MR. MILLER'S SCHOOL COUNSELING PAGE
  • Home
  • What do School Counselors do?
    • A Note from the Counselor
  • SEL & Mindfulness
    • Mr. Miller's SEL Library
    • Mr. Miller's Virtual Calm Room
    • Zones of Regulation
    • SEL Brochures K-2 Grade
    • SEL Brochures 3-5 Grade
    • Mindfulness Videos
    • Nearpod SEL Activities
    • Rocket Kids (SEL)
    • Social Skills PowerPoints
    • Social Emotional Learning Videos
    • Social Emotional Learning Worksheets
    • Social Emotional Learning Read Aloud >
      • Social Emotional Learning Read Aloud
    • BrainPOP SEL
    • Subscription Based- SEL Resource
    • Classroom Based SEL Lessons
  • Test Taking Skills
  • Career Guidance Information
    • Career Lessons and Resources >
      • Career Bitmoji Kindergarten
      • 1st Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 2nd Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 3rd Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 4th Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 5th Grade Career Bitmoji
      • Paws In Jobland
      • Supplemental Career Lesson Materials
  • Frequent School Counseling Topics

Step 2: Target Behaviors

Prioritize which behaviors are causing the most difficulty as we cannot work on all behaviors at once.  It is not possible.  Additionally, we must 
                                                  
Here are some questions to consider:
  • What behaviors are potentially dangerous?
  • How long have these issues been a problem?
  • Will changing this behavior provide more opportunities for functional independence, inclusion, or socialization?
  • Will changing this behavior improve the child’s quality of life?
  • Which behavior is the most disruptive to class/other students?
  • What is the cost-benefit of improving this behavior?
 
Choose the most significant behaviors to target first. Behaviors that are the most dangerous, disruptive, or frequent are good starting off points. This means you may have to let some other inappropriate behavior go for a while. It’s okay, we can work on the others later.
 
For example, if a student is hitting other kids you may have to ignore the swearing for a while. If one student is very disruptive you may need to focus on him first before using interventions with other students. Once you get one behavior under control you can work on the next one.

Once we have some ideas of the behavior to be targeted, its recommend to write out a very specific definition. It is surprising how much perception can change over time about what is being counted as a behavior (what one considers property destruction in September could change by March). If a student slaps another student does that count the same as a punch? What about a poke? How would one define ‘talking back,’ ‘off task,’ or ‘disruptive’? Write a definition that clearly identifies what the inappropriate behavior looks like. Include only what one can see/observe not what one thinks the child is doing.
 
  • Good example: During independent work time, the students gets up and walks away from his desk and begins talking to other students and taking items such as pencils or paper off their desk and throwing it on the floor.
  • Bad example: When the student wants attention, he bugs other students to get a rise out of them.
 
Note:  avoid making assumptions about why the student is doing what they are doing, yet!
Examples of Target Behaviors:
1.    Non-Compliance to Teacher Requests
2.
    Striking Others
3.
    Talking Out/Back
4.
    Minor Fine Motor Annoyances
5.
    Spitting
6.
    Resists Transitioning Between Tasks
7.
    Resists Transitioning Between Environments
8.
    Throwing Objects
9.
    Difficulty Focusing on/Completing Tasks
10.
Biting
11.
Out of Seat
12.
Inappropriate Social Interactions
13.
Running Away/Elopement
14.
Drops to Ground
15.
Lying
16.
Verbal Aggression
Non- Examples of Target Behaviors
1. Off Task
2. Disruptive
3. Disrespectful
4. Angry
5. Being "Ugly"
6. Lazy
7. Unmotivated, "doesn't care about school"
8. Temper tantrums
9. Disrespectful

Defining Challenging Behaviors Worksheet
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • What do School Counselors do?
    • A Note from the Counselor
  • SEL & Mindfulness
    • Mr. Miller's SEL Library
    • Mr. Miller's Virtual Calm Room
    • Zones of Regulation
    • SEL Brochures K-2 Grade
    • SEL Brochures 3-5 Grade
    • Mindfulness Videos
    • Nearpod SEL Activities
    • Rocket Kids (SEL)
    • Social Skills PowerPoints
    • Social Emotional Learning Videos
    • Social Emotional Learning Worksheets
    • Social Emotional Learning Read Aloud >
      • Social Emotional Learning Read Aloud
    • BrainPOP SEL
    • Subscription Based- SEL Resource
    • Classroom Based SEL Lessons
  • Test Taking Skills
  • Career Guidance Information
    • Career Lessons and Resources >
      • Career Bitmoji Kindergarten
      • 1st Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 2nd Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 3rd Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 4th Grade Career Bitmoji
      • 5th Grade Career Bitmoji
      • Paws In Jobland
      • Supplemental Career Lesson Materials
  • Frequent School Counseling Topics