Powerful Ways to Get Ahead of Challenging Student Behavior Blog Series: Part 2
Is challenging student behavior running you ragged?
Well, you're not alone.
We're working with educators all over the country, and we're hearing many of the same frustrations.
Even in schools with phenomenal systems, some students just aren't tucked in yet.
We're still getting to know them.
We don't know what works for them . . . yet.
We don't know what helps them . . . yet.
And we don't always know what they're trying to communicate . . . yet.
But we can figure it out.
What's the Behavior Telling Us?
When a student repeatedly disrupts instruction, refuses to follow directions, or engages in behavior that leaves us scratching our heads (or pulling out our hair!), it's natural to focus on getting the behavior to stop.
Especially when we're trying to teach, support other students, and keep everyone safe.
But here's the thing.
If we want to change a behavior, we first need to understand why it's happening.
Behavior serves a purpose, even when students aren't consciously aware of what that purpose is.
And sometimes, the behavior that makes absolutely no sense to us makes perfect sense when we understand what the student is trying to accomplish.
That's why we need to look beyond what a student is doing and get curious about what their behavior might be communicating.
Four Reasons Behind the Behavior
In Reframing Classroom Management: A Toolkit for Educators, Learning for Justice introduces EATS, a framework that helps us consider four common functions, or purposes, of behavior.
E: Escape
Sometimes students engage in challenging behavior because they're trying to get away from something.
Maybe the work is too difficult.
Maybe they're embarrassed because they don't know the answer.
Maybe the noise in the classroom is overwhelming.
Years ago, Tiffany worked with a student who found incredibly creative (and disruptive!) ways to get kicked out of class during math.
It happened so frequently that the school counselor began saying to the office staff, "Oh, he's back in the office again. It must be math-thirty!"
While this was incredibly challenging for our staff, his strategies were remarkably effective.
They sure got him out of math class!
The question to ask: What might this student be trying to avoid or escape?
A: Attain Connection
In the original EATS framework, the A stands for Attention. But we've reframed it as Attain Connection.
Here's why.
We often hear these behaviors described as attention-seeking.
But think about the difference between attention-seeking and connection-seeking.
Attention-seeking sounds like a drain. Someone wants something from us. Again.
Connection-seeking is different. It's reciprocal.
Students want to be noticed, valued, and connected to the people around them.
Think about how differently we might see a student when we shift from "This student is attention-seeking" to "Wow! This kid thinks I'm cool! They want me to notice them and build a relationship with them!"
It's a small change in language that can make a big difference in how we think about, talk about, and interact with a student.
Of course, sometimes students are seeking connection with their peers.
And for some students, that need for connection is so strong that they'll do just about anything to get it.
Calling out, interrupting, or making jokes may be attempts to connect with someone.
When we recognize what they're seeking, we can help them find more effective ways to build those connections.
The question to ask: Who might this student be trying to connect with, and how could we help them find a more effective way?
T: Tangible Gain
Sometimes a student is trying to get something specific.
It might be an object, an activity, a preferred seat, additional time, or something else they really want.
Think about a student who refuses to put away a favorite activity when it's time to transition.
The behavior may be an attempt to gain more time doing something they enjoy.
The question to ask: What might this student be trying to get or keep?
S: Sensory Needs
Sometimes behavior is connected to what a student is experiencing through their senses.
A student might be overwhelmed by noise, lights, or physical contact.
Another might need movement or sensory input to help regulate their body.
Think about the student who continually gets out of their seat, taps their pencil like they're auditioning for a rock band, chews on their clothing, or constantly fidgets with something in their hands.
Rather than assuming they're deliberately being disruptive, we can consider whether they're trying to meet a sensory need.
The question to ask: What sensory input might this student be seeking or trying to avoid?
Same Behavior. Different Why.
Here's why all of this matters.
Imagine two students who refuse to begin an assignment.
One doesn't understand the work and is trying to escape the embarrassment of struggling.
The other is hoping to get the teacher to come over and spend some time with them.
Same behavior.
Two very different needs.
And if we respond to both students in exactly the same way, we might miss the opportunity to help either of them.
And here's where it gets tricky.
Sometimes a behavior looks like it's serving one function when it's actually serving another.
A student who repeatedly leaves class might be trying to escape something. Or they might be trying to connect with someone.
We can't always tell just by looking at the behavior.
The behavior tells us what's happening. Understanding the function helps us figure out why.
Have We Asked the Student?
We don't have to know immediately why a student is behaving a certain way.
In fact, assuming we already know can lead us down the wrong path.
Instead, we can get curious.
What happened right before the behavior?
What might the student be trying to get?
What might they be trying to avoid?
Could they be seeking connection?
Could a sensory need be contributing?
And perhaps most importantly, have we asked the student?
Sometimes a connected conversation can help us understand what's going on.
We might start with questions like:
Tell me a little about what happened.
What were you thinking about or feeling when it happened?
Tell me more about what is going on.
What were you hoping would happen?
That last question is especially powerful.
The answer might tell us something we never would have figured out on our own.
When we take time to ask questions, listen, and consider the possible function of a behavior, we begin to move away from guessing and toward understanding.
Of course, understanding the function doesn't mean we excuse harmful behavior or abandon expectations.
It means we have better information to help students meet those expectations.
A Little Help Figuring It Out
Our Connected Communicator Behavior Planning Guide includes the EATS framework and sentence stems to help educators have conversations with students about their behavior.
Have a student whose behavior has been particularly difficult to understand?
Use the EATS framework to consider what the behavior might be communicating, and the conversation stems to hear directly from the student.
You don't need to have all the answers.
The goal is to begin asking the right questions.
Download the Connected Communicator Behavior Planning Guide
Don't Guess. Get Curious.
When we're exhausted by challenging behavior, it's tempting to jump straight into finding a solution.
But if we don't understand why the behavior is happening, even our best strategies may miss the mark.
Getting curious about what's behind the behavior gives us a better place to start.
Next week,
we'll take this a step further and share a simple way to examine what's happening before, during, and after a behavior so we can begin identifying patterns.
Found this helpful? Know someone else who might? We'd love for you to pass it along! And if you're not already subscribed, [join our mailing list] for more practical strategies and resources.
Want to go deeper?
We recently hosted our training Escape the Behavior Trap, where we break down why traditional responses don’t work - and what to do instead.
