Top 3 Mistakes You’re Probably Making with Challenging Behavior

Ever feel like you’re giving it your all but still not seeing improvements in challenging behavior in your classroom? 

You may already have the “right” teaching strategies, a well-structured curriculum, and a supportive environment. But the challenging behavior is still popping up so you feel stuck.

Or, you may have initially achieved a positive classroom dynamic but your classroom management has plateaued since then. 

The truth is, addressing challenging behavior isn’t easy.  There are a lot of moving parts and it’s easy to make mistakes, especially when juggling all your other teaching responsibilities. 

I’ve helped dozens of teachers better manage challenging behavior, and in the process have had the opportunity to peek under the hood of their classroom management.  And in the process, I’ve seen some common mistakes crop up again and again.

I’ve even mishandled my own pet peeve behavior – tattling. I had first graders consistently approaching me with complaints about their classmates.  In my attempt to address the issues quickly and maintain order, I didn’t fully investigate the issues and dismissed their concerns. 

This led to those students feeling discouraged and ignored. I inadvertently discouraged communication and failed to use this as a teaching opportunity to discuss tattling to get someone in trouble vs. reporting a problem to get help. 

In this post, I’m sharing 3 of the biggest challenging behavior mistakes most teachers make. My hope is that these will help you avoid weeks of trial and error, so you can fast-track your classroom management growth.

Mistake 1: Ignoring Root Causes of Challenging Behavior

This is an easy mistake to make, especially when you have a demanding classroom with lots of competing priorities and disruptions.

The demands of classroom management can be overwhelming, and you may find yourself prioritizing immediate responses to challenging behavior rather than investing time and resources in understanding the root causes.

People often make the mistake of ignoring root causes for a variety of reasons. Limited time, pressure to cover a curriculum, and the urgency to maintain classroom order are common factors. 

You may feel compelled to address surface-level behaviors swiftly, overlooking the deeper issues contributing to the challenges. The complexity of classroom dynamics and the diversity of student needs can further exacerbate this oversight.

When I first started my teaching career, the sheer volume of tasks and responsibilities felt overwhelming. In an attempt to keep up with the demands, I occasionally neglected to examine the underlying causes leading to challenging behavior. I opted for quick fixes instead.

The problem with juggling too many things in the classroom is that you risk overlooking the underlying issues affecting student behavior. When we fail to address these root causes, we miss valuable opportunities to create a more effective and supportive learning environment.

How to solve it:

There are a few ways you can tackle this one:

• Prioritize root cause analysis. Set aside dedicated time each week to hypothesize about the root causes of challenging behavior you are seeing. Use data you have gathered to help you identify possible underlying factors.
• Implement behavior assessment tools. Use tools like the ABC method to systematically analyze challenging behaviors. You’ll examine the antecedent, behavior, and consequence to help you gather data and plan interventions.
• Collaborate with support services. Reach out to school supports such as counseling or special education teams. Share insights and tap into their expertise to better understand challenging behavior and tailored interventions.

Mistake 2: Inconsistent Discipline

Inconsistency in applying consequences for the same behavior is a common pitfall. 

Students thrive on predictability, and when consequences vary depending on the day or your mood, it creates confusion and undermines the effectiveness of your disciplinary system. 

The pressure of managing a classroom, addressing diverse student needs, and navigating administrative expectations can lead to lapses in your approach. You may also feel more frustrated on some days than others, where you may have let a behavior go before and now it is pushing you over the edge.

I’ve been inconsistent in following through on established consequences in my own teaching. For several days I tried ignoring challenging behavior and didn’t see any change. So then I stopped the lesson and yelled at the student out of frustration. 

Obviously, that didn’t help the issue either. 

Inconsistent discipline may also arise when you’re feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, such as lesson planning and grading. 

When we attempt to manage various aspects of the classroom simultaneously, something has to give way. And often that is the more time-intensive implementation of your disciplinary system.

Unfortunately, this undermines the establishment of a structured and predictable learning environment. Inconsistent consequences for the same behavior may confuse students, making it difficult for them to understand expectations and learn from their actions.

Ultimately, this lack of clarity can lead to a classroom atmosphere that is less conducive to learning and academic success.

