{taken from the book You Can Handle Them All}
I. BEHAVIOR: Specific attitudes and actions of this child at home and/or at school.
- Tries to cause trouble—and appears delighted with it.
- Gets others to do or say what he/she would not do or say.
- Uproots old controversies, cries “unjust,” incites hostilities, and causes as much trouble as possible.
- Tries to appear as an innocent bystander in any trouble he/she causes.
- May act upset, stir others to rebelliousness, and then walk away when the disturbance is about to take place.
- Usually gets other students into trouble more often than he/she gets into trouble. {Tweet this} Typically does not get openly and publicly involved, but operates from the sidelines.
- At home, hits, pushes, and trips siblings when out of parents’ sight—then says the brother or sister “started it” if problems result.
- Starts rumors to create turmoil.
- Plays other people against one another, including teacher against teacher, parent against parent, students against classmates.
- Often provokes physical confrontations between other people.
- Consistently acts immature and irresponsible.
- Tattles on others.
- Seeks attention from others.
- Appears to operate without loyalties, even to those regarded as friends.
II. EFFECTS: How behavior affects teachers, classmates, and parents in the school learning environment and the home family situation.
- Others are influenced to do or say what the agitator would not do or say himself/herself.
- Learning experience in the classroom is seriously disrupted because this student’s activities distract classmates and teacher alike from the work or discussion at hand.
- Social experience of students in the halls, cafeteria, etc., becomes negative.
- At times, others are led to admire this student’s sly and manipulative behavior. Therefore, he/she is a hero to some.
- Teacher can easily start to feel threatened and may fear losing control of the class.
- Classmates can begin to feel as if they might be able to get away with similar behavior.
- Class may be in a continual or almost continual uproar regarding some issue.
- Teacher influence and credibility may be reduced.
- Teacher may lose self-control.
- Teacher may feel inadequate. As a result, he/she can become tense and transmit this tension to the
agitating student and other students.
III. ACTION:
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Identify causes of misbehavior.
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Pinpoint student needs being revealed.
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Employ specific methods, procedures, and techniques at school and at home for getting the child to modify or change his/her behavior.
- Primary cause of misbehavior:
- Power: The need for power is expressed by creating situations that demonstrate this student’s
ability to be in control.
- Power: The need for power is expressed by creating situations that demonstrate this student’s
- Primary needs being revealed:
- Hunger, Thirst, Rest: Lack of food and rest may be a form of abuse and should be investigated.
- Sex/Sexuality: Because of past experiences, this person may find it very difficult to establish any positive relationships.
- Escape from Pain: This student protects himself/herself by the use of power to cover his/her pain.
- Secondary needs being revealed:
- Aggression: This student has a need to control and should be helped to find ways to assert
himself/herself positively. - Inquisitiveness: This student may have a strong need to know what’s going on. He/she wants to know the why behind what we’re doing and what’s going on.
- Power, Status: This student may be trying to achieve through agitation.
- Aggression: This student has a need to control and should be helped to find ways to assert
- Remember that the agitator’s biggest fear is exposure; basically he/she is a pretender as well as a coward. The agitator cannot accept the full and open responsibility of a leadership position, but needs others to fulfill his/her needs.
Free book excerpt with 17 more ACTIONS and 14 MISTAKES!
Handled this behavior in the past? Share your experience in the comment section below…
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