Thinking about our behaviorally challenged students….
Do you have a student who is having a difficult time settling into your classroom? Just for the morning, try treating the student as though s/he is your favorite student! Sounds strange, but just give it a try. Notice something the student does that is good, i.e. “I love how you walked back from the coat room this morning! Would you like to take the attendance to the office?” Try to smile at the student whenever you get a chance… perhaps a hand on the shoulder as well.
Other students will notice, and it can even affect how they view the student. As we all know, students pick up on our feelings about other students and often mimic those same feelings. Throughout the morning, try to catch the student being good, and give positive feedback. Of course, this may not always work, but it’s certainly worth a try…
Here is a great website by Jim Grant who was one of the pioneers in developmentally appropriate education. Among many other things, he has a tool to create great behavior charts. The FREE website is called Intervention Central. Below are some screen captures from the site. Its major focus is RTI (Response to Intervention).
