Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

What to Do With a Child Who Continually Acts Out In Class

Sep 16, 2008

Do you have a student who continually causes problems in class? Is the behavior unusual? Here are the first steps you should take to deal with unacceptable behavior.

If you notice unusual behavior from a student in your class, there are several things you should do. Documenting what you see, and what you do in response, will help provide vital information to the guidance counselor or special education teachers who will help you gain control of this student.

Document the Behavior You See

Document the behavior that you notice. Is the child mimicking those around her? Document what the child mimics, and how often you notice the behavior. Does the child act out aggressively? Write down what happened immediately prior to the aggressive act each time it happens.

Documenting exactly what you see will enable those who are specially trained in special education to be able to better understand what is going in on your classroom. The most helpful information includes what happened directly prior to the action (the triggering event) and exactly what the child did or said in response.

Document Your Reaction to the Behavior

So the child threw a fit and ripped up his paper, flinging the pieces on the child sitting next to him. How did you handle the situation? Documenting your verbal and nonverbal reaction to the child will help special educators know what interventions have already been tried.

Some verbal interventions include verbal redirection, time outs, having the student apologize, missed recess, conference with the teacher, notes or calls home, or conference with the parent. Non-verbal interventions including ignoring the behavior, proximity to the student, shaking your head and a warning look. You can also try a behavior plan to control the behavior.

When to Go Directly to Your Guidance Counselor

Through out the process of documenting unusual behavior in your classroom, you should be in communication with your guidance counselor or special education teacher. There will be some instances where you need to go directly to your guidance counselor.

If the student in your class draws a disturbing picture, take the picture to the guidance counselor and be sure to tell the counselor what was going on in the class when the student drew the picture (free time, assignment, math class?). This includes pictures of violence, pictures of a sexual nature, and anything involving weapons or injured people or animals that seem out of place with the lesson.

Report if the student tells you or another student about violence at home, about someone hurting him, or touching him inappropriately. Also, any talk about bullying or being bullied should be reported to the guidance counselor. If a student comes in with a bruise, if possible, have 2 adults ask what happened, if the story is plausible and consistent, then it is probably true. If the story changes, the student seems uncomfortable, or the story seems implausible, it might be worth a trip to the guidance counselor as well.

You will have students who act out in your class. The younger the grade, the greater chance you have of the student having a disability not identified yet. If you are concerned about a student in your class, start documenting what you see, and then talk to your guidance counselor or special educator to find out what else can be done.

The copyright of the article Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom in Classroom Issues is owned by Jennifer Wagaman. Permission to republish Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.