I Saw What You Did!
A teacher writes, “Marcus was disrespectful during class.” Is this accurate? Why or why not?
It is inaccurate. It is an interpretation or label, not a description of observable behavior.
Students enter class talking, wandering around, and waiting for the teacher to tell them what to do. What could the teacher put in place to make the start of class more productive?
A consistent entry routine that students know and can begin independently.
The teacher tells the class it is time to begin independent math. Marcus immediately throws his pencil on the floor. What happened right before Marcus threw his pencil?
The teacher told the class to begin independent math.
Every time difficult math work is assigned, Jordan asks to go to the bathroom and stays gone as long as possible. What is the most likely reason for the behavior?
To avoid or get away from the difficult work.
A student quietly tells you, “I’m getting really angry.” What should your first goal be?
Help the student calm down and prevent the situation from getting worse.
Instead of writing “Jada had a bad attitude,” the teacher writes, “Jada crossed her arms, turned away, and did not begin the assignment after two directions.” Is this accurate? Why or why not?
It is accurate. It describes specific behaviors that could actually be observed.
A teacher posts five classroom expectations on the first day of school and assumes students understand them. Problems continue even though the expectations are clearly displayed. What important step did the teacher miss?
Clearly teaching, modeling, practicing, and reinforcing the expectations.
The teacher tells Tia to close her Chromebook. Tia says, “No,” pushes it away, and puts her head on the desk. What is the behavior in this situation?
Tia said “No,” pushed the Chromebook away, and put her head on the desk.
During quiet work, Maya makes funny noises. Her classmates laugh, and she continues making the noises. What is the most likely reason the behavior continues?
She is getting attention from her classmates.
A student raises his voice when corrected. The teacher raises her voice even louder to show that she is in charge. What would have been a better response?
Stay calm, lower the intensity of the interaction, and give the student a chance to respond without creating a power struggle.
During independent work, Malik gets out of his seat three times. The teacher records only, “Malik left his seat three times.” Why might this still be insufficient information for making a behavior-management decision?
The teacher needs context—when the behavior occurred, what was happening before it, what Malik did while out of his seat, and what happened afterward. Frequency alone does not explain the pattern.
During a 30-minute teacher-led lesson, students begin talking, checking phones, and distracting one another. The teacher responds by assigning consequences. What should the teacher examine before concluding that this is simply a discipline problem?
The lesson structure and level of student engagement, including opportunities to participate and respond.
Devon is working on a difficult writing assignment. He begins joking loudly. Several students laugh, and the teacher sends him into the hallway. What happened after Devon began joking?
His classmates laughed, and the teacher sent him into the hallway.
Andre repeatedly grabs the classroom tablet from other students. Once he gets the tablet, the behavior stops. What does this pattern suggest?
He may be using the behavior to get something he wants—the tablet.
Two students have an argument that disrupts class. Once everyone is calm, you want them to understand what happened and repair the harm caused. What type of response would be appropriate?
A restorative response that allows the students to discuss what happened, who was affected, and how the situation can be repaired.
A teacher notices that Ava rarely participates, avoids eye contact, and speaks very quietly. The teacher concludes that Ava is “disengaged and uninterested in learning.” What is the professional concern with using these observations to reach that conclusion?
The behaviors are observable, but the conclusion is still an assumption. The behaviors could have several explanations, so the teacher needs additional information before deciding what they mean or how to respond.
During independent work, several students constantly approach the teacher for help, while others begin talking and wandering around the room. What proactive changes could address the problem?
Establish a procedure for requesting help and a routine for what students should do while waiting for assistance.
Every time Kayla is asked to read aloud, she makes a joke. Her classmates laugh, and the teacher usually calls on someone else. Looking at what happens before and after the behavior, what should the teacher notice?
Kayla gets attention from her classmates and gets out of reading aloud. Both may be connected to why the behavior continues.
Lena repeatedly taps her pencil, rocks in her chair, and hums quietly, even when no one responds to her. She also does it when working alone. What might this tell the teacher about the behavior?
The behavior may meet a sensory or personal need rather than getting something from another person.
A student refuses to follow a direction and says, “You can’t make me.” The student is upset but is not threatening anyone or creating an immediate safety concern. What should the teacher avoid, and what should the teacher do instead?
Avoid turning it into a confrontation or using an unnecessarily restrictive response. Stay calm, give the student space or choices, and use de-escalation strategies.
Three students refuse to begin an assignment. One says, “This is too hard.” Another closes the Chromebook and starts talking to classmates. The third sits quietly without beginning. A teacher records all three as “work refusal.” What is the problem with treating these students as having the same behavior-management issue?
The same general outcome does not mean the students are behaving for the same reason. The teacher should examine each student’s observable behavior and the surrounding circumstances before deciding on an intervention.
A class behaves well during teacher-led instruction but consistently becomes disruptive during group work. The teacher has already reviewed the classroom rules several times. Why might reviewing the rules again not solve the problem, and what should the teacher examine instead?
The problem may be the structure of group work. Examine grouping, student roles, directions, materials, movement, accountability, and expectations specific to collaborative work.
During independent work, Jamal crumples his paper and says, “I’m not doing this.” Each time this happens, the teacher sends him to a quiet area without the assignment. The behavior continues throughout the week. What might the teacher’s response be doing without realizing it?
It may be encouraging the behavior to continue because Jamal gets out of doing the assignment when he responds this way.
Carlos regularly shouts during difficult assignments. Sometimes classmates laugh. Other times, the teacher removes the assignment and sends him to another area. Why shouldn’t the teacher immediately decide that Carlos is shouting “for attention”?
Because the behavior may be serving more than one purpose. The teacher needs to look at the pattern over time to determine whether Carlos is seeking attention, avoiding difficult work, or both.
A student regularly refuses independent work, argues when redirected, and is then removed from class. The same pattern keeps happening. Before deciding on a stronger consequence, what should the teacher do?
Look at the full pattern—when the behavior happens, what may be triggering it, what the student gets or avoids afterward, and whether the current teacher response may be helping the behavior continue.