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.

行为是沟通的一种形式。对于许多幼儿来说，他们可能会做出某些行为，以有意识或无意识地表达对某些事物的需求，例如想要的成人或同伴、感官刺激或有形物品。其他时候，孩子可能会采取某种行为来逃避或避免某些事物，例如特定的环境。有时，根据与孩子一起工作的人员（包括孩子的幼儿教师）的看法，幼儿的行为可能会被解释为具有挑战性。这些对挑战性行为的解释源于一个人自己的文化背景、信仰和偏见。这种解释可能导致歧视性纪律做法，特别是针对来自边缘化和少数群体背景的儿童。相反，教师可以从公正的角度考虑与他们一起工作的孩子所表达的行为信息，确定孩子所从事的行为是否真正具有挑战性，并在必要时实施适当的干预。本文的目的是提出一个计划，以系统地满足边缘化和少数群体儿童的需求的方式听取他们的行为信息，同时也考虑到教师和儿童身份之间潜在的不匹配。