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Psychiatrist Edward Hallowell has a theory that young people who display challenging behaviours is a sign of deficiency in connections with others. As teachers, it is our job not to underestimate the power we have in making connections with students and how impactful these connections can be.  Children who are showing confronting behaviours are essentially telling us that their basic needs are not being met. Although we need to have specific strategies to de-escalate the confronting behaviour,  we need to apply appropriate discipline linked to the understanding of the motives that drive the children to act in a certain way.

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There are a range of strategies which can be used for defusing confronting behaviour within a classroom such as  Using preventative low-level responses Being aware of our emotional state and not taking comments personally  Not taking the bait  Having a private chat  Listening, acknowledging, agreeing, deferring (LAAD).  Using the language of de-escalation  Using de-escalating statements  Offering students, a choice  Removing a student from the class  Using one-on-one problem solving Asking the student for assistance

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Using preventive low-level response is a strategy that teachers use to develop a positive relationship with their students. This enables them to build a respectful and reciprocal relationship where students can feel safe and secure. Some ways in doing this is;  Calling students by their name Saying good morning to students  Knowing something that the students are interested in  Letting the students know about you  Being transparent with discipline Treating the students fairly, not equally  This strategy is the best strategy as teacher are able to attend the needs of the students and develop positive learning environments which will reduce fewer confronting behaviours.

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Reframing is a techniques which provides you with new words for difficult situations. It provides you with a way to view a situation with a positive perspective.  An example is that if someone was to run a red light in front of you and you were to see the drivers actions as inconsiderate, dangerous and unlawful. Although, if you found out that the driver was rushing their passenger to hospital as they were about to have a baby you would view the same behaviour as understanding.  Reframing is about highlighting the personas strengths rather than the behaviour, This skills is difficult and needs practice.  Here are some ways to reframe.  - A student has a temper tantrum and knocks over a  hcair  every morning.  - A students swears at other students - A student come in late to class every morning and then threatens other students

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Listening, acknowledging, agreeing and deferring (LAAD)

This is another strategy which enables teachers to use when they are confronted with a student. This can also be applied with parents.

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Working by  yourself or with peers apply LAAD to a conflict you have had with a friend or student in a school Ask yourself what is the behaviour that your friend or student does that makes you react in a negative way? When this happens, what are your non-verbal reactions that accompany it? Using LAAD write a statement that you could say in each stage of the defusing process listening, acknowledging, agreeing and deferring.

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The language of de-escalation incorporates statements we can make towards students to help defuse the potential behaviour or conflict. These statements need to be in your voice and be authentic. The statement needs to show that you care and relate to the students and not taking their behaviour personally. Positive attitudes and a goal to defuse the behaviour and re-engage the students to their learning will hopefully result in them thinking before reacting again. Gordon (1989) emphasises that using empathy to understand students is essential when building a community within a classroom. We as teachers need to model and actively promote the use of empathy in our classrooms.

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samples of ways you could de-escalate confronting behaviours through the use of statements

I am interested in what you have to say, but now is not the best time however I would like you to tell me more after class You seem angry and feel like tackling in class, but tackling isn’t for in class, and I would like to know why you feel like that will help  I would like to know why I made you so mad, but using that language isn’t helping. Could we sit down and have a chat when you are ready to speak.  I can see that your angry and throwing chairs. Throwing chairs isn’t going to help how we feel, so let’s use our words and have a chat to me about the way you are feeling.

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Marvin Marshall’s theory is Raise Responsibility System ( RRSystem ), which is his approach of ‘raising student responsibility’. He believes that appropriate classroom behaviour is achieved through teachers promoting responsibility rather than through coercion. He addresses, students will not complete work or behave positively when they are controlled, threatened, or punished. To change this, teachers need to develop an environment where relationships can flourish. This is developed through teachers practice of positivity, choice and reflection.  Positivity is where teachers will deliver with optimism and hope to the students where they are able to reframe negative behaviours into positive behaviours.  Choice is enabling the students to have choice so that they are able to have a say over their impulse responses rather than being a victim to other’s control over their emotions.  Reflection involves the teachers asking questions which can assist students to understand their thinking that led to the behaviour.

Amazon.com: Marvin Marshall: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

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A whole-school approach needs to be proactive and supportive for all students, especially those vulnerable. It needs to have the best interest in enhances students learning and their academic achievement. Effective school environments take a systematic approach to support the development of the whole child. This is creating a supportive environment which is a shared developmental framework among all staff which clearly states procedure for ensuring all students additional needs; emotional, social, physical and behavioural are all met.

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To conclude this, I have focused providing my viewers with ways in which can help address and de-escalate confronting behaviours. Confronting behaviours are pain-based and caused by basic needs not being met. I provided strategies which can be used to help with future teaching like developing a language of discipline. This takes time but I encourage you to practice these skills so that you feel comfortable with what and how to say those statements.  These skills and strategies will help assist you in working with challenging students and develop a positive learning environment. You will have times where it doesn’t feel successful, but we know that small steps are powerful. It is the road to being caring and respectful.  We need to provide learning environments in which power is shared legitimately are those most supportive of student learning of pro-social behaviour. This is where students are most likely to behave pro socially in learning environments that involve and engage them through quality curriculum. We also need to provide fair treatment of students results from responding to their individual needs, not equal treatment.

De-escalating confronting behaviour

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