creative, who are individuals, and who can use their sense of imagination. By the very nature of their roles, teachers have to behave in ways characteristic of the creative person. Myers (1970:3) feels teachers should be flexible. They should be able to cope with unfore¬ seen events and last minute changes in plans. Teachers must be spontaneous. They have to be able to react to events quickly and confidently. Originality is of utmost importance. Teachers cannot always follow a course mapped out by authors of textbooks. They need to adapt materials to their own situations. Finally, teachers must be intuitive in their judgments. Situations demanding immediate action may not leave time for careful analysis of behavior. Teachers can foster creativity by becoming aware and knowing * the children in a class, by asking provocative questions, and by 24 teaching children to ask questions. The environment should be a responsive one which enables creative learning to take place. Torrance and Myers have developed a list of strategies which are usually effective for implementing the motivation necessary for creativity. The following are used prior to a lesson, assignment, or other learning activity: 1. Confrontation with ambiguities and uncertainties. 2. Heightened anticipation and expectation. 3. The familiar made strange or the strange made familiar by analogy. 4. Looking at the same thing from several different psycholo¬ gical, sociological, physical, or emotional points of view. 5. Provocative questions requiring the learner to examine the information in new ways. 6. Requiring predictions from limited information. 7. Tasks structured only enough to give clues and directions. 8. Encouragement to take the next step beyond what is known (1970:54). Children come to respect their self worth when they are able to complete a project or task that is perceived and carried out on their own. A feeling of accomplishment and pride goes side by side with their finished product. Following Directions Directions seen to be very much a part, of school. As a child progresses from one grade to the next, he is constantly bombarded with instructions. A child comes to nursery school and has to listen to the teacher’s directions. Later on in school, he has to read the directions for a test. 25 Esposito (1973:45-46) devised a lesson for a reading and language arts unit. The skills involved were giving and following directions. She asked each student to write complete directions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Naturally, all the children were eager to do this and considered it an easy assignment. Next, Esposito collected their papers and started to prepare sandwiches according to the directions each child had written. The outcome was that the sandwiches were a lot messier and different from what the children had in mind. When they complained, Esposito stated she was simply following directions. One point became evident to each child: directions must be clearly stated. In my years of working with children in the primary and intermediate grades, I have found the great majority do not take time to read directions to the end. To overcome this bad prac¬ tice, often reinforced throughout the grades, retraining is necessary for both the teacher and the student (Esposito, 1973:46). Therefore, teachers have to become aware of the fact that some children need help in following directions. A teacher should become more aware of the directions students are expected to carry out. The child must develop a certain patience within himself for reading or orally following all the directions to the end. In order to help children follow and carry out directions Bucher (1973:10-21) studied the variables affecting children's compliance with instructions. Children were given instructions to perform different tasks. A set of instructions was given at the 26 beginning of each session. Specifically, the investigation dealt with reinforced and unreinforced instructions. Results showed that favorable conditions for following direc¬ tions include: (1) using small sets of tasks and (2) associating a large set of instructions with a previously familiar task. "The results show that children's responses to instructions are affected by the contingencies available for compliance. Initially, compliance was high when all or a subset of instructions was reinforced (Bucher, 1973: 18)." Helping children to have a better awareness of following direc¬ tions should be the outcome of the teacher working along with the student. Each has to understand the other. SUMMARY American schools have the responsibility of teaching children social behavior and concepts associated with how one feels towards himself and others. This review of literature presented factors which influence the teachers of today. Teachers are faced with curriculums including reading, writing, arithmetic, and an area which cannot be measured strictly by cognitive means. This area deals with the socialization of the school-age child. If children attend school at the age of three, four, or five, the socialization process starts at this early age. 27 Recommendations were considered relating to the contents of a social studies program concerned with achieving desirable social behavior in nursery school children. Early childhood educational goals were discussed along with reasons for achieving socialization. In conjunction with the goals, references were made as to why desired behavior should be achieved and what is meant by desired behavior. Children will grow up in our society and, therefore, have to develop along the guidelines outlined by our culture. This development involves personal feelings, or the affective domain. The first category of the review of literature was divided into three parts: (1) environmental factors, (2) socialization, and (3) values. Research revealed the curriculum is based on these three areas. Children actively seek out and use their present surroundings to make learning a meaningful experience. Studies indicated how social behavior is learned. Theories for acquisition of values were described. It is possible to educate preschoolers if teachers consider each child as an individual. Children cannot understand why they should have to act exactly like someone else. Teaching how to handle emotional feelings may be more difficult than teaching a lesson in arithmetic. Teachers may not find this to be the case if they are able to incorporate more social behaviors into their lessons. 