Three Strategies to Decrease Challenging Behaviors in Your Classroom. YOU Can Do It!

There are three strategies you can do right now to get out of power struggles and decrease challenging behavior in your classroom.

You must take action now to stop power struggles and increase learning, balance and flow in your classroom.

Only YOU can stop having power struggles in the classroom and increase learning for students.

Have you noticed the frequency of power struggles are increasing in your classroom? Once one student challenges the teacher, other students jump on the band wagon and start arguing.

Students choose to engage in power struggles and have challenging behaviors because it is easier than doing what you are asking them to do. Maybe the task feels too hard for them and saying no or refusing to do it is much easier, hence the power struggle begins.

You are not alone.

I’ve seen teachers not even aware that a power struggle is happening. They continue to teach the lesson through students interrupting, talking and disrupting the instruction.

This can feel chaotic in the classroom, not just for the adults, but also other students and that leads to higher, escalated behaviors.

You have to get through the lesson but the disruptions make it impossible, causing frustration for all.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Teachers, don’t wake up and say, I’m going to engage in power struggles with students today.

Teachers don’t intend for this to happen but it does.

You can recognize you are in a power struggle, you can avoid that power struggle and decrease the likelihood of the escalated behavior from occurring and increase learning to create a calm classroom.

Here are the three strategies:

1. Awareness: First, you need to be aware that the student is arguing, refusing or threatening. Sometimes, we can jump into an argument and not even realize we are in it until several minutes later. This happens because we are stressed and we react to the situation, versus responding.
2. Pause: Once you realize that a power struggle is happening, check your emotions, are you responding neutrally or is your voice escalated? Is your facial expression showing annoyance? Frustration? Or kindness? Responding with a soft, neutral tone and body language is key to prevent the behavior from escalating.
3. Co-regulate: You can act as a co-regulator for the student, you are regulated and helping the student to become regulated too. Then, instead of engaging in the power struggle, offer two acceptable choices, offer help, give more time or maybe change the request or demand that is being placed (if possible).

If you are a K-12 teacher, you already know that how you respond and engage with students can impact their behavior.

Unfortunately, most teachers make the mistake of engaging in power struggles and reacting to challenging behavior but if you don’t know you are in the power struggle, what choice do you have? You do not need to engage in these power struggles, instead you can engage in communication that supports both your needs and learning in the classroom.

That’s why I’ve created this video mini-series on how to respond to challenging behaviors. With the right strategies and skills, students and adults can work together to create a calm classroom.

Check out this free mini-series (normally costs $49) at: https://www.kristybanks.com/calm

Now, it’s time for you to make some changes. Click on the link above and in less than 30 minutes you will have some easy take-aways to apply in your classroom tomorrow!

Thanks for reading!

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments on the videos!

I am excited to go on this journey with you to decrease challenging behaviors.