Psycho-Educational Principles Therapeutic Teachers Use to Reduce Habitually Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom

Psycho-educational or therapeutic teachers believe that behavioral change is primarily a teaching and learning process. To be effective and long-term, behavior change strategies must include cognitive (thinking), affective (feelings), and behavioral aspects. We also believe that we all have a choice of behavioral change, and that all students, including students that exhibit habitually disruptive behaviors in the classroom, can learn new and more positive ways of behaving. In the psycho-educational classroom, educating disruptive children about the motivation behind their behavior plays a vital role. Once children understand that they choose their behavior, they also understand that they can change their behavior. Psycho-educational teachers believe that strengthening children’s coping and social problem solving skills is therapeutic. The psycho-educational or therapeutic model is one of social problem solving and socio-emotional growth rather than disciplining and punishment.  

When teachers consistently and systematically follow psycho-educational principles, they can influence the direction of any exchange with a student to move the child away from confrontation and disruptive behaviors and towards restoring a climate of learning in the classroom. The teacher-student relationship is the glue that binds the behavior management interventions to successful outcomes. Simply put, teachers’ interactions with students are our most powerful behavior change tool. Through rapport, benign confrontation, optimistic messages and high expectations, psycho-educational teachers defuse disruptive behaviors, generating positive behavioral responses in students.  

Psycho-Educational Principles 

One size does not fit all. The process of behavioral change must respond to the unique socio-emotional needs of the disruptive student.

Relationships with students are dependent on language. For therapeutic and growth promoting relationships, we need to use positive language. 

Positive messages and high expectations generate positive emotional and behavioral responses. Critical and negative messages generate negative behavioral responses. 

By changing our messages and vocabulary from critical to supportive and positive, we shape children’s behavior and get better class control. 

We can reduce disruptive behaviors by communicating positive expectations. What we expect influences what we get. 

Approaching classroom situations differently can change students’ behavior and the classroom atmosphere. 

Responding differently to disruptive behaviors in the classroom empowers the teacher. Our greatest power is the power to choose how we are going to react to our students’ disruptive behaviors. We can treat difficult and disruptive behaviors as a challenge or as a threat. 

Psycho-educational teachers see students’ disruptive behaviors as an opportunity to help children develop more productive and effective ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. 

The disruptive student does his behavior, but he is not his behavior. Disruptive behaviors are dysfunctional behaviors, not a fixed personality characteristic. In other words, the behavior is the problem; the child is not the problem. 

Disruptive behaviors are actions capable of change. 

Positive and therapeutic relationships with adults shape social roles, problem solving skills, and decision-making.

Some rapport with children arises naturally, some we have to create. 

Teachers can enhance children’s socio-emotional growth. Students that exhibit disruptive behaviors can grow socio-emotionally and can improve themselves. 

We can teach self-control and self-management of behavior. In the psycho-educational classroom, the long-term goal of discipline is to develop self-awareness, self-direction, and self-control. 

Students engage in fewer disruptive behaviors when they believe that they have the skills to control (self-manage) their behavior.Students are empowered in behavioral change and self-control when they believe that their effort makes a difference. 

Self-management of behavior stems from the child’s personal understanding and decision-making skills, rather than founded in external controls and reinforcement. 

Students have the resources they need to improve their behaviors. The psycho-educational teacher’s role is to notice those resources and to ally with the child in the process of behavioral change. 

Deepa Singh
Business Developer
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Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com