De-escalating Conflict in the Classroom

Service Description

Disruptive student behavior is one of the most challenging aspects of working in a school. There are no easy solutions to the conflicts that arise from students who are in distress because the underlying conditions are often not easy to detect and therefore go untreated. Unfortunately, here are as many ways to escalate conflicts with students as there are ways to de-escalate them. In the heat of the moment, we as adults sometimes react, instead of responding to troubling behavior. We are all human and our unconscious behavior can aggravate already difficult situations. There is no doubt that working in schools is stressful and very important work, no matter what our role is. We know for developmental psychology, that children are apt to respond more nonverbally and less consciously than adults do, so it is often a challenge for us to consciously interpret their needs, intentions and emotions. In particular, children with LIC (low impulse control), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), ASD (autism spectrum disorder) or weak self-regulation skills can be explicitly taught strategies to better express their frustrations and anxieties that will prevent or curtail conflict. More importantly, we can model for them the calm and controlled behavior that they need to learn. Situations where students are disruptive, disrespectful or distressed represent unique teaching opportunities for adults who encounter such cases daily in our work with students but only if we know how to be such models and what to do in these situations. Otherwise, their highly-charged behavior can become exacerbated, unless we are mindful of what is going on and what they need. Taking a curious, strategic and caring approach can transform such events into growth moments for children in our care. This panel discussion will focus on these aspects of our work and the best ways we can respond to disruptive student behavior. The Panel Dr. Stephen Silva, Teacher at The Wang Middle School, Lowell, MA Mazen Abdullah, Teacher at Deerborn Academy STEP Program, Newton, MA Melissa Tse, Teacher at The Salemwood School, Malden, MA Kat Bacon, Teacher at The Walden Street School, Concord, MA Moderator Dr. John Brown, Clinical Associate Professor of Education, The University of Massachusetts Lowell

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