28 Methods of teaching desirable social behaviors were divided into five parts: (1) sharing behavior; (2) developing a positive self-concept; (3) sex role development; (4) developing creativity; and (5) following directions. The review of literature suggested that behaviors can be taught to children when the right environment for learning is presented. Teachers have to allow children to develop in an environment of love, respect, confidence, trust, and faith in themselves. Recommendations were presented on how teachers can help children share, develop a positive self-concept, and develop a sex role identity that has meaning for the individual. In this way, each child can grow up in a world that accepts him for what he is and, in turn, each child can fit into the already existing society. Chapter 3 PROCEDURES The problem of this study was to determine if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. Five behaviors were separately pre-tested and immediately followed by a learning experience. A post-test for each of the five behaviors was administered after at least a lapse of one week. This chapter consists of the research design needed to investi¬ gate the problem. Procedures for collecting, organizing, and analyzing the information will be discussed. POPULATION DESCRIPTION AND SAMPLING PROCEDURES One of the classes composed of children consisting of four and five year olds at Montana State University's Child Development Center constituted the population for this study. There are two classes of four and five year olds at the Center. The class the researcher worked with was selected by the Center's staff. The researcher took groups of children out of the immediate play area and to another part of the nursery school. This was to avoid distractions during testing. The University student observers needed to record the behavior of certain children as part of their college assignments. The researcher's inter¬ ference would present an obstacle. Therefore, the researcher worked with a class of children not observed by. University students. 30 The children attending the Child Development Center come from the area in and around Bozeman, Montana. The parents of these children have varied occupations and carry out these occupations in the Bozeman area. Other children have parents who are a part of Montana State University's faculty, staff, or student population. This aspect will be discussed further in the variables section of the study. The Child Development Center is a.laboratory school operated by the Montana State University Home Economics Department. University students from varied courses concerned with the study of children are able to observe and take part in the Center's activities. The Center is concerned with the education of nursery school children aged one and a half to five years old. Areas in the categories of social, emotional, and intellectual growth are emphasized. The program is based on the total development of the child. The study was carried out during the Spring Quarter of 1974. The children enrolled in one of the sessions during this time period became the population used by the researcher. The procedures and descriptions of the pre-tests, post-tests, and learning experiences are described in detail in Chapter 4. TREATMENTS OF THE STUDY When one deals with teaching children desirable social behav¬ iors, certain variables have to be considered. These may be irrelevant or 31 contaminating to the study. Therefore, certain items will have to be considered before the study is begun. The children's teacher is a person who has a great deal of influence over her students. The children at the Child Development Center come in contact with their teacher for three afternoons a week. Another class sees her for two afternoons a week. The atmosphere of the classroom is influenced by this teacher's personality and control among the group. The researcher kept this variable in mind during the investigation. Since the Child Development Center is a laboratory school, there are different student teachers and student aides present on different days. A group of children meeting on Tuesday and Thursday will have a group of teachers on Tuesday and a completely different set of teachers on Thursday. , The fact that there are other teachers besides the teacher in charge does help to alleviate some of the influence involved in a situation where children are in contact with only one teacher all the time. It was considered that the researcher was a new person observing the class. The children at the Center are constantly being observed by University students. Another observer should not make a difference to these children. Therefore, the children did not feel that they were being watched. This was not a new or awkward experience for them. 32 The Child Development Center staff has incorporated their own system of admitting children into a class. Each class at the Center is divided into categories. One-third are