Understanding Student Behavior

Understanding Student BehaviorUnderstanding students' behavior, and misbehavior, is often a challenge even for the most experienced teachers.Why does Alan seek to disrupt the class by talking while the instructor is lecturing?Why does Betty become helpless in the face of a two-page written assignment?Why does Carl answer her teacher with such smoldering disrespect?Why does Danielle spend all of her time Instant Messaging in class?

Understanding Student BehaviorThe answers to these questions will give us important information about how we can best influence students to give up such misbehavior and Instead look for cooperative, responsible ways to achieve their goals

Understanding Behavior: Purpose Not CauseTo understand another person's behavior, it does little good to look back and try to figure out what caused itHuman beings have free willWe choose how to behave based on our experience, values and goals for the future

Understanding Behavior: Purpose Not CauseSo to understand why people, including students, behave the way they do, we always want to ask ourselves, "What is their goal? What payoff is their behavior aimed at getting?"

Understanding Behavior: Purpose Not CauseFor example, Why does Danielle spend all of her time Instant Messaging in class?What was her purpose or goal? Does her behavior get her the payoff she wants? To answer these questions, we want to look four basic goals of all student's behavior, Then see which one Danielle might achieve through her behavior.

Four Goals of Student Behavior(Handout)

Four Goals of Student BehaviorBuilding on the foundation laid by Rudolf Dreikurs and expanded on by Michael PopkinTodays presentation suggests that there are four goals basic to human survival and the ability to thrive. These same four goals also govern behavior:ContactPowerProtectionWithdrawal

ContactThe basic need of every human being is to belongA baby could not survive without others to depend uponNeither could the human species have survived throughout history without belonging to various groups:families, communities, cities, states and nations, etc.

ContactOut of this desire to belong, each of us develops the goal of making contactphysical or emotionalwith other human beingsThe group setting and activities found in a classroom provide a student many opportunities to make contact and develop a sense of belonging Student organizations, residence halls, athletics, religious organizations and other institutions offer additional opportunities

PowerEach one of us wants to influence our environment and gain at least a measure of control over itWe would like for things to go our way; we want the power to make that happen. It is through learning that we become able to do this

ProtectionWe must be able to protect ourselvesOur instinct to repel attackswhether physical or psychologicalhas led to the development of elaborate systems of justice and defense.

WithdrawalTime-outs are essential and refreshing in any sport or group activityJust as a student seeks contact, at other times he needs to withdraw, regroup, centerAlso, withdrawing is a kind of counter-balancing act to the goal of contact

Positive and Negative Approaches to theFour Goals

Positive and Negative Approaches to the Four GoalsThere are no good or bad studentsInstead, students choose to pursue the four basic goals in either positive or negative wayStudents with high self-esteem and courage will generally choose the positive approaches Those with low self-esteem who are discouraged will more likely choose the negative approaches

Positive ApproachContribution

Independence

Assertiveness; Forgiveness

CenteringNegative ApproachUndue attention-seekingRebellion

Revenge

AvoidanceStudent's GoalContact

Power

Protection

Withdrawal

How to Determine a Student's GoalBecause we do not usually know the goals behind a student's misbehavior, we often take an action that makes the problem worse. Our discipline actually gives the student a payoff in terms of achieving her basic goal.And if negative behavior works, why not continue to use it? It's usually the easier approach.

How to Determine a Student's GoalThe first step, then, is to determine what the student really wants. Once we know the goal, we can help the student choose the positive approach to getting itBecause much of the student's misbehavior is aimed at us, becoming aware of our own feelings during a conflict can be a powerful clue to the student's goals

How to Determine a Student's GoalSecond, the student's response to our attempts at correcting the misbehaviorHow does a student behave after we have made an effort to correct the misbehavior?

Four Negative Approaches

Undue Attention-SeekingThe student who seeks contact through undue attention-seeking probably has the mistaken belief that they must be the center of attention in order to belongOlder students prefer the attention of peersThey may become class clowns or the ones who are constantly in troubleanything to stay in the limelight

Undue Attention-SeekingSo the student finds ways to keep people busyThe student may act forgetful, helpless or lazy, putting the teacher in his service with reminders and coaxing Or the student may get attention by clowning, asking constant questions, pestering or making a nuisanceTeachers typically feel annoyed or irritated with such behaviorWhen we correct the student, they will usually stop the misbehavior Our correction has given the contact the student seeksHowever, the student will usually want more contact soon and resume the misbehavior.

