Behavior Management & Supports

Let’s be real. Student behavior is often the biggest barrier to inclusion. It is also consistently listed as one of the top reasons that teachers feel emotionally exhausted and burn out. It also is an area where students with disabilities too often get the raw end of the stick. Despite federal protections, they are the most likely to be suspended, disciplined, and expelled. 

Like all students, what students with behavioral challenges need is a supportive environment, nurturing relationships, positive reinforcement, clear expectations– and instruction and support in the areas where they have deficits. 

All of that is easier said than done. That’s where the pages in this section come in– we have break downs on students’ rights for assessment, BSPs, and manifest determinations. We also have 10 tips for inclusive behavior management. And, don’t forget, we also have socioemotional IEP goals up on the website and in the store!

None of these are TED talk style solutions. Unfortunately, this stuff is really, really hard and the complex needs of students today makes it even harder. But the goal is to make the hard stuff just a bit easier and to give a few ideas that maybe you hadn’t thought of yet. And, if you are dealing with challenging behaviors or care for a child who is being excluded due to them (or are a child being excluded), remember that above all, you matter too and this is hard. So cut yourself some slack and celebrate any wins, no matter how small, that come your way.