Discipline Tips

Handling Difficult Children In The Classroom

Nothing can be more frustrating in a classroom of 25 to 30 pupils than to have one or two children who exhibit negative and/or disruptive behaviors. Here are some tried and true strategies to use to handle difficult behavior problems in the classroom.

HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Principle: Very few teachers will argue the importance of involving parents or other caretakers in a child's behavior program This involvement can take many forms, including: parenting groups which teach specific behavior modification skills, daily or weekly notes on behavior progress, and combined school/home contingency management programs where children earn points at school for rewards and privileges at home.

What to Do: Teachers and school officials often feel that parents have the duty to participate in behavior programs in order to help their children, but this is not a psychological approach to the problem. Instead:

Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of parents in implementing a program.
Make it easy for parents to succeed with their children.
Make sure that parents have a support system for changing their behaviors.
Employ the same basic behavioral principles (i.e., realistic goals, frequent feedback, praise, etc.) with parents as You do with children

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES

Principle: Many difficult behaviors can be addressed by changing the antecedents or precursors to those behaviors.

What to Do: Environmental changes can include: study carrels for children who are distracted by noise or visual cues; seating the child with problems near the teacher or near a "partner" who is a peer tutor and appropriate role model; and using multi-modal learning strategies to reduce boredom or frustration, such as art activities, computers, dramatic activities, and paper-and-pencil assignments.

CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK AND CUES

Principle: Many children with behavioral problems in school need constant cues or reminders to help them substitute positive behaviors for negative ones. These cues can come from the teacher, other students, or even from mechanical devices.

What to Do: The teacher can develop a sign-language or even a Morse code with one or more children. Each sign or code is associated with a positive behavior. Similarly, children can be grouped with a leader who gives the sign or code to other members of the group. Each group is rewarded for good behavior. Individual children can also use a tape recorder with a headphone, and a recording can be made to give the child random cues to pay attention or control his/her behavior.

COMMUNICATING WITH "I" STATEMENTS

Principle: All children, but particularly children with behavior problems, need to take responsibility for their feelings and actions. Filling in the blanks of "I" Statements fosters direct and clear communication.

What to Do: When dealing with a problem or concern, the child should be encouraged to complete an "l" Statement, by filling in the blanks: I feel ____________________when you________________ because_________________________and I want____________________ . The adult can respond using the same format.

BUILDING PROGRESS FROM SMALL SUCCESSES

Principle: A basic principle of behavior modification is to break behaviors which are difficult to change into small steps which make it easier for the child to succeed

What to Do: Once a goal has been established as a priority for a child, break the goal into sub-steps, which, when put together, take the child to the developmentally-appropriate level of behavior. For example, if you are trying to help a child be more responsive to adult requests, you would first teach him to repeat what he has heard, then to explain why it is important to do what adults ask, then to follow one-step requests, then two-step requests, and so on.

ATTACK THE PROBLEM, NOT THE CHILD

Principle: Most severe behavioral problems are associated with a combination of genetic and environmental factors which are beyond the child's control. This is not to excuse children from taking responsibility for their behavior, but rather to focus them on the real issues of their lives for which they must develop solutions.

What to Do: Children must be helped to put a name to their problem, in terms which point the way to a solution. For example, a child diagnosed as having ADHD could see the problem as "impulsiveness:' and the solution as `'learning to think before you act" The child could be helped to understand that being impulsive is an inborn trait, which people learn to deal with in different ways. When the child learns to differentiate his impulsive behaviors from his sense of self-worth, he can join with the adults in developing new behavioral strategies.

ASSERTIVENESS AND SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING

Principle: It is usually easier to teach a new behavior than to modify an old one. Children with behavioral problems can benefit from a systematic psychoeducational program where they are taught skills such as standing up for yourself, joining a group, communicating one's needs, and so on.

What to Do: When a child has a behavioral problem, instead of thinking about what he did wrong, think about how he can learn to act in a more appropriate way If a child hits another child when he is mad, for example, he must learn to "fight fair" using predefined rules, which respect the other person's opinion. Class meetings are the best places to explore and rehearse these new skills.

