7 Steps to Handle Any Behavior Problem
1. Figure out what need the behavior is communicating.
Every behavior
ng. What need is the child seeking? Is the child seeking attention? Is the child avoiding something? Stressed out? The level of difficulty of work is too rigorous? or not challenging enough? Has the home life changed in some way? Is their biochemistry off from medication? Are they being bullied? Ask yourself, parents, other teachers, and the student questions to find out what the root cause might be.
.2. Provide alternative ways to meet the need.
Whatever the root of the behavior is, you have to address the need first and foremost. If the child is seeking attention, find ways to give the child their desired attention. Maybe that’s time helping a younger student. Maybe that’s verbal praise. Maybe that’s having a special job each day. If the child is avoiding something, provide ways for them to avoid additional tasks by engaging in the necessary task. Are they avoiding because it is too challenging? Do additional accommodations need to be provided? Maybe the task is perceived as too babyish. Maybe something is overwhelming the student. Provide an outlet. Create an anytime pass to the counseling office. Schedule in break time. Maybe the student’s medication is off. Communicate with the parents to schedule a doctor’s appointment. Is the student being bullied? Address preventative strategies to ensure the student’s safety. Remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. When basic needs such as safety, food, shelter, self-esteem, aren’t addressed it is difficult to expect something other than challenging behaviors.
3. Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.
Consistency is so important. Ideally across all settings. Sometimes this isn’t possible, so at the very least consistency across the setting you are addressing. This includes the para educators, general education teachers, special education teachers, hallway monitors, lunch monitors, office personal, everyone needs to be on the same page with addressing the behavior. If one adult is enforcing an appropriate behavior, and then another adult reinforces the inappropriate behavior (this can be knowingly or unknowingly), this becomes very confusing to the student and can undo all the work the one teacher has done to enforce the appropriate behavior. Be on the same page with as many people as the student is in contact with. Sometimes this even means teaching other peers how to respond to the inappropriate behavior as even peers can reinforce unwanted behaviors.
4. Apply TLC liberally.
TLC can go a long way. Often times the student needs to know that someone is in their camp. The student wants to know that someone likes him or her. Because many times for students with behavior issues, interacting with adults can become very negative. The students that I have worked with who have behavior issues anticipate that any interaction they have with an adult will result in the negative. However, when I respond with a response like “I believe you.” “I get it.” “I can totally see how that would be hard.” The student does a double take, and opens up more. Trust is built. Then the student knows they can come to me with bigger issues as well. When a student complains of a headache, I make a bag of rice to heat up to put on the base of their neck. Find ways to nurture. Say yes more, so that when you have to say no, the student knows it its a fair no. Just like for every negative, we need 10 more positives. This goes with for every no, you need many more yeses to counter balance.
5. Reinforce Positive Behavior.
Learning a new behavior is hard work. Find reinforcers that the student is motivated by to reinforce their behavior efforts. Be creative. Phone time. Break time. Free time. Game time. Getting a special job. Verbal praise. Find what is motivating enough for the student to change their behavior. A student may like something, but that doesn’t necessary mean that it will motivate change. Change is hard, and sometimes we need a good incentive to get there.
6. Every moment is a teachable moment.
Avoid punishment. Think of each moment as a new opportunity to teach. Sometimes I find a student didn’t do what I wanted because I didn’t tell them what I wanted. The clearer you can be upfront, the more likely the student will follow those expectations. But sometimes we think we were clear and we weren’t. Use that as a teaching moment. Or give the student the benefit of the doubt—they forgot, they didn’t hear you, they were absent the day you addressed that—okay, tell them what you expect now, no biggie.
7. Progress monitor and communicate regularly
Keep track of what is working, where, and when. These will provide you with key insights for moving forward. Maybe there is a time in the day that triggers a certain behavior. Maybe a strategy that one teacher is using is working, and everyone needs a little more of that! Track progress. Celebrate progress. And monitor and adjust when needed. Be sure to communicate with all parties included when changes are made or any updates. Especially be sure to communicate positives!