My Go-To Behavior Interventions

Challenging behaviors create chaos within classrooms everywhere.  So, I have a few Go-To Interventions that are tried and true for any age!  Many of the resources appear to be more for early childhood, but there are many variations to utilize each intervention at all grade levels.

1. Schedule(s)- Simply interacting regularly with your posted classroom schedule reduces stress and anxiety created from not knowing what comes next and when the day is over. Visual schedules work best.  Clip art, symbol software, photographs, or line drawings can be used. For more intense behaviors, a PERSONAL visual schedule can be added. 
2. Timer(s)- Setting a timer for, a kitchen timer will work, but a visual timer helps with understanding elapsed time. Some examples are Time-Timer©, sand timer, goo timer, On Task On Time© timer.  The hardest timer to understand is a digital timer.  www.online-stopwatch.com has several great online visual timers that work well with interactive whiteboards.  My favorite is the Clock Countdown.  
3. First/Then Board- A First/Then Board is a simple T-chart that has "First" on the left, and "Then" on the right.  It teaches immediate compliance for getting a Teacher directed task completed. First work:  What task(s) do you want completed?  How much of that task is reasonable, i.e. 2 out of 10. Then play: Allow the student to choose what they are working for and put that or a representation of that in the "Then" column.  You can set the timer to limit the "play" time.  Be sure the "play" is worth working for.  If the First is too hard and the Then is not enough, this strategy will fail.  
4. Safe Place©- Dr. Becky Bailey, author of Conscious Discipline, describes the development, implementation, and student instruction surrounding a Safe Place in your classroom.  The Safe Place allows the student a location in your room to decompress, calm down, and return to rational behavior.  If implemented and taught correctly, students can learn to self-regulate and return to class quickly and independently.  This strategy can be highly effective.  Check it out on YouTube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUMc3fWgLEk 

A note about visuals.  The brain processes visuals before print, especially in crisis.  Think about shopping for your personal care products.  Do you look for the color & shape of the bottle and logo or do you read the print?  And what happens when they change the bottle?


So the next time you have challenging behaviors in your class, try one or more of these and see what happens!  Let me know!  If you have questions, or need more, drop me a line. I'm happy to help!