If you’ve ever had a student throw a pencil across the room, refuse to write a single word, yell at classmates, or completely shut down after making one mistake, you’re not alone. I’ve been there a time or two or a hundred.

These are often the students who challenge us the most as teachers. But they’re also the students who need us the most!

The tricky part is that everyone sees the outward behavior. They see the disruption, the defiance, or the meltdown. What they don’t always see is the child underneath it all.

When it comes to teaching students with emotional and behavioral disorders, it’s easy to get caught up in managing behaviors. It takes a lot out of us to deal with big outbursts, managing the chaos, and dealing with the aftermath of it all. 

But lasting behavior change doesn’t come from finding the perfect consequence or simply using the newest classroom management strategy. It comes from understanding why behaviors happen in the first place and creating a supportive learning environment where students feel safe enough to actually learn.

So, let’s talk about what emotional and behavioral disorders really look like in the classroom, why these students belong in inclusive learning environments whenever possible, and the practical strategies that actually make a difference (and it’s not just a classroom behavior chart!).

What Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Really Look Like

One of the biggest misconceptions about behavioral disorders is that they’re all loud, aggressive, or disruptive.

Sometimes, sure.

But some students with emotional disorders never flip a desk or yell across the classroom. Instead, they can withdraw. They avoid work, cry, worry, and isolate. These are your students that may appear unmotivated when they’re actually completely overwhelmed.

But more often when you think of behavioral disorders, you will think of students who struggle with:

• Frequent emotional outbursts
• Difficulty regulating emotions
• Work avoidance
• Trouble building friendships
• Impulsive decision-making
• Academic anxiety
• Difficulty with transitions
• Low frustration tolerance
• Challenges with executive functioning
• Trouble reading social cues

For some students, these behaviors are related to an emotional disability (some may refer to this as emotional disturbance- but you won’t hear me saying that), conduct disorder, anxiety disorder, attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, or another disability. Other students may not have a formal diagnosis, but may still showcase significant behavioral challenges that impact learning and social skill development.

No two students are exactly alike and no plan or intervention will work for all students who struggle in this way.

That’s why it’s so important to look beyond the behavior itself and ask a different question:

What is this student trying to communicate? And how can I meet that core need?

Behavior is communication. You’ve heard that one before, I’m sure. Maybe you’ve even rolled your eyes at the phrase. However, it’s true. It’s true for the student who experiences frustration and outburts rarely, and it’s true for the student that struggles daily.

Once we start looking at it through that lens, everything changes. 

These Students Belong With Their Peers

Let’s get this one out of the way early. One of the most important things I’ve learned as a special education teacher and BCBA is this:

Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities deserve to be part of their school community.

Whenever appropriate, students should be educated in the general education classroom with the supports they need to be successful.

That’s exactly what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was designed to protect by ensuring students receive an appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

That doesn’t mean every student spends every minute in the classroom. In fact, that wouldn’t be supportive of every student’s needs. It also doesn’t mean throwing a child into a room without support while crossing your fingers, hoping it works.

True inclusion means giving students access to their peers while also providing the accommodations, interventions, and mental health services they need to be successful in that environment.

The data shows that students benefit socially, academically, and emotionally when they’re included in an inclusive classroom. Their classmates benefit, too, by the way! They learn empathy, flexibility, acceptance, and that everyone learns differently.

Inclusion should never be us as educators deciding to lower expectations. Rather, it’s a conversation around removing unnecessary barriers to ensure every student feels like a valued member of the school community.

It Takes More Than One Teacher

Supporting students with emotional and behavioral needs isn’t a one-man show. The most successful students have an entire team working together that benefits the many needs the students may have.

That team can include:

• General education teachers
• A special education teacher
• School psychologists
• A school counselor
• Social workers
• Speech, occupational, or physical therapists
• Other service providers
• Administrators
• Families

The best outcomes happen when everyone is communicating consistently, staying on the same page, and implementing any plans with fidelity.

That doesn’t mean every meeting has to be long or formal. Sometimes it’s simply checking in after a difficult day, sharing what’s working, or making sure everyone is using similar language and expectations.

It’s about making sure the plan is working and that everyone feels supported and that they aren’t managing it all alone.

Also, you have heard the idea that one teacher can change a child’s life- and that IS true. However, to take on that burden fro every kid in your classroom year after year is not sustainable and a huge task. And in all honesty- not possible. You job should be to be a connection maker. Help them build connections with a variety of adults throughout the school so they can build healthy relationships with many adults instead of just one.

Building Relationships With Families

Now, if you’ve worked with students who have significant behavioral needs, you’ve probably had some difficult conversations with families.

