⚠️ Noncompliance/Insubordination:
Apathy/"Shutting Down"
Attribution: This presentation was developed by staff at the St. Croix River Education District. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Example scenario:
“During an independent writing activity, Ben did not respond to my instructions for the class to get started with their work. He only kept his head down and did not move.”
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Teaching about better choices
Preventing this behavior in the first place
Reinforcing better choices
Responding to this behavior when it happens
Teaching Behavior Expectations & Skills
How can we teach about better choices?
Reteach Expectations
CREDIT: @teachthenseetheworld
A middle school teacher explains how she resets expectations in response to negative trends (1:28)
🤔 What experiences have you had “resetting” expectations mid-year?
What parts of what she said rang true?
What would you add to what she said?
🛠️ Procedure teaching templates
District-specific templates that you can customize and then use to teach or re-teach your classroom procedures
🤔 How could your students benefit from this resource?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
🛠️ Procedure mini-posters
Example posters to illustrate key classroom procedures (e.g., hand signals for movement). They can be displayed near your school-wide expectations visual.
🤔 How could your students benefit from this resource?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
FREESTANDING Life Skills Instruction
INTEGRATED Life Skills Instruction
Prevention Strategies
How can we prevent this behavior in the first place?
🛠️ Recipe for self-motivation
A one page handout that explains the basics of Self-Determination Theory, the science behind intrinsic motivation.
🤔 What have you done in the past to boost one or more of these factors? What do you see as an area for growth?
Find this tool + resources on the student engagement webpage.
A social studies teacher explains intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation and also what increases intrinsic motivation (1:00)
🤔 What stood out to you? How could you apply what he shared when designing instruction?
CREDIT: @ya_boi_mr._stevenson
Prevention: Quick Tips
Follow the links below to visit resource pages -or- move forward to browse selected samples.
Prevention: Quick Tips cont.
Follow the links below to visit resource pages -or- move forward to browse selected samples.
🛠️ Connection ritual activities
A collection of age-appropriate tools, including:
🤔 Which of these resources on these pages excites you the most?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
An elementary teacher models greeting students (0:31)
🤔 What did you like about how this teacher greeted each student as they arrived?
A teacher talks about what it means to build relationships via “moments” (2:33)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while he was describing his epiphany that “moments” made the difference?
CREDIT: @darylwilliams__
A middle school teacher talks about the engagement he sees when using students’ names in examples and word problems (0:39)
🤔 Have you observed the same “perk up” that he describes?
🛠️ Build Connections worksheet
Angela Duckworth, famous for her grit research, created a worksheet to help students generate content connections.
🤔 What might be some pros/cons of using a worksheet like this vs. a simple reflection question?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
Podcast episode that talks through this activity
CREDIT: @coffeefueledclassroom
A elementary teacher explains how she offers students choice on materials (0:56)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
An elementary teacher models moving between desks (0:49)
🤔 How do you think the way the teacher moved around the room and commented on the work helped to keep students on task?
A middle school teacher shares her tips for keeping herself on pace and accountable during her lessons (0:43)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: @teachthenseetheworld
🛠️ Opportunity to Respond (OTR) mini-poster
A visual reminder of your OTR options during any lesson.
🤔 How much prep would each of these options take? Which ones would be easier to use spontaneously vs. those that require more planning?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
🛠️ Opportunity to Respond (OTR) Menu
A menu of slide templates designed to be easily embedded into a lesson.
🤔 Which OTR technique are you most curious about? Where do you see it fitting into an upcoming lesson?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
CREDIT: @professor_patsy
A teacher shares about using goofy voices to spark engagement (0:51)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
An elementary teacher models a preventative reminder, then provides affirmative attention while indirectly redirecting a “shut down” student (0:28)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
Reinforcement Strategies
How can we reinforce better choices?
Reinforcement: Quick Tips
Follow the links below to visit resource pages -or- move forward to browse selected samples.
A middle school teacher shares why he makes the right activity the most popular activity (0:19)
🤔 Can you think of students you’ve taught who would respond especially well to attention/praise delivered in this way? Why?
CREDIT: @darylwilliams__
🛠️ Affirmative Attention mini-poster
A mini-poster that includes a few examples of phrases you can use to provide affirmative attention.