children whose parents work in the city of Bozeman (not at the University), one-third are children from the University^ faculty, and one-third are children of University students. The Child Development center staff also tries to keep an equal boy-girl ratio in each class. Children are accepted into a class based on these standards of enrollment. The researcher had to consider the methods of presenting lessons to the children. The researcher's influence upon the class is just as important as the teacher’s influence for a study of this type. The method, style of presentation, and the researcher's person¬ ality may influence the children's behavior. METHOD OF COLLECTING DATA A list of desirable social behaviors was compiled by the staff at Montana State University's Child Development Center. This helped establish validity and to increase the worth and value of the informa¬ tion obtained. The list consisted of the behaviors the staff considered important for nursery school children to achieve. The researcher selected five behaviors considered to be most important. A pre-test activity followed by a learning situation was devised by the researcher. After at least a lapse of one week, a 33 post-test was given. Each behavior was tested using a different group of children. All the children were selected from the same class. The children for each group were selected by the Child Development Center teacher. She picked out the first group by select¬ ing the five closest children playing near her. Each subsequent group was selected by this teacher in such a manner as to give every child a chance to participate. Each of the five pre-tests were observed for a certain period of time. The paired post-test was the same exercise as the pre-test and was observed for the same period of time. The learning situation was taught to the students immediately following the pre-test. The five behaviors studied were: (1) sharing and taking turns; (2) use of initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination; (3) confident expression of feelings; (4) liberation from sex roles; and (5) being able to follow a series of directions. • The literature in the field of social behavior was consulted by the researcher. References for teaching methods in this area were obtained. It was also reviewed as a means of evaluating the teaching methods for the most effective transference of learning. Curriculum specialists have written books which pertain to lessons and objectives for learning social behavior. Records were kept during each pre-test and post-test period. This included a tally sheet to record how many times a child displayed 34 the specific behavior being studied. This method of collecting data and the learning experiences presented enabled the researcher to evaluate the information into tables and to evaluate the information applicable to the questions of the study stated in Chapter 1. METHOD OF ORGANIZING DATA The data for this study was organized by analyzing each of the five behaviors studied. The childrenfs behaviors were organized into tally sheets to show whether a change in behavior took place. The researcher was able to interpret the data in order to decide if a specific behavior could be taught to a certain group of children by recording these tallies. The tally sheets were composed of the number of instances a specific behavior was observed in each child during the testing sessions. QUESTIONS Answers to the following questions were sought: 1. What do teachers in the field of nursery school education consider to be desirable social behavior? 2. Can desirable social behavior be identified in nursery school children? 3. Can desirable social behavior be taught to nursery school children? 35 4. What should be included in the content of the nursery school curriculum for teaching desired social behavior? 5. How should the process of helping children learn certain behaviors be taught? 6. Under what conditions does the teaching of desirable social behavior become most effective? ANALYSIS OF DATA The data was analyzed using the tally sheets and records compiled by the researcher. Relationships and predictions for future nursery school work in the field of desirable social behavior are described from this data. The tally sheets were included in order to show a change in the children’s behavior from the pre-test to the post-test. This data was organized into tables representing each behavior. PRECAUTIONS TAKEN FOR ACCURACY The researcher kept records of observed behavior throughout this study. All the recording of behavior was observed and written by the researcher in order to maintain consistency and accuracy of the details. The records became the basis for the analysis of the study. 36 SUMMARY The problem of this study was to determine if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. In this chapter, the researcher has discussed procedures for collecting, organizing, and analyzing information pertaining to the-study. Nursery school children enrolled at Montana State University*s Child Development Center, during the Spring Quarter of 1974, were the population to be studied. Their behavior was observed and recorded as part of the records needed to fulfill the study. Chapter 4 ANALYSIS OF DATA In this chapter, the researcher will describe the data and subsequent analysis of the data. The chapter will be divided into the five behaviors that were studied. Each behavior involved a pre-test, a learning situation, and a post-test. The pre-tests and post-tests were exactly the same in each situation. The only difference being that the post-test was used to observe if any change in behavior had taken place as the result of the learning situation. The learning experience immediately followed the pre-test situation. Included in this chapter will be the descriptions of the testing procedures and the results of the tests. TEST I Desired Social Behavior Children show evidences of sharing and taking turns. Children sometimes initiate sharing and taking turns. v Pre-test and Post-Test The children were confronted with a set of cubes. There were not enough cubes for each child to play alone. The researcher recorded how many instances of sharing took place in Table 1, page 38. 