BAD BEHAVIOUR,causes,control and several ways to modify it

BAD BEHAVIOUR

Bullying, teasing, hitting and name-calling

are forms of bad behavior that occur in

school. The adjustments to the rules at

school and in the classroom environment can

trigger inappropriate behavior in children,

especially when in an environment with 20 or

more students. With so many different

nuances, defining bad behavior is

subjective. A teacher’s tolerance plays a

significant role in defining bad behavior,

according to Pat Moranda, an educational

psychologist. What one teacher considers

disruptive, another teacher passively

ignores. Several different types of behaviors

cause disruption in the classroom

environment for both children and

adolescents, according to the University of

California, Fullerton. Grandstanding and

arguing with the teacher monopolizes the

classroom time and is a form of self-

focused attention. Also, excessive talking,

passing notes or using electronic devices can

disrupt the lecture and learning

environment during classroom time.

WHAT CAUSE IT

Bad behavior causes have no definitive

answer. Emotional changes, genetics and

lifestyle play an important role when

finding the root cause of behavior issues. If

your child is exhibiting disruptive behavior,

certain life changes such as divorce, loss of

a pet or loved one can lead to the

fluctuation in feelings. However, if your

child struggles with behavior due to

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or

oppositional defiant disorder, these

underlying conditions may contribute to

behavioral issues at school. According to

Center for Mental Health Services, Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration, an estimated 14 to 20

percent of all children have some type of

mental health problem. Your child’s lifestyle

can contribute to her behavior in school,

especially when the home lacks strong

parenting skills. She may display these

learned behaviors from home, such as

bullying, abuse or the inability to follow

rules.

HOW TO HELP

Finding the corrective techniques to

intervene with the disruptive behavior plays

an integral role in ceasing the problem. Dr.

Markus Bidell and Dr. Robert Deacon, both

school counselors, believe that punitive

interventions, such as detention, suspension

and expulsion are ways to eradicate

disruptive behavior in school, but not

effective ways to solve your child’s problem.

Using reconnection techniques through school

counselors, instead of isolation, helps to

open up lines of communication, reinforce

the rules and “connects the dots” for your

problematic children. In addition, if his

disruptive behavior is of a medical nature,

consulting with a family health care

professional is advisable. A physician will

evaluate his medical history and possibly

suggest therapy and/or medications.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

A study performed in 2009 by the School of

Public Health at the University of Alberta

released in the “British Medical Journal”

suggests a correlation with an increase in

social and health impairments as adults

when disruptive behavior exhibited as a child

was moderate to extreme, affecting family

life, social relationships and employment.

HOW TO MODIFY THE BEHAVIOUR

Kids learn bad behavior by mimicking

others. Children also learn from poor

examples presented in media. The results of

poor behavior influence your child’s ability

to do well in school and participate as a

constructive member of the family. Activities

that modify behavior help children avoid

specific actions and learn constructive ways

to substitute positive for negative behavior.

The success of the modification activities

depends on the child, parents and the

amount of time spent teaching kids

alternative ways to handle family, school

and social situations.

MODELING

Modeling activities teach children the

correct behavior and reactions. Children

sometimes behave badly in new or