Tackling Challenging Behaviors in Middle and High School (6-12)

Are you at your wits’ end because you have run out of ideas on how to address the explosion of challenging behaviors that are becoming more common in today’s classrooms? Today’s students are experiencing stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems more than ever before, and with these stressors come a wide variety of challenging behaviors in the classroom. This online course is designed specifically for teachers in grades 6-12 who are searching for evidence-based strategies to address the problems experienced within today’s educational landscape. The course begins by dissecting the stressors that are commonly encountered by students and teachers including such things as the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, declining mental health, and an increase in problematic behaviors. Teachers will discover how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma can also affect student behavior. A variety of problems are addressed in the course content including attendance issues, bullying and school violence, substance use and abuse, and explosive emotions. Teachers will explore how to successfully address these important issues using powerful social-emotional strategies and activities so that emotions become deescalated and can be properly regulated by students going forward. Teachers also learn ways to approach students with empathy and build a strong classroom community, all while taking care of themselves in the process. By the end of this course, teachers will feel more empowered in their quest to embed proven behavior management strategies into their own teaching practices to pave the way for a successful classroom learning experience.