38 Table 1 Instances of Sharing and Taking Turns Pre-test Post-test Date April 3, 1974 April 17, 1974 Time started 1:10 PM 2:25 PM Time ended 1:20 PM 2:35 PM 1. Patrick 1 Absent 2. Diedra 0 1 3. Andrea 1 1 4. Ricky 1 1 5. Anita 1 1 Learning Experience Date - April 3, 1974 Time Started - 1:20 PM Time Ended - 1:30 PM Materials - A set of multi-colored playing The children showed little evidence of sharing during the pre test. The researcher asked the group if there was a way they could each play with the cubes and still be able to share them. At first, the children were hesitant to share. Ricky said they could all make different buildings for a zoo, and then put their buildings together. Each child went on to make an animal or a building for the zoo. A discussion followed. The children said sharing can be fun because nobody fights and everybody plays happily together. 39 Analysis of Table 1 '» There shows no difference between the pre-test and post-test sessions on sharing to note a change in behavior. The children would give away a cube only once and that was when both tests began. After wards, each child flatly refused to share any cubes or work together in any way. Each child worked alone as though he was the only one in the room at that time. Even when the researcher suggested sharing would help the children gain more cubes and build more items, the children replied each would not give up any cubes. TEST II Desired Social Behavior Children show evidences of initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination. Pre-test and Post-test Each child was given a twelve inch by eighteen inch piece of paper with lines already drawn on it. Each child was asked to draw something using the existing lines. The researcher recorded if each child used his initiative, resourcefulness, or imagination in order to draw a picture, as indicated in Table 2 on page 40. 40 Table 2 Instances of Initiative, Resourcefulness, and Imagination Pre-test Post-test Date April 3, 1974 April 15, ! Time started 1:40 PM 2:10 PM Time ended 1:50 PM 2:20 PM 1. Flann No Yes 2. Diedra No No 3. Mike Yes Yes 4. Erica No Yes 5. Angela No Yes Learning Experience Date Time started Time ended Materials April 3, 1974 1:50 PM 2:05 PM 1. One automobile fan belt 2. One small piece of deer hide 3. One rock 4. One slide rule The researcher confronted the group of children and brought out the above mentioned articles one by one. The children had to imagine what each was, how it could be used, who could use it, etc. The researcher deliberately selected articles that were unknown to the children in order to help them use their imaginations to describe each article. 41 Analysis of Table 2 During the first test session, four out of the five children showed no use of imagination or initiative and resourcefulness. Of the four children, the explanations of their drawings were as follows: (1) "I don't know," (2) "All kinds of things," (3) "Two people," (this child used only one small corner of the paper) and (4) "Anything." Only Mike described everything he drew as he drew it. He was eager to share his picture and tell the researcher what was happening in his drawing. During the post-test session, four out of the five children drew pictures suggesting their imaginations were at work. Each eagerly made up a vivid story to go along with the drawing. Only Diedra showed no change in behavior. TEST III Desired Social Behavior Children show evidences of confident expression of feelings. Pre-test and Post-test The children sat at a table. The researcher asked if anyone is afraid of something, or does anyone wish he could do something which he cannot do now. The researcher recorded how many instances of confident expressed feelings took place, as shown in Table 3, page 42. 42 Table 3 Instances of Confident Expression of Feelings Pre-test Post-test Date April 3, 1974 April 15, 1974 Time started 2:35 PM 2:25 PM Time ended 2:45 PM 2:35 PM 1. Erica 1 6 2. Sam 6 9 3. Stacey 3 5 4. Patrick 7 9 5. Nancy 1 6 Learning Experience Date Time started Time ended Materials - April 3, 1974 - 2:40 PM - 2:55 PM - Is It Hard, Is It Easy?, Green The researcher read the above mentioned book which stated the fact that some children can do things better than others. The book stressed that everyone is good at something. The last sentence in the book asks what is hard and what is easy for the reader to do. The researcher let the children reply to this question. The group discussed their fears, and the researcher talked about her own fears. The researcher tried to help the children under¬ stand that sometimes their fear upsets them rather than .the actual act. For example, many children fear the dentist. Talking about their feelings can help. 43 Analysis of Table 3 Each of the children expressed himself more confidently during the post-test. During the pre-test, the researcher had to keep asking the children for their remarks after periods of silence when no child would speak. The situation changed during the post-test. The children kept divulging their feelings without the urging of the researcher. TEST IV Desired Social Behavior Children show evidences of liberation from sex roles. Pre-test and Post-test A group of children (both male and