Undue Attention-SeekingHow teachers pay off the negative approach of undue attention seeking:We tend to remind, nag, coax, complain, give mini-lectures, scold and otherwise stay in contact with the student. This attention tends to reinforce the student's mistaken approach to achieving contact.

Undue Attention-Seeking: What can teachers do differently?Do the unexpectedWe want to act more and talk lessEither a brief confrontation through an I message or a logical consequenceWe also want to actively encourage the student toward the positive approachWe want to help the student achieve the recognition and contact they want by finding meaningful ways for the student to contribute to the group While ignoring some of the unproductive attention-getting behaviors

RebellionRebellion is the most common and creates the most distress in schools. The student's mistaken belief with this approach is that the only way to achieve power is to control others, or at least show others she can't be controlled by themThis behavior can be very frustrating, and what clues us into the fact that we are engaged in a power struggle is our own angerIf we express this anger to the student and join the power struggle, the student's usual response is to intensify the struggle, an increase the misbehavior. If the student does back down during such a confrontation, it is only to fight again another day

Rebellion: How Teachers Pay Off The Negative ApproachThere are two ways to lose a power struggle: Fighting and giving inWhen we get angry and engage in a verbal fight, we are in effect saying to the student, "Look how powerful you are; you have made me angry and pulled me down to your level." When we give in to a rebelling student's unreasonable demands, we give the message, "Look how powerful your rebellion is; it has gotten you your way." In either case, the student's rebellious approach to power has been paid off and will likely continue.

What Can Teachers Do Differently?We can give a choice We can let the student make some mistakes and then experience the consequences . . . without our lecturing or humiliatingWe can use communication skills and methods of encouragement to begin winning a more cooperative relationshipAnd, most important, we can show the student we are not interested in fightingInstead, we will work together to find solutions, and when discipline is necessary, we will use methods like logical consequences rather than anger and punishment.

What Can Teachers Do Differently?We can refuse to give in to the student's unreasonable demands. We can set firm limits, negotiate within those limits We can refuse to be intimidated by the displays of anger and enforce the consequences of breaking the limits We can let our students know that while we believe they should be treated respectfully, we expect to be treated respectfully as well.

RevengeAn increase in the power struggle usually leads to the negative approach of revenge, especially if the student feels that the teacher has "won too many battles" or has hurt the student in the process. The student decides that the best form of protection is to hurt back. The teacher's typical feeling is hurt, and because we can feel when students hurt us we should punish them more, and escalating revenge cycle begins

Revenge: How Teachers Pay Off The Negative ApproachWhen students seek to protect themselves by getting revenge, they are usually feeling very discouraged When we retaliate with punishment we discourage them further and confirm their belief that they have a right to hurt us back. The more we hurt them, the more they want to hurt us back.

Revenge: How Teachers Pay Off The Negative ApproachIt will help us to remember that no student is born "bad" or "mean." For students to act this way, they have to be hurting inside. The first step, then, is to do what we can to stop whatever is hurting the studentIf it is our behavior, we can take a new approach. If someone else is hurting her, we can support the student in handling it herself or take more direct action when appropriate

Avoidance Students who become extremely discouraged may give up trying. Their belief becomes "I can't succeed so I'll avoid trying; then I can't fail."They develop an apathy and lack of motivation that often leaves teachers feeling helpless. Such students may be absent from class, fail to do assignments and avoid peers. For too many tobacco, alcohol and other drugs may become a way for them to avoid the challenges life poses and find temporary relief from their own discouragement.

Avoidance: How Teachers Pay OffThe Negative ApproachOur perfectionism may assist the student's long, slow slide into avoidance. When we focus excessively on mistakes, When nothing ever seems to be good enough for us, When all we talk about is their great "potential," the student may give up trying altogether

Avoidance: How Teachers Pay OffThe Negative ApproachOnce a student has chosen avoidance, we often make the mistake of giving up on themWe can write them off as losers and stop making an effort to helpOr we raise our voice, humiliate and punish. Either way, we send the message "You're not good enough for us." This confirms the student's own evaluation of himself and so justifies his avoidance.

