Seasoned education leaders know that one of the biggest factors that can contribute to teacher exhaustion and burnout is frustration related to disruptive students. Behaviors such as constant interruption and speaking out of turn, or frequent outbursts of anger due to minor frustrations, negatively impact everyone involved, including the students themselves, their classmates, and their teachers. Results include a negative classroom atmosphere, setbacks in academic outcomes, and strained teacher-student relationships. Equipping staff with tools and training to better understand and manage these behaviors is essential to cultivating positive culture and climate.
So what drives a student to disrupt class or struggle with emotional control? And more importantly, how can we address these issues effectively to nurture a supportive and understanding environment that fosters growth and well-being for everyone?
Let's explore the nature of disruptive behaviors and emotional dysregulation, deepen understanding of the intricate factors that contribute to these challenges, and uncover strategies to build resilience and support in your school community.
Understanding disruptive behaviors and where they come from
Student disruptive behaviors can range from minor classroom disruptions to more severe actions that significantly impact the learning environment. Examples include excessive talking, lack of participation, defiance, aggression, and other actions that interrupt teaching and learning.
These behaviors not only affect the learning environment but might also signal deeper underlying issues or unmet needs within the student. To understand these, it's crucial to recognize the intricate network of relationships and environments that influence a student's life as students exist within a web of interconnected systems. These range from their immediate surroundings, like family and school, to broader societal influences. For instance, an aggressive student may be reacting to tension at home, influenced by economic strains on the family, which is a reflection of wider societal issues. These layers of influence intersect, impacting the student's behavior and emotional well-being, which in turn affects their school experience and interactions.
When we step back and look at everything affecting a student, it becomes clear how many different things can contribute to their behavior. To respond to them in a compassionate manner, we need to look beyond just the behavior itself and understand the bigger picture, crafting interventions that are as nuanced and complex as the issues themselves.
3 strategies every teacher should know (because one size does not fit all!)
In tackling disruptive behaviors at school, we need more than a one-size-fits-all solution. This approach underscores the importance of a deeper understanding of the student’s current emotional landscape, as well as personalized interventions that tailor responses to meet their needs. Here are some strategies to get started:
1. Tailor the Interventions to Emotional States and Needs
Whatever action we take to address a disruptive behavior must be aligned with the emotional and psychological state of the student. For example, a child showing high emotional dysregulation, like anger outbursts, may not respond to immediate rational problem-solving. Their intense emotions can block logical thinking. Therefore, interventions that help to calm down would better match the emotional intensity they are experiencing and be more effective in facilitating change.
For students with high emotional dysregulation, sensory or physical activities like using stress balls, practicing deep breathing, or spending time in a quiet space can help them calm down. Once their emotions stabilize, we can start using approaches that focus on understanding and empathizing with their feelings, rather than immediately correcting their behavior. This helps build trust and shows that we respect their emotions. As they become more emotionally balanced, we can then introduce strategies like problem-solving and coaching, helping them to reflect on their behavior and develop better coping methods.
2. The Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) Approach
The ABC model serves as a valuable guide to navigating these challenges with clarity and insight. It helps identify the triggers (Antecedents) that lead to disruptive behavior (Behavior), and the outcomes (Consequences) that either reinforce or discourage the behavior.
Take, for example, a scenario where a student consistently talks out of turn after group activities (Antecedent). This behavior, if met with increased attention from the teacher, could inadvertently be reinforced, teaching the student that acting out is a viable strategy for gaining attention. This might inadvertently encourage the persistence of disruptive behavior. To effectively counter this, a more constructive approach would be to provide positive reinforcement for desired behaviors, such as acknowledging and praising the student when they raise their hand and wait to be called on. This positive reinforcement helps shape the desired behavior over time, teaching the student that appropriate actions lead to positive outcomes.
By delving into the antecedents and consequences of behavior, we are empowered to plan more nuanced strategies that specifically address the unique characteristics of these challenges. This approach enhances the effectiveness of interventions, ensuring they are more targeted and responsive to the individual needs of each student.
3. Assessing and Addressing Underlying Mental Health Issues
When disruptive behaviors stem from underlying mental health conditions, isolated actions often fall short in addressing the situation's complexity. For example, a student with ADHD may frequently interrupt class or act impulsively. Advising this student to simply "be quiet" doesn't address the core issues of impulsivity and attention regulation. A more appropriate approach would involve creating a supportive environment that accommodates the student’s specific needs, such as allowing brief, structured breaks for movement or providing tasks in smaller, manageable segments to maintain focus. Also, collaborating with the student's family and mental health professionals to develop a comprehensive support plan.
This collaborative approach requires that educators work closely with mental health professionals to accurately assess and diagnose such conditions. Moreover, educators need training to recognize the signs of mental health issues and understand their potential impact on behavior. Such awareness is key to early identification and intervention, ensuring timely and appropriate support for students. Integrating these tailored strategies with feedback from the student's family, and ensuring consistent support across both home and school settings, enhances the effectiveness of behavior management strategies and contributes to a more positive educational journey for the student.
How Alongside Can Help
Navigating student behavior complexities demands a holistic approach. Tools such as Alongside play a fundamental role in this ecosystem, offering students the possibility to chat with Kiwi, a llama bot that guides them on how to regulate emotions and encourages reflection. The app also offers an effective channel for students to communicate with school counselors, share what they are going through, and get support. The use of artificial intelligence in the app, combined with the clinical know-how of the mental health professionals who design the content that students access, promotes a personalized and evidence-based approach. By fostering collaboration and adaptability, we can better support students, ensuring educational environments that cater to their comprehensive development, their needs and likes, and their overall well-being.