How to solve it:

• Establish clear expectations. Clearly define and communicate behavioral expectations to students from the beginning of the school year. Create a set of rules and consequences that are consistently applied, ensuring that students understand the expectations and potential outcomes for their behavior.
• Implement a behavior management system. Use a system such as a token economy or point system to provide consistent and visible consequences for both desired and challenging behavior. This creates a structured framework that helps students understand the direct link between their actions and the resulting outcomes.
• Involve students in rule-setting. Engage students in the process of establishing classroom rules and expectations. When students have a role in creating the expectations, they are more likely to understand and adhere to them, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability for their behavior.
• Collaborate with others. Foster collaboration among teachers within the school to ensure a unified approach to discipline. Regular discussions and sharing of strategies can contribute to a more cohesive and consistent environment to address challenging behavior.

Related Post: Creating Clear Classroom Rules and Expectations

Mistake 3: Neglecting Positive Reinforcement

We all have the tendency to focus primarily on negative consequences for challenging behavior. However, neglecting positive reinforcement for desired behavior is a common error.

In the context of a busy classroom, where time and attention are often stretched, we may unintentionally shift our emphasis towards addressing challenging behavior, leaving positive reinforcement overlooked. 

The constant need to manage disruptions, meet curriculum requirements, and attend to student needs can lead teachers to focus more on correcting the obvious disruption of challenging behavior. 

Additionally, the misconception that positive reinforcement requires elaborate resources or excessive time may contribute to this.

 In classrooms where a handful of students are dominating teacher time and attention to manage their disruptive behavior, the rest of the students who are diligently working are often overlooked. Even when we notice the positive behavior and engagement of these students, if we don’t acknowledge and appreciate them, they feel like their effort is unnoticed.

This can shift the classroom atmosphere to one where all students feel less motivated, engaged, and enthusiastic about learning. Without acknowledging and reinforcing desired behavior, students may feel discouraged or unappreciated.

How to solve it:

Implement a positive reinforcement system.

The most effective solution is to establish and consistently implement a structured positive reinforcement system in the classroom. 

Create a system that rewards and acknowledges positive behaviors, achievements, and efforts. This can include verbal praise, tangible rewards, or a points-based system, tailored to the age group and preferences of the students. 

By consistently recognizing and reinforcing desired behaviors, you can create a more motivating and supportive learning environment.  And this benefits students further  by increasing engagement and creating a positive classroom atmosphere.

Here’s what I do:

1. Define Desired Behaviors: Clearly identify the positive behaviors and actions you want to encourage in the classroom, such as active participation, kindness, or completing assignments on time.
2. Communicate Expectations: Clearly communicate the expectations to your students, explaining the targeted behaviors and how they align with the positive reinforcement system.
3. Select Reinforcement Strategies: Choose appropriate reinforcement strategies, whether it’s verbal praise, a token system, a reward chart, etc., ensuring they are feasible and resonate with your students.
4. Introduce the System: Introduce the positive reinforcement system to your students, explaining how it works and the rewards or recognition associated with meeting or exceeding expectations.
5. Consistency is Key: Consistently apply the positive reinforcement system, ensuring that praise and rewards are promptly delivered when the targeted behaviors are observed.
6. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly monitor the effectiveness of the system, making adjustments as needed based on its impact on student behavior and engagement.
7. Involve Students in the Process: Involve your students in the reinforcement process by seeking their input on the types of rewards they find motivating, fostering a sense of ownership and participation.
8. Celebrate Success: Celebrate and highlight instances of positive behavior, whether through class-wide recognition, certificates, or other forms of acknowledgement.
9. Provide Frequent Feedback: Offer frequent feedback to students, reinforcing the connection between their actions and the positive outcomes they experience through the reinforcement system.
10. Adapt to Changing Needs: Be flexible and adapt the positive reinforcement system based on the evolving needs of your students and the dynamics of your classroom, ensuring continued effectiveness.

Wrapping it up

If you’ve been making these mistakes with challenging behavior, it’s not your fault. Blame the demanding nature of teaching and the common pressures you face.

Once you’re aware of them, you can start making the changes you need to create a more effective and supportive learning environment. 

In fact, by reading this post you’ve just taken a huge step toward doing that. High-five! 

If you want my help to dive deeper into understanding and responding to challenging behavior, I invite you to check out my free mini-training.

This training includes three videos and a behavior tracking tool to help you quickly assess a student’s challenging behavior and identify ways to address that behavior more effectively in your classroom.

Click the image below to access the ABC Method mini-video training now!