USING TIME AND TIMING

Principle: Research tells us that time can be an important variable in helping children learn to control their inappropriate or dysfunctional behaviors. Generally, children perform better and behave better in the morning than in the afternoon, perform better in short work bursts, and behave better when transitions are clear and structured. Most children also behave better with a highly-structured schedule and when expectations are made clear.

What to Do: Teachers will be most successful with behavioral management programs when they clearly organize the work periods within the day. In addition, children will benefit from learning time-management skills, including: making prioritized lists, organizing tasks in daily and weekly schedules, and learning to deal with procrastination.

TIME-OUT/SELF-CALMING TECHNIQUES

Principle: Time-out has proven to be an effective way to help younger children control their behavior at home, but it is often inappropriate to "punish" children in this manner at school. A better method which has the same result is to designate a Relaxation Corner in the class where children can go to practice self-calming techniques.

What to Do: Begin by introducing the importance of learning to calm one-self down as a way to avoid confrontations, deal with upsetting feelings, and even as a way to clear the mind and perform better in school. Then teach self-calming techniques like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and imagery to all students. Students should be encouraged to go to the Relaxation Corner before they get into trouble, but they should understand that they can also be sent there as a prelude to problem-solving or talking things through after a misbehavior.

TEACHING PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIORS

Principle: It is almost always easier to teach a new behavior than to modify old ones. In other words, teachers will usually have more immediate success in teaching pro-social skills like consideration of others, doing kind acts, and being polite, than in getting children to quickly change disruptive behaviors.

What to Do: Make teaching pro-social skills a part of every day through class meetings, community service projects, books and stories that teach the "value of virtues," clearly-defined rules of classroom etiquette, and programs which encourage random acts of kindness.

STRESS INOCULATION

Principle: Difficulties in coping with stress are an important aspect of childhood behavior problems. We sometimes forget that children are as affected by stress as adults, from common stressors like noise or peer pressure, to significant stressors like a divorce or a family move. In addition, children my "absorb" stress from their parents, including loss of a job, marital discord, financial problems, and so on.

What to Do: Children can be taught to deal with stress by being systematically exposed to stressors while practicing a variety of coping skills. Stressful situations, like being teased, can be role-played in a group, and children can rehearse strategies like saying positive things to themselves, self-calming, active ignoring, expressing one's feelings, and so on.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Principle: Children with behavioral problems often act without thinking about the consequences of what they are doing. Teaching problem-solving skills can be an effective way to enhance self-control and communication, while encouraging more adaptive behaviors.

What to Do: Children should be taught a five-step problem-solving procedure:

Name the problem.
Brainstorm solutions.
Evaluate the possible solutions and choose the best one.
Try it out.
Modify the chosen solution as necessary. Children should then be given a variety of problems to practice applying this procedure. As with other cognitive behavior modification techniques, problem-solving must be rehearsed and improvements in behavior must be rewarded.

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT/"CATCH THE CHILD BEING GOOD"

Principle: Positive reinforcement is one of the simplest ways to improve behavior in the classroom. Many classrooms use a program of "catch them being good:' where specific behavior goals are randomly rewarded, such as paying attention, listening to and complying with directions, handing work in on time, and so on.

What to Do: Post a list of classroom rules. Use a chart, or hand out chips or stickers when a child or the whole class is "being good." Points should also include sincere and appropriate praise and encouragement. Allow children to earn points for daily rewards, which should change frequently. Rewards could include special activities, treats, games, and so on.

PEER MEDIATION

Principle: Peer mediation has been shown to be an effective alternative to having adults impose behavioral programs on children. Children often listen to and respect peer mediators more readily than authority figures.

What to Do: Peer Mediators are selected for training, and undergo an intensive program where they learn and rehearse mediation skills. Guidelines for when children should go to mediation must be made clear, as well as procedures for when the parties do not adhere to the agreement. The steps for peer mediation include: