We’ve all experienced the student who hides inside his hoodie in class and ignores the lesson. It’s easy to assume that this student is disrespecting us and to react with anger. But in reality, this common classroom behavior is not about us at all. The student is overwhelmed with a negative emotion and is trying to control his feelings by blocking out all the classroom stimulation.
Some of the most difficult challenges teachers face are related to classroom behavior. It helps to recognize that behavior is a form of communication. Students often can’t articulate their emotions and instead show us what’s going on through their behavior.
So what’s the best way to respond? Keep reading to learn how to:
- Stay calm in the moment
- Decode the reasons behind disruptive classroom behavior
- Respond to incidents with effective behavior management strategies
- Use proactive techniques to keep order in the classroom
Reading the signs: 4 functions of disruptive behavior in the classroom
Understanding the function or motivation behind behavior is the first step towards intervening effectively. Ask yourself what the student is communicating with their behavior. What do they want or need? When you can figure that out, you can respond more appropriately and change the outcome.
These are the most common functions of challenging behaviors in the classroom:
- Escape: wanting to avoid something. The student may tantrum or leave the classroom frequently with trips to the bathroom or the nurse. Or hide under their hoodie.
- Attention: wanting to be noticed. The student may speak out of turn, distract or touch others, or raise their hand repeatedly.
- Tangible: wanting an item or activity. The student may tantrum, pester you repeatedly, or steal something.
- Sensory: wanting to create positive sensations OR stop negative ones. You may notice the student bouncing in her chair or humming. Emotional outbursts can be a response to physical sensations like hunger or exhaustion.
The functions behind some behaviors might not be obvious. For example, if a student is kicking the chair in front of them, are they looking for attention or trying to stop negative feelings with sensory input? In some cases, you have to get to know the student to decode the behavior. I’ll get back to that in a minute.
But once you do get to the “why” behind the behavior, how can you respond in a way that’s best for the student, the rest of the class, and your own stress level?
There are two categories of behavior management strategies for the classroom: proactive techniques that prevent behavior issues, and reactive techniques you can use when an incident occurs.
Proactive classroom behavior management strategies
Before we explore intervention strategies for behavior incidents, let’s review what you can do to prevent behavior issues before they start. It is true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
- Set classroom behavior expectations. Work with your students to come up with 3 to 5 clear and age-appropriate expectations that everyone is comfortable with. For example: “We speak respectfully to one another.” Create a class contract, have every student sign it, then post it in the classroom and share with parents and caregivers.
- Be consistent in the way you talk about and enforce behavior expectations. Remember, consistency means equity not equality. Sometimes that may mean addressing a behavior that you would rather ignore. You also can choose to address a student’s action later so you can focus on de-escalation in the moment. But be sure to go back to it when things calm down.
- Know your students. When you take the time to get to know your students, you’ll have an easier time decoding their behavior and responding effectively. Take a few minutes each day to chat with students about anything other than schoolwork: their hobby, favorite sports team, new haircut or sneakers, or what they had for breakfast. Just get them talking. Over time, you’ll learn a great deal about what motivates them and how they behave normally and when they’re struggling.
- Know your own triggers. Take a close look at your own issues, and strategize about how you can prevent the things that trigger you in the classroom. And if you can’t prevent them, how can you practice responding in a positive way so you’re ready when it happens?
How to respond to disruptive classroom behavior incidents
Even with preventative strategies in place, there are always going to be challenging behaviors to deal with in the classroom. Here’s what to do in the moment.
- Don’t take it personally. Remember that the student’s behavior is not a personal attack (even if it sometimes feels that way). Maintaining this mindset is the key to implementing positive behavior supports for the classroom.
- Practice empathy. Approach every student’s behavior with curiosity instead of judgment. For example, consider what may be going on with the student hiding under the hoodie. Did he have a bad morning at home or a fight with a friend?
- Offer choices. A student who is escalated needs a way to calm down. Providing choices gives them the time and space to do that. You can give them a task to do on their own when they’re ready, or allow them to sit in a quiet spot to regain their composure.
- Don’t pick up the rope. Creating a battle over behavior is the worst thing you can do, especially when the student is looking for attention and trying to get a reaction out of you. I know it’s exhausting to always stay calm and resist reacting with anger, but that is the most effective way to stop the behavior and prevent it from happening repeatedly.
- Solve for the “why.” Tailor your response to the motivation behind the behavior whenever possible. For example, a student may be acting out because he wants attention or because it’s almost lunchtime. When you know the student and their triggers, you can recognize the “hangry” behavior and let them get a snack to avoid disrupting the class. If it’s attention they want, give them a chance to be noticed for doing something positive.
- Show them a better way. After de-escalating and addressing the underlying cause of the behavior, teach your students to replace problem behaviors with more acceptable ones. Instead of slamming their Chromebook on their desk when angry or upset, teach them to ask you for what they need, whether that’s a few minutes to themselves, a snack, or to talk about what’s wrong.
More classroom behavior management resources
Here’s a handy checklist for teachers that can help with recognizing the functions of behavior and how to respond appropriately. Feel free to pass it around your school. Translating Behavior: 4 Functions
And, you can learn more about behavior management from our PD presentation: Increasing Student Engagement Using Positive Behavioral Supports. Watch a quick preview now!
