If you’re a teacher with any number of years of experience working with teenagers, you know how to work with a range of personalities and behaviors in your students. But how can you work with students who have serious behavior issues that challenge everything you know about being a good educator?
They’re not your children, and your school district may have strict rules about how to handle students with behavioral issues. So, you may feel like you’re somewhat limited in the ways that you can deal with them. In truth, there are several steps that you can take to set expectations and establish boundaries and consequences for the students in your classroom.
Provide clear expectations
It’s important that you establish your expectations for student behavior in your classroom in an open and positive way. Your students should each understand what is expected of them, and they should feel comfortable communicating with you about anything related to your expectations. By taking this first step, you’ll be able to provide your students with the consistency and structure they need to foster a healthy environment for learning.
It's a team effort
When it comes to working with students who are in crisis and struggling, you will find that a team approach is often the most effective. This can mean reaching out to the student’s parents, other teachers, and school counselors. Not only will you be able to get better insight into what your student might be struggling with, but you’ll be able to work together to develop a plan to provide the student with the support that he needs. This may involve a behavior modification plan or perhaps providing the student and his family with resources and support.
Lean into positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement, which is a method that sees you only rewarding the good behaviors, can be hugely helpful. Whether offering praise, rewards, or recognition, this can be a great way to encourage students to focus on positive behaviors. Focusing only on negative behaviors can make students feel like they don’t do anything right, which can turn into a vicious cycle of them only showing those poor and unwanted behaviors. Positive reinforcement can help to encourage positive behaviors and can also be a great behavioral modification tool.
Ensure consequences are well-known
Be clear and consistent when it comes to the consequences your students face for poor behavior. The consequences should, of course, stick within the guidelines of what your school district allows. They should also be age-appropriate and be fair. Each student should be aware of what the consequences are so that they know what to expect if their behavior doesn’t meet classroom rules and expectations.
It's important that you’re consistent when it comes to consequences, otherwise your students will soon realize that you are all talk and no action. Consequences could include extra homework assignments, detention, and things agreed upon when the behavior modification plan was arranged.
Don’t rise up; de-escalate instead
It can be all too easy to let your frustration and anger show when your student is acting up and displaying poor behavior. However, this can potentially make the situation worse, and you may lose credibility in the eyes of your troubled student. Try to remain calm, speak in a calm and even tone, and rely on de-escalation techniques to try and calm the situation down. This may include redirection or breathing exercises.
Remember that, for many students, behavioral problems are quite often due to an underlying factor. This may include stress and instability at home or a mental health concern. Working with your student and his support network can help you to provide him with the right type of support he needs when he’s in your classroom.
Are you wondering about some of the benefits of sending a troubled teen to a therapeutic boarding school? Liahona Academy offers programs that rise to meet the needs of the teen in crisis. You’re sure to have questions, so visit our FAQ page to get started.
How can I deal with students who have serious behavior issues?
If you’re a teacher with any number of years of experience working with teenagers, you know how to work with a range of personalities and behaviors in your students. But how can you work with students who have serious behavior issues that challenge everything you know about being a good educator?
They’re not your children, and your school district may have strict rules about how to handle students with behavioral issues. So, you may feel like you’re somewhat limited in the ways that you can deal with them. In truth, there are several steps that you can take to set expectations and establish boundaries and consequences for the students in your classroom.
Provide clear expectations
It’s important that you establish your expectations for student behavior in your classroom in an open and positive way. Your students should each understand what is expected of them, and they should feel comfortable communicating with you about anything related to your expectations. By taking this first step, you’ll be able to provide your students with the consistency and structure they need to foster a healthy environment for learning.
It's a team effort
When it comes to working with students who are in crisis and struggling, you will find that a team approach is often the most effective. This can mean reaching out to the student’s parents, other teachers, and school counselors. Not only will you be able to get better insight into what your student might be struggling with, but you’ll be able to work together to develop a plan to provide the student with the support that he needs. This may involve a behavior modification plan or perhaps providing the student and his family with resources and support.
Lean into positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement, which is a method that sees you only rewarding the good behaviors, can be hugely helpful. Whether offering praise, rewards, or recognition, this can be a great way to encourage students to focus on positive behaviors. Focusing only on negative behaviors can make students feel like they don’t do anything right, which can turn into a vicious cycle of them only showing those poor and unwanted behaviors. Positive reinforcement can help to encourage positive behaviors and can also be a great behavioral modification tool.
Ensure consequences are well-known
Be clear and consistent when it comes to the consequences your students face for poor behavior. The consequences should, of course, stick within the guidelines of what your school district allows. They should also be age-appropriate and be fair. Each student should be aware of what the consequences are so that they know what to expect if their behavior doesn’t meet classroom rules and expectations.
It's important that you’re consistent when it comes to consequences, otherwise your students will soon realize that you are all talk and no action. Consequences could include extra homework assignments, detention, and things agreed upon when the behavior modification plan was arranged.
Don’t rise up; de-escalate instead
It can be all too easy to let your frustration and anger show when your student is acting up and displaying poor behavior. However, this can potentially make the situation worse, and you may lose credibility in the eyes of your troubled student. Try to remain calm, speak in a calm and even tone, and rely on de-escalation techniques to try and calm the situation down. This may include redirection or breathing exercises.
Remember that, for many students, behavioral problems are quite often due to an underlying factor. This may include stress and instability at home or a mental health concern. Working with your student and his support network can help you to provide him with the right type of support he needs when he’s in your classroom.
Are you wondering about some of the benefits of sending a troubled teen to a therapeutic boarding school? Liahona Academy offers programs that rise to meet the needs of the teen in crisis. You’re sure to have questions, so visit our FAQ page to get started.
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