Defiant and Challenging Behaviors:
Use strategies to manage students who exhibit defiant or challenging behaviors.
• Develop a plan to prevent triggers that lead to misbehavior
• Increase positive reinforcement and feedback
• Have planned response to avoid an emotional reaction
• Avoid immediate responses when in an emotional state
• Recognize improvements in behavior with praise and encouragement
• Encourage defiant students to keep a daily log of successes and accomplishments to track improvement
• Teach students to take responsibility for their behaviors
• Model a firm, fair and consistent approach when dealing with difficult behaviors
• Refrain from engaging in an argument or power struggle
• Refuse to threaten or plead with students
• Teach students an alternative to aggression (e.g., Stop and Think, etc…)
• Acknowledge students’ feelings when upset
• Use diffusing statements (e.g., “I can see you are angry. I need you to use your words to solve the problem.” “Throwing
books won’t make the problem go away. It only makes it worse.” “Rest for a few minutes and then we will talk.”
• Avoid taking behaviors and comments personally
• Use what questions and avoid why questions (e.g., “What were you doing?” “What should you have done?” “What will
you do differently next time?”)
• Use a calm manner and positive body language
• Keep a sense of humor
• Hold private conversations away from others
• Eliminate nagging, fussing, demands and threats from conversation
• Avoid judgmental comments
• Follow a structure process when investigating a situation: actively listen, ask open and clarifying questions and restate
what was said
• Involve support personnel if needed
• Determine the root cause of the problem (e.g., hunger, illness, family, academic difficulties)
• Share literature that provides positive examples of appropriate behavior or character (e.g., books about bullying, books
about honesty, character training videos)
• Involve the student in developing a behavior plan that is meaningful and motivating to the student
• Build strong home and school relationships
• Offer choices (e.g., “You have a choice. You may _____ or _____.”)
• Teach students a problem‐solving approach to use when confronted with a conflict
• Design activities to help students feel an integral part of the classroom and campus
• Develop a plan to prevent triggers that lead to misbehavior
• Increase positive reinforcement and feedback
• Have planned response to avoid an emotional reaction
• Avoid immediate responses when in an emotional state
• Recognize improvements in behavior with praise and encouragement
• Encourage defiant students to keep a daily log of successes and accomplishments to track improvement
• Teach students to take responsibility for their behaviors
• Model a firm, fair and consistent approach when dealing with difficult behaviors
• Refrain from engaging in an argument or power struggle
• Refuse to threaten or plead with students
• Teach students an alternative to aggression (e.g., Stop and Think, etc…)
• Acknowledge students’ feelings when upset
• Use diffusing statements (e.g., “I can see you are angry. I need you to use your words to solve the problem.” “Throwing
books won’t make the problem go away. It only makes it worse.” “Rest for a few minutes and then we will talk.”
• Avoid taking behaviors and comments personally
• Use what questions and avoid why questions (e.g., “What were you doing?” “What should you have done?” “What will
you do differently next time?”)
• Use a calm manner and positive body language
• Keep a sense of humor
• Hold private conversations away from others
• Eliminate nagging, fussing, demands and threats from conversation
• Avoid judgmental comments
• Follow a structure process when investigating a situation: actively listen, ask open and clarifying questions and restate
what was said
• Involve support personnel if needed
• Determine the root cause of the problem (e.g., hunger, illness, family, academic difficulties)
• Share literature that provides positive examples of appropriate behavior or character (e.g., books about bullying, books
about honesty, character training videos)
• Involve the student in developing a behavior plan that is meaningful and motivating to the student
• Build strong home and school relationships
• Offer choices (e.g., “You have a choice. You may _____ or _____.”)
• Teach students a problem‐solving approach to use when confronted with a conflict
• Design activities to help students feel an integral part of the classroom and campus