Avoidance: What Can Teachers Do Differently?Communicate to the student that whether she succeeds or fails, our caring for her is unconditionalWe will need to practice patience and give a lot of encouragementWe can help the student find tasks they can perform successfully, so they can begin to break the misconception of themselves as a loser We can help them to see that mistakes are for learning, and failure is just a lesson on the road to success.

Negative Approaches: What Can We Do Differently?With persistent problems related to any of the four goals, all are encouraged to consider the team approachInvolving not only the student, but possibly the Student Success Center, Tutors, and other resources.

The Teacher-Student Cycle

The Teacher-Student CycleMany people act as if other people control their feelingsYou make me angry.You make me so happy.

The Teacher-Student CycleAlthough other people do influence or trigger our feelings, The cause of our feelings are our own beliefs, attitudes and values or what we think:

The Teacher-Student CycleWe can influence others through our behavior and they can influence us through theirs The choice, however, is always with usEvents that happen do not define us. How we decide to respond to these events do.

The Teacher-Student CycleExample: "You're really making me angry" an instructor says to a student whose mistaken approach to power is rebellion"Look how powerful your rebellion is; it has made me lose my temper." This actually reinforces the student's mistaken belief, and he rebels even more.Alternative Example: Accepting that "I have a choice: I can either get angry or I can take some other action" puts you in control of yourselfWhen you "push your own buttons" instead of giving away that power, many alternatives become available.

The Teacher-Student CycleWe can see how what a student might "do" can influence what his teacher thinks. The teacher's thinking then influences his feeling, which influences what he chooses to do. What the teacher does then influences what the student thinks, feels and doesStudentTeacher

How to Approach Negative Behavior

Who Owns The Problem?

When the Teacher Owns the Problem

When the Teacher Owns the Problem: Logical Consequences GuidelinesGive person a choiceEither/or choiceWhen/then choiceMake sure the consequence is logicalAsk person to helpGive choices you can live withKeep your tone firm and friendly

When the Teacher Owns the Problem: Logical Consequences GuidelinesGive choice once, then actExpect testingAllow person to try again later

When the Student Owns the Problem

Situations when not to use Natural ConsequencesWhen the situation is too dangerousWhen the consequences are too distantWhen no natural consequences are likely to occur

I MessagesA term coined Thomas Gordon in his Parent Effectiveness Training (PE.T) programThey are firm and calm communications that can produce surprisingly effective results.They are called "I" messages because they shift the emphasis from the student (a traditional "you" message) to how the teacher ("I") feels about the student's behavior.

I Message AdvantagesThey allow the teacher to say how she feels about the student's behavior without blaming or labeling the student.They create a situation in which the student is more likely to hear is was leading a what the teacher is saying because it is expressed in a non-threatening wayThey convey clearly to the student one consequence (the teacher feeling) of the student's behaviorThey put the emphasis on the student's behavior and not on the student's personalityThey give the student clear information about what change in behavior the teacher wants

How to Send an "I" MessageName the behavior or situation you want changed."I have a problem with your Instant Messaging and surfing the Internet during class."Say how you feel about the situation"I feel irritated and disrespected. . ."

How to Send an "I" MessageState your reason.. . because it distracts other students from my lecture and also shows my class is less of a priority.Say what you want done."I would like you to stop Instant Messaging and surfing the Internet during class."

I MessageI have a problem with your Instant Messaging and surfing the Internet during class. I feel irritated and disrespected because it distracts other students from my lecture and also shows my class is less of a priority. I would like you to stop Instant Messaging and surfing the Internet during class.

Purpose of TeachingPrepare students to survive and thrivein the kind of society in which they live.

Purpose of TeachingAlthough the subject matter taught is certainly an important part of any purpose, teachers go beyond subject matter. We teach to the students attitude, as well as aptitude; They listen to the student's heart, as well as her words. They help foster the qualities of character and self-worth that enable students to make real contributions to their communities and their world.

Active teachers go beyond subject matter"Enhancing discipline, self-esteem and student performance" speaks to a larger purpose of teaching than simple classroom management. The goal is not merely to manage students so that we can cover the material. Instead our goal is to enhance students so that they develop the attitudes, skills and personal qualities that will enable them to survive and thrive in a democratic society. Then they will have something to contribute back to that society.

What Do We Want for Our Students?What does it take for a student to thrive?What qualities are important for surviving and thriving in a democratic society? Four qualities are essential:ResponsibilityCooperationCourageSelf-Esteem