In the last blog I said I’d share some examples of how simple yet powerful changes can prevent or quickly de-escalate challenging behaviors.

When we’re on the challenging behavior hamster wheel it's easy to think “nothing is working” and therefore expect that the solution must be complicated.

But, oftentimes nothing could be further from the truth!

Now, sure… to have a classroom where you consistently prevent most challenging behaviors before they even start DOES take knowledge, skill, and consistent effort.

BUT often a simple change in how you think about behavior or interact with a child can jumpstart a shift in your classroom and have you thinking, “WOW! That really did work!”

Sometimes everything changes in an instant.

Here are 3 examples of changes that teachers have made that illustrate this idea of “simple yet powerful” strategies…that actually work:

Being Flexible at Large Group: Allowing a child to explore the classroom rather than insisting they come to circle time…then during the second circle time of the year the child came on his own and actively participated!

Teaching Toddlers to Say “Too Close” while Putting their Hands Out: Quickly this became part of the class culture and children were doing this on their own - instead of biting or pushing - without teachers even reminding them.

Suggesting a Child Poking ASK if He Can Poke. The original child said no but then other children volunteered to be poked and it quickly became a playful game of gentle poking that taught the concept of consent.

Which one of these simple yet powerful changes might be helpful in your classroom?

Let me know in the comments below.