🤔 Why do you think the examples include a student’s name in close proximity but not from a distance?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
An elementary teacher models a preventative reminder, then provides affirmative attention while indirectly redirecting a “shut down” student (0:28)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
An elementary teacher models giving affirmative attention privately (0:42)
🤔 How do you think the students felt as the teacher privately gave each praise or commented on their work?
An elementary teacher models whole class compliments (0:46)
🤔 How do you think Bailey felt when her class recognized her good work?
🛠️ 25 Things to Say Instead of “Good Job”
A mini-poster with examples of the variety of phrases we can use to give students affirmative attention.
🤔 What is your favorite phrase to use?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
CREDIT: @mspickunka
An elementary teacher explains how she appoints a “Heggerty Superstar” who can earn a sticker by leading the class through drills (0:47)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
Response Strategies
How can we respond to this behavior when it happens?
Response: Quick Tips
Follow the links below to visit resource pages -or- move forward to browse selected samples.
What kind of response strategy would you start with?
Nonverbal | Facial expressions, proximity, taps, pointing, speaking pauses, etc. | Examples: Walk swiftly by and gently tap on the student’s desk, their work, etc. Make eye contact and use a confused expression. Shake your head. Move closer to the student’s desk. Sit at a nearby desk. |
Indirect Verbal | Acknowledging other students who are showing expected behavior | Example: “I notice this group is dividing up the responsibilities.” |
Direct Verbal | A brief prompt, right to the student, about what’s expected | Example: “[Student], what part are you working on right now?” |
Private Chat | A back-and-forth problem solving conversation with the student | As discreetly as is feasible: Listen to the student’s perspective, Define the dilemma, and Make and state a plan (e.g., student takes calming break). |
Referral | An adult directive that the student exit their routine and transition to a processing space | Example. “[Student], you continue to not follow my instructions. I am going to ask a staff member to pick you up and take you to [processing space]. I want you back in class when you feel ready to learn.” |
If the behavior is not disruptive to other students,
consider keeping the “shut down” student in class.
🛠️ Response Continuum mini-poster
A quick visual reminder of your options when responding to misbehavior.
🤔 How could this visual cue be beneficial to you in the moment?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
🛠️ Nonverbal Prompts mini-poster
A quick visual reminder of the nonverbal options that you have when responding to minor misbehavior.
🤔 What stood out to you? What would you amplify or add to this menu?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
An elementary teacher models redirecting of a “shut down” student using a nonverbal prompt (0:29)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
An elementary teacher redirects an off-task student using proximity (2:37)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
An elementary teacher models a preventative reminder, then provides affirmative attention while indirectly redirecting a “shut down” student (0:28)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
CREDIT: @professor_patsy
An elementary teacher models “nudging” off track students by affirming other students’ behavior (0:22)
🤔 Do you think she had to praise the other students by name? Could she have “noticed” a row or a table and gotten the same effect?
🛠️ Direct Verbal Prompts mini-poster
A quick visual reminder of some phrases you can use to redirect minor misbehavior.
🤔 What stood out to you? What would you amplify or add to this menu?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
An elementary teacher models redirecting of a “shut down” student using a direct verbal prompt (0:29)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
A middle school teacher shares a non-confrontational phrase “I care about you too much…” to gently redirect students (0:49)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: @darylwilliams__
🛠️ Get Started Strategy visuals
When a student isn't working, you can point and ask, "Which strategy are you going to use to get started?"
🤔 How could students benefit from this type of redirection?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
🛠️ Private Chats mini-poster
A quick visual reminder of how to approach a back-and-forth corrective conversation with a student.
🤔 What stood out to you? What would you amplify? What other advice would you offer?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.
An elementary teacher models redirecting of a “shut down” student using a private chat (0:35)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
In a referral room, a model of a staff member prompting a shut down student who has begun to sleep (0:29)
🤔 What did you notice or wonder while watching the video?
CREDIT: Vision (setting IV behavior program) in Pine City, MN
A veteran elementary teacher shares his advice about how to approach a parent phone call about concerning behavior (2:56)
🤔 What would you amplify or add on to his advice?
🛠️ Example Scripts for Calling Families
Several examples created by teachers and educators.
🤔 What do you like? What would you do differently? What additional advice would you offer to a new teacher?
Find this tool + similar resources on the webpage for this strategy.