female) was given the opportunity to play in the playhouse area of the nursery school. The researcher recorded how many instances of role playing fell into the category of male behavior, female behavior, or neuter behavior, as shown in Table 4, page 44. Learning Experience April 5, 1974 2:00 PM 2:30 PM Daddies What They Do All Day. Puner Mommies At Work. Merrian The researcher read the two books mentioned above. A discussion followed. The children talked about how fathers and mothers could have Date Time started - Time ended Materials 44 children and also go out to work at a specific job during the day. The concept developed was that a family may be composed of one, or two, working parents, and still be a loving unit. Table 4 Instances of Liberation From Sex Roles Pre-test Post-test Date Time started Time ended April 5, 1974 1:40 PM 1:50 PM April 1: 2: 16, 1974 55 PM 05 PM Male Female Neuter Male Female Neuter 1. Anita 0 1 1 0 3 1 2. Patrick 2 1 1 1 0 0 3. Franz 2 1 1 1 0 1 4. Mike 3 0 2 1 0 1 5. Erica 0 1 1 0 2 1 Analysis of Table 4 There was no difference between the pre-test and post-test sessions to note a change in behavior. The boys enjoyed riding trucks and the girls enjoyed setting the table or dressing up in adult clothes As can be noted, the girls participated in more female activities (setting the table, washing the dishes, etc.). The boys participated in more male activities (riding toy trucks, dressing in men's hats, etc.). None of the boys engaged in any female oriented activities 45 during the post-test. Neither of the girls engaged in any male oriented activities during this session. TEST V Desired Social Behavior Children show evidences of being able to follow a series of directions. Pre-test and Post-test A manipulative task was devised to allow each child successful completion only when a series of directions were followed. Task problem - How to get a rubberband to hold sticks together. Materials - 1. A container of rubberbands. 2. A container of popsicle sticks. 3. A 9" x 12,, piece of construction paper designed to scale of the popsicle sticks. Each child followed these directions: (1) match the sticks to the spaces on the paper; (2) pick the sticks up and hold them in one hand; and (3) use the other hand to bundle the sticks with a rubber- band . The researcher recorded whether a child completed the task on his own, or if he needed help to do so, as shown in Table 5, page 46. 46 Table 5 Instances of Being Able to Follow a Series of Directions Pre-test Post-test Date April 5, 1974 April 15, 1974 Time started 2:30 PM 2:34 PM Time ended 3:06 PM 2:45 PM Completes Requests Completes Requests task help task help 1. Julia X X 2. Angela X ' X 3. Stacey X X 4. Diedra X X 5. Franz X X 6. Mike X X 7. Sam X X Learning Experience No separate situation was devised as a learning session. The researcher decided that the actual first trial during the pre-test constituted the learning experience. As the child actually participated in the pre-test, he either asked for assistance or he completed the task on his own. Asking for assistance made up that child’s learning session. Analysis of Table 5 During the pre-test session, two out of seven children com¬ pleted the task without asking the researcher for assistance. A 47 significant change in behavior developed during the post-test session. Each of the seven children completed the task without any help from the researcher. During the pre-test session, assistance was needed for the following reasons: (1) the child skipped a direction or (2) the child had to stop and ask what to do next. SUMMARY This chapter reported the analysis of the data for five desired social behaviors. Each behavior was divided into a pre-test, a learning experience, and a post-test. The tests showing changes in behavior included: (1) instances of showing initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination; (2) instances of confident expression of feelings; and (3) instances of being able to follow a series of directions. The tests showing no significant change in behavior were: (1) instances of sharing and taking turns and (2) instances of libera¬ tion from sex roles. Chapter 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS This chapter will include the answers to previously stated questions. Included in this summary of the major findings will be a conclusion based on the study of five desirable social behaviors in nursery school children. The five behaviors studied were: (1) sharing and taking turns; (2) use of initiative, resourcefulness, and imagina¬ tion; (3) confident expression of feelings; (4) liberation from sex roles; and (5) being able to follow a series of directions. RESTATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem of this study was to determine if desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. The investigation was concerned with how children acquire the necessary social behaviors accepted by society. Six questions were also considered in the study: 1. What do teachers in the field of nursery school education consider to be desirable social behaviors? 2. Can desirable social behavior be identified in nursery school children? 3. Can desirable social behavior be taught to nursery school children? 49 4. What should be included in the content of the nursery- school curriculum for teaching desired social behavior? 5. How should the process of helping children learn certain behaviors be taught? 