Does the student engage in behaviours*:
- That disrupt their own or peers’ learning?
- That are internalised (e.g., shutdown or withdrawal, low-level self-injury, or physical and verbal agitation)?
- That are aggressive either verbally and/or physically?
- That result in them leaving the classroom without permission?
If you answered no to all of the above questions, then Return to the Key Issues.
If you answered yes to any of the above, take a look at the Proactive Strategies below.
*Note
Please note there are some behaviours that are outside the scope of this tool for which you will need to seek support and guidance from the relevant staff member (e.g., learning support team, guidance counsellor, Assistant Principal – Learning Support) within your school to engage in collaborative problem solving and access internal and external supports as appropriate. These include behaviours that are unsafe or cause serious harm to themselves and/or others, for example, serious self-injurious behaviours, sustained ongoing bullying, serious aggression including using objects as weapons, or leaving school grounds. In addition, students may also have mental health issues that will need to be assessed and addressed with internal [school counsellor] and external support.
Proactive Strategies
Proactive strategies
and simple considerations should be checked before moving forward. Please check the following proactive strategies have been implemented in your classroom and, if not, give them a try:
- Reflect on your classroom’s social and emotional climate. Do you have positive relationships with all students? Do your students feel valued and supported and know that they can achieve academically and behaviourally?
- Ensure you have established and taught a system of rules and routines to communicate classroom expectations and provide structure and guidance about what is expected.
- Ensure that you regularly explicitly teach and consistently model expected behaviours so that your students know how to act in your classroom.
- Check if you are providing positive, constructive and specific feedback regarding behaviours so that students know when they are demonstrating what’s expected.
- Are reprimands delivered calmly, sparing and privately? When they are used, is the expected behaviour clearly specified.
- Check if you have considered triggers/precursors for the behaviour that can be addressed to stop it escalating.
- Check if all students have the knowledge and skills required to participate in the learning activities.
- Ensure you are proactively differentiating tasks and providing adjustments to those who may otherwise disengage from learning and/or leave the class or become disruptive or aggressive.
- Ensure you are actively supervising students to keep them on task and proactively offering support to those who may otherwise disengage or become disruptive.
- Ensure that you are responding to students who disengage and/or are disruptive in a calm and consistent manner that supports reengagement.
Please take the time to consider:
- That the student’s behaviour may be impacted by factors such as hunger, lack of sleep, change in medication, pain or discomfort, interactions with others, change in routine at home etc. If you believe that these factors may be impacting your student’s behaviour, seek support and guidance from the relevant staff member
(e.g., learning support team, guidance counsellor, Assistant Principal – Learning Support)
within your school to engage in collaborative problem solving with the family where appropriate.