Here’s something I always try to remember:

Many parents are used to getting phone calls that only highlight what’s going wrong. It’s not our job to continue harping on all the wrong. Imagine hearing, week after week, that your child struggled again today. Eventually, this can lead families to become defensive, but not because they don’t care-because they’re exhausted.

One of the best ways to build trust is to intentionally share the positives. 

Here are some practical ways to do that:

-Call home when a student has a great day 

-Send a quick email celebrating one instance of positive behavior.

-Let families know when their child showed kindness, perseverance, or growth.

Those small moments really build relationships that make the harder conversations much easier later on. 

Practical Teaching Strategies That Actually Help

Now let’s talk about what actually works.

Every student is different, so there isn’t one magic strategy that works for everyone. But there are several evidence-based practices that consistently support students with emotional and behavioral needs.

Below you’ll find a few that you can begin implementing in your classroom today.

Create Predictable Routines

Sounds basic, but students who struggle with emotional regulation often do best in a structured environment.

When students know what’s coming next, they spend less energy worrying about the unknown. A simple visual schedule of the day can reduce anxiety, improve transitions, and increase independence.

To do this, you can use visuals to support the students. When you make sure to explicitly teach the routines and expectations for the class as a whole it will also support your more challenging students.

Try out these visual routines & procedures to make sure you are being clear about your routines and expectations.

Build Relationships Before Compliance

This one matters more than almost anything else. Don’t gloss over it!

Students are far more likely to follow directions from adults they trust (and ones they genuinely like being around). 

That doesn’t mean lowering expectations. Let me repeat that one…you don’t have to lower expectations! 

You just might have to get creative with how you position those expectations and how you leverage their interests, strengths, and personalities.

Find ways to laugh with your students, connect with them and the moments of frustration become a little easier to handle.

Focus on Positive Reinforcement

We spend so much time correcting negative behavior that we sometimes forget to acknowledge the behaviors we actually want to see.

Catch students doing something right. As often as you can. Students need to know exactly what they did well.

That’s how we build the muscle of recognizing positive behavior inside of classroom environments. 

Need a tool for this? Check out this classroom wide reinforcement system that focuses on the positive! 

Teach Skills Instead of Assuming Them

Many students with behavior disorders aren’t refusing because they don’t care. They’re struggling because they don’t yet have the skills or confidence to complete the task.

Some students need explicit instruction both academically, socially, and behaviorally. 

We often expect these skills to be present without ever teaching them. Don’t take that for granted. 

Just like we teach reading and math, we also need to teach emotional development!

Some need skills like self control, handling disappointment or how to actually make friends. Check out these tricky behavior mini units for lessons to teach these exact skills.

Break Large Tasks Into Smaller Pieces

Work avoidance is often less about motivation and more about overwhelm or lack of executive functioning skills. 

Instead of handing a student twenty math problems, start with two or rather than writing an entire essay, ask them to write the introduction.

Small successes build confidence and that growing confidence builds more action.

Give Choices Whenever Possible

Choice is a great way to reduce power struggles and challenging behaviors. 

Try offering simple choices like:

• Would you like to use a pencil or a marker?
• Do you want to start with reading or math?
• Would you rather work here or at the back table?

Students still complete the task, but they have a little more ownership over how they complete it. 

Here is an entire blog post about how to make sure you’re giving choices in a way that will actually work.

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When Behaviors Continue

Even with all of this, sometimes teachers feel discouraged because they’ve tried everything and still have to deal with negative emotions and difficult students.

Here’s the truth:

If a behavior continues, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing something wrong. It means it’s time to get curious and bring the team in.

You can ask yourself:

• Is the work too difficult?
• Is something happening at home?
• Has the student’s emotional state changed recently?
• Are expectations clear?
• Does this student have the skills I’m expecting?
• Am I seeing a pattern?

This is where functional behavior assessments and behavior analysis become valuable.

But this is not easy- if you need more help, check out the Behavior Support Hub where we can work together to get to the bottom of your challenging behaviors.

Remember That Progress Isn’t Always Linear

Students with emotional and behavioral needs will have amazing days. And they’ll have hard days. Some months more hard than good. But then you may be surprised again!

Growth and learning aren’t down in a straight line. Remember that you’re an important adult in the child’s life and your commitment to them means the world!

You will change your approach as you learn what works, what doesn’t, and as the conditions around behavior change. When working with students with emotional needs, it makes a world of difference to remember to pace yourself. 

Your classroom management plan, your behavior toolbox, and your heart are all things that will continue to serve you well as you build a connection and support your students.

I hope this was a helpful resource to support you in helping our students with behavioral difficulties succeed in the classroom!