A question to consider
When a student’s behavior pushes your buttons, what helps you pause long enough to respond with curiosity rather than assumption?
This is a question about self-regulation and intentionality, especially when behavior feels personal or disruptive to the learning of others.
A practice to try
Separate behavior management from meaning-making.
Choose one recurring student interaction and commit to the following structure for a few weeks:
- Address the behavior immediately and clearly
- Interrupt the behavior.
- Name the boundary.
- Restore the learning environment.
- Do not explain or negotiate in the moment.
- Move the conversation out of the spotlight
- Talk privately, in the hallway or later.
- Keep the message consistent and predictable.
- Use one open question. Then listen.
- Assume there is something underneath
- Not an excuse.
- Not a justification.
- A reason that may take time to surface.
The practice is not solving the problem quickly, but to stay steady long enough for the truth to emerge.
