Behavior Crisis Management Tool #15

Find alternate methods to spot-light positive behaviors or skills

Purpose

The purpose of this tool is to systematically focus on a student’s positive qualities.

Examples

Mr. Carson is angry at Carlos for making jokes during class which the class always finds funny. Mrs. Benson constantly has to tell Michael to stop drawing in his notebook during lessons. Mrs. Valdez has to refocus Janice back to the lesson because she is constantly writing stories or poems. Mr. Stanos finds it very hard to deal with Manuel’s funny impressions of people at the wrong time.

What May Not Work

All of these students are exhibiting positive qualities that define them in some way but at the wrong time. If someone were someone shows you beautiful photographs they have taken but does it during your wedding ceremony your focus is on the inappropriateness not the beauty. This also may happen in classrooms where students with special needs may not always act appropriately and many times positive aspects of their lives will be lost because of the poor timing of the act. Every student, has positive qualities and strengths that we must always look out for as teachers. While some students make it difficult to see the positive because of the sheer frequency of inappropriate actions and behaviors, those positive traits are there none-the-less. If we miss them, we miss an extraordinary opportunity to help build a child’s self worth. Finding a positive skill or quality that a child can use to form a more positive identity is crucial.

Try This

What you will need to do from the very first day is interview the students or hand out questionnaires that can detect skills that they find interesting or qualities that they possess that will add to a feeling of self worth or fulfillment. You will also need to find alternate ways of allowing these children to express their skills. You may want to hold a magic, talent and comedy session at the end of the school day for anyone who wishes to show off some talents. You may have poetry, photography, writing or drawing contests once a month to bring out the talents of others. Trying to squelch talent and positive skills will only frustrate the child more. Being in control of finding positive outlets will provide both you and the students with a positive feeling of validation.

Next Part – Step IV in the Building Self Confidence in the Classroom Series will be: