Rethinking How Schools Handle Student Behavior

We call on our district and school leaders to set a new direction. Schools can learn together with all the professionals who have done it ‘the other way’, and skillfully now help all students understand themselves. But first, teachers, administrators and parents must learn together about the causes of behaviors that prevent learning for the student and sometimes for the students’ classmates. What provokes a student to act out no longer needs to be a mystery. Understanding behavior and what provokes it is paramount. Sharing that knowledge with other teachers and administrators is key. Helping parents understand is also the job of the school.