Adults can accidentally strengthen behavior while trying to help.
Key Idea
Pause and ask: 1. What is happening? 2. What changed after it happened? 3. What behavior do I want to strengthen instead?
What This Can Look Like
Calling out → immediate adult conversation. Escalation → expectation disappears. Grabbing → item is provided. Arguing → extended adult negotiation. If those outcomes repeatedly follow the behavior, they may help maintain it.
✓Try This
- •Keep your response brief when appropriate. Redirect toward the skill you want. Then notice and reinforce the next appropriate step quickly. For example: Acknowledge → Redirect → Reinforce.
Keep in Mind
The goal is NOT to ignore a student who needs help. It is to be thoughtful about which behavior is producing the strongest response and to make appropriate communication work well.