In this episode, Alex dives into one of the most common (and frustrating) classroom challenges: students not keeping their hands to themselves. Whether it’s pestering, poking, constant touching, or more serious hitting and shoving, this episode walks you through how to move beyond just saying “Keep your hands to yourself” and actually teach students what that means.

✨ You’ll hear:

• The difference between “pesty” behavior and truly hurtful behavior
• Why teaching both sides of the situation matters
• How to teach students to use a firm, big voice to say "STOP"
• What students should do when a classmate tells them to stop
• How to create logical, related consequences that actually make sense
• Why follow-through is essential (a boundary without follow-through is just a suggestion)
• How investing time in social-emotional lessons saves time in the long run

💡 This episode is a powerful reminder that social-emotional skills are the work of early childhood, and the time you spend teaching them intentionally will pay off.

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Check out this article on the blog 👉🏼 Must-Try Tip for Teaching Personal Space in Pre-K & Kindergarten
• Related podcast episode 👉🏼 Consequences That Actually Work in Pre-K & Kindergarten
• Behavior Busters Guide (Free PDF) – A practical guide for handling common classroom behaviors with confidence

🌟 Print and Play Club Members can access a whole vault of classroom management trainings and support on a wide range of behavior topics. Not a member yet? Click here to join the club!

The Happy Teaching Podcast with The Kindergarten Connection is the go-to podcast for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers who want simple, effective, and joyful teaching strategies—fast!

Hosted by Alex John, this bite-sized podcast delivers classroom management tips, engaging lesson ideas, and real-life solutions you can implement immediately. Whether you're looking to create smoother routines, build stronger student connections, or bring more fun into your teaching day, each episode (in ten minutes or less!) is designed to make your job easier and your classroom happier.

Subscribe now and start teaching with confidence and joy!

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