6. Under what conditions does the teaching of desirable social behavior become most effective? SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS The preceding questions are discussed based on the results of the testing procedures for the five behaviors investigated. Some questions are answered based on the researcher's review of the litera¬ ture. What do teachers in the field of nursery school education consider to be desirable social behavior? Nursery school teachers and early childhood experts consider desirable social behavior to be any behavior that is accepted by our society. Since the child even¬ tually becomes an adult, he will have to assume the responsibilities of becoming a total part of a society. A person exhibiting behaviors that conform to society's expectations will be able to live a more stable and happy life. Teachers can help children learn these behaviors since a classroom is similar to a society—although it is on a smaller scale. 50 The Child Development Center staff compiled a list of fourteen such behaviors. The list included some of the social concepts and behaviors the staff believes are developing (or should be developing) in nursery school (see Appendix for list). Can desirable social behavior be identified in nursery school children? Desirable social behavior can be identified in nursery school children. During the course of the investigation, the researcher was able to identify all fourteen behaviors listed by the Child Development Center staff in some, but not all, of the children. While testing children for the five behaviors studied, all of the children could express the importance of proper behavior and identify it when pointed out to them. Can desirable social behavior be taught to nursery school children? The researcher attempted to teach five desirable social behaviors to children. Following is a summary of each test's conclu¬ sion as to whether the behavior could be taught: Test I - Sharing and taking turns. The researcher concluded that children aged four and five years could not learn to share and take turns. During the learning experience, the concept was developed by the child¬ ren that sharing was easily accomplished. Yet, their post-test activities proved otherwise. 51 Test II - Use of initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination. The researcher concluded that children can be taught to make use of their initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination. Test III - Confident expression of feeling. The researcher concluded that children can be taught to express their feelings without worrying about peer reaction, shock, or dismay. Test IV - Liberation from sex roles. The researcher concluded that the children in this study followed roles geared to each child's sex. Boys role played male oriented tasks and girls role played female oriented tasks. During the learning experience, the concept was developed by the children that parents can work and still have families. Yet, their post-test activities proved otherwise. These children could not learn liberation from sex roles. Test V - Following a series of directions. The researcher concluded that children can be taught to follow a series of directions without asking for help or clarification of the instructions. 52 What should be included in the content of the nursery school curriculum for teaching desired social behavior? Nursery school teachers should include a program of desirable social behaviors into the curriculum. The curriculum should include activities geared to the growth of the child. A list of specific behaviors was developed for this study (see Appendix). These behaviors help children learn the proper socialization process which enables individuals to merge into our society. Teachers can help to develop social behaviors in children. The content should be based upon the philosophy that programs for young children must include a thorough and sound knowledge of the nature of the child, on how each child learns best, and upon the needs and demands of the society in which the child lives. Educators are sometimes divided in their opinions. Some stress cognitive development to counteract the failure and dropouts. Others emphasize the importance of the affective domain, which stresses the emotional and social development to counteract the mounting academic and social pressures existing in our homes and schools. Nevertheless, whatever goals are considered significant by educators and society, any successful attempt to realize these objectives requires the develop¬ ment of a vital curriculum. The contents should be thought of as developing the whole child so that he may grow and prosper according to his own personal abilities and wishes. 53 How should the process of helping children learn certain behaviors be taught? The researcher devised learning experiences for five behaviors in order to teach them to children (see Chapter 4). Each lesson was based upon the children’s experiences. The process of helping children learn certain behaviors should be taught in such a manner as to make the children feel as comfortable as possible. It should not be specifically mentioned that the children should be learning a certain behavior. Instead, the learning experience should •be meaningful. In order to do so, the experience should be related to the child's environment. If educators are to hold ture to the belief that the well- rounded development of the child's personality is the emphasis of the educational process, certain goals must be kept in mind. Schools exist to serve children, so whatever goals are set up by the school must be perceived by the child as good for him and must be acceptable to him. Without these conditions, the child will not learn. Any benefits the child may seem to have derived from his school experience are bound to be of little use to him later on. Therefore, the educa¬ tional process of teaching desirable social behaviors to children has to be relevant, important, and useful for each child. Then the child can incorporate his new found knowledge into his already existing surroundings. 