The 5%: Exceptional Behaviors

Non-invasive strategies work most of the time and should always be attempted first, but there are times when you need to dig deeper into your bag of tricks. We explore the origin of this behavior before we attempt to create consequences. If we know what is motivating students, it’s easier to find a solution.

Key Points

• Reflect on a recent incident in your classroom where a student broke a rule and was unresponsive to redirection.
• Find the origin of the problem by asking questions such as:

1. Were my expectations clear?
2. Is the problem due to a lack of skill or will?
3. Were there consequences in place? What were they?

• Decide on next steps for the problem behavior.

Insider Tips

If you have been consistently enforcing consequences for a given behavior, but the student’s behavior has not improved, change the consequence.

Resources

Determine Effective Consequences: Ask Yourself Two Questions