Behavior

One of the most talked about aspects of education is the "B" word...Behavior!  This word elicits different feelings for each teacher depending on his/her past experiences within the classroom.  I'm here to tell you that there is one key to any behavioral plan, program, or organization.  Do you know what it is?   C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-C-Y!

Yep, I know, I know.  You wanted something more, but honestly, it's being consistent in the classroom.  I'm sure you've all read up on different approaches to behavioral management.  Each program or plan will have a different approach, but each one will also tell you to be consistent.  You might even hear the words "with fidelity".  That's because students need to know what to expect, how you will react (still love them), and know that no matter what you will still be there for them.  In a child's mind, if you are wishy-washy each day, they don't know what to expect or how you will react.

There is no doubt at all that community building, kindness, empathy, and caring are the four components to any behavioral program.  We, as educational leaders, are the models by which these characteristics are taught.  Each day, we must be consistent with our kindness, empathy, and care to be able to build a classroom community.

Don't just take it from me, listen to these experts:

"The most successful classes are those where the teacher has a clear idea of what is expected from the students and the students know what the teacher expects from them."  - Harry Wong

"How we teach is as important as what we teach." - Responsive Classroom

"Your goal is to achieve consistency by basing each of your decisions on this same set of values or principles." - Love and Logic

"Classroom management decisions are based on classroom behavioral data & effective instructional strategies implemented with fidelity." - PBIS Classroom

"Our character is basically a composite of our habits.  Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character." - Stephen Covey

"Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity." - Bruce Lee ☺


Okay, okay, but what do you do for behavioral disruptions?  Well, we all know that for a student to learn, the student needs to be in the classroom with you.  That being said, make those kids want to be in the classroom!  Here are my key points for making that happen:

• Show an interest in them.  What are their hobbies...their favorites?  What's the family life like?
• Find the motivation.  What motivates this student to learn?  What is his/her passion?
• Ask questions.  How are things going?  How did that last baseball game go?  How is the pet doing?  
• Trust.  Show the students they can trust you.  Be there for them!  
• Get down.  Get down on their level - eye to eye when you speak with them.  Give them eye contact when they speak to you.  I've all to often seen teachers that multi-task when a student is speaking with him/her.  Would you like that?  If you were speaking to your admin team and all the while he/she was checking email, cutting out work, or writing...wouldn't that make you feel less important?  Give that eye contact to your kids, too!

**As a 'thank you' for actually reading all of this, I'm going to share with you my favorite site for creating personalized behavioral contracts!  Click here.