54 Under what conditions does the teaching of desirable social behaviors become most effective? The teaching of desirable social behaviors becomes most effective when children can make sense out of what is being studied. At age four or five, a child cannot relate to an idea or concept that is not meaningful to him. The best conditions for learning are those that include familiar and friendly surroundings, the companionship of his peers, and materials that can easily be manipulated. Objects should be handled by the children. Otherwise, ideas may become too abstract in the mind of a child if he cannot actually see, feel, or hear what is being discussed. The researcher set certain specifications in mind when setting up the testing procedures. The conditions for learning included the following: (1) small groups for total interaction; (2) an environment in which each child felt at ease and comfortable; (3) allowing each child to express an opinion without ridicule; (4) the companionship of peers; (5) the child's own nursery school room instead of an unknown setting; (6) easily manipulated materials; (7) a setting of warmth and affection without sentimentality or favoritism; (8) a show of firmness as well as gentlemenss, consistency as well as flexibility toward the children according to their need; (9) helping the children gain facility in the use of the language; and (10) generally helping children gain a sense of social awareness by giving children a feeling of adequacy, stability, and belonging. 55 CONCLUSIONS The researcher has drawn the following conclusions concerning some of the data and ideas presented in this study: 1. Desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children/ 2. Nursery school teachers should become aware of the sociali¬ zation process and help children to grow accordingly. 3. If society wants people to become useful participants, then it is not too early'to teach children to become useful members 'of their own young society. 4. If nursery school teachers can identify social behaviors early enough, the child may get help before it is too late. Early intervention makes correction easier than when a child reaches the upper grades. 5. The researcher concluded that the following behaviors could be taught to nursery school children: (1) using initiative, resourcefulness, and imagination; (2) confident expression of feelings; and (3) being able to follow a series of directions. 6. The researcher concluded that the following behaviors could not be taught to the group of children involved in the specific testing methods used in this study: (1) sharing and taking turns and (2) liberation from sex roles. Four and Five year olds are still too 56 self-centered and egotistical to share and take turns. They are more concerned with the idea of self rather than others. These children are still too young to portray roles other than being a mother or a father. To their four or five years, their environment has consisted mainly of a father who works and a mother who takes care of the family. As the children grow, they will experi¬ ence new concepts which will aid their development and acquisition of values and social behaviors. 7. Although all of the behaviors a teacher wishes to teach may not be learned by children, it does not mean that children cannot learn any behaviors. SUMMARY This chapter has discussed the findings in a study of desirable social behaviors in nursery school children. Five behaviors were studied using children from the Montana State University's Child Development Center. Six questions were answered as a summary of the major findings of the study. Conclusions were arrived at by the researcher after the study was summarized. The primary conclusion derived was that desirable social behavior can be identified and taught to nursery school children. Although all of a teacher's desired behaviors may not be learned by 57 students, it does not mean that children cannot learn any behaviors. This study concluded that out of five behaviors, three were adequately taught to children and two were not. The behaviors learned by the children were: (1) using initiative, resourcefulness, and imagina¬ tion; (2).confident expression of feelings; and (3) being able to follow a series of directions. The behaviors not learned by the children were: (1) sharing and taking turns and (2) liberation from sex roles. APPENDIX 59 DESIRABLE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS Developed by the Child Development Center Staff Fours and fives should be ... . 1. Building a positive self-concept. 2. Moving comfortably from one type of play to another. 3. Showing evidences of cooperation; can sometimes initiate cooperation 4. Showing evidences of sharing and taking turns; can sometimes initiate sharing and taking turns. ' 5. Showing evidences of listening to others and comprehending.. 6. Showing evidences of being able to follox* directions—sometimes a series of directions. 7. Showing evidences of more verbalization and less primitive forms of communication. 8. Showing evidences of confident expressions of feelings. 9. Showing evidences of initiative—resourcefulness and imagination. 10. Showing evidences of self-control and self-responsibility as well as spontaneity. 11. Showing evidences of developing a sense of humor and using humor appropriately. 12. Showing evidences of friendly outgoing behavior—a concern for others. 13. Showing evidence of respect for property—own and that of others. 14. Showing evidence of liberation from sex roles. BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Jack, et. al. 1962. 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