Challenging behaviors in the classroom
Working with students that exhibit challenging behaviors in the classroom is something that almost all teachers will face at some point in their career. Recent research indicates that more than 70% of teachers report an increase in disruptive behaviors in the classroom since 2019 (Prothero, 2023). Additionally, 78% of teachers in another recent survey identified student behavior as a top concern in the classroom (EAB Global, Inc., 2023).
Students may exhibit behaviors that are more internalizing, such as difficulty concentrating, being anxious, avoiding activities/tasks, social withdrawal, crying or hiding. Other behaviors students engage in that can also be more disruptive to classroom instruction may include hitting, destroying property, aggression towards peers, leaving the classroom without permission, arguing with teachers or peers, and yelling.
Having strategies to use when students are engaging in unwanted behaviors is essential for teachers and school staff, and knowing how to respond is essential in preventing students from further escalating.
Teachers can use proactive approaches to behavior, such as:
- Creating positive relationships with students. This article from Understood.org explains the neuroscience behind why positive relationships have a large impact on student learning and behavior and provides ways to create these relationships with all students.
- Establishing consistent routines and procedures. This practice has been identified as a High Leverage Practice for students with disabilities and is an effective classroom management practice teachers should implement for all students. This video explains HLP #7: Establish a Consistent, Organized and Respectful Learning Environment and provides examples for general and special education teachers for utilizing these practices in the classroom.
- Providing acknowledgements to students when they are engaged in appropriate behavior. Develop a continuum of reinforcers to meet the needs of all students that may include tangible or intangible reinforcement, provide behavior specific praise, and utilize the “5-to-1”strategy (providing 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction). EdHub.org has developed this guide to support teachers in how to acknowledge appropriate behaviors.
When challenging behaviors do arise, even after implementing proactive strategies, it is important for teachers to:
- Remain calm. Modeling how to stay calm by taking a deep breath and not responding immediately to student outbursts is highly effective in not further escalating behaviors. This strategy often requires practice and The Crisis Prevention Institute provides this resource to assist educators.
- Find out the “why.” All behavior is communication, and serves to either gain something or to avoid something (such as attention or work). Figuring out what a student is trying to tell you through their behavior requires taking data on when and where the student exhibits the behavior and what results after the behavior occurs. The Iris Center offers a module that can be used to walk through how to determine the functions of behavior, along with how to determine which strategies to use to meet these functions.
Work with families, the student, and other school staff to create a plan to support the student. Parents and students can often offer valuable insight into why a student is engaging in challenging behaviors. Forming partnerships with families has been shown to increase the chances of improving behavior. It also serves as a way to communicate how to utilize strategies at home and how to increase the consistency of responding to behaviors. RethinkEd.com provides an article full of useful information on how parents can help identify why behavior is happening, along with how this collaboration helps in transferring strategies to address it at home.
References
Prothero, A. (2023, March 10). When it comes to SEL, administrators and teachers see things differently. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/when-it-comes-to-sel-administrators-and-teachers-see-things-differently/2023/03
EAB Global, Inc. (2023). Key Findings from EAB’s Student Behavior Survey: Building A Better Behavior Management Strategy for Students and Teachers. https://pages.eab.com/rs/732-GKV-655/images/Student%20Behavior%20Executive%20Briefing.pdf.
For more information, contact Kelley Neubert, ([email protected]), Program Specialist T/TAC at VCU.
Categories Autism, Behavior, Early Childhood Special Education, Inclusive Practices, Intellectual Disabilities