The improbable challenge of managing students’ challenging behaviors in schools: Professional reflections from a 30 year career

Abstract

Managing students’ challenging behaviors is one of the most difficult tasks teachers face. Many teachers, during their training, were never required to take a class in behavior management. Consequently, it does not come naturally for teachers to manage students’ challenging behaviors and will be rarely be effectively addressed for two reasons: (1) certain teacher characteristics regarding behavior management and (2) some dimensions of school culture. The philosophical linchpin is not an inability of teachers to learn effective behavior management techniques, but rather what they believeabout the process. This article addresses teacher and school variables and offers alternative ideas about managing students’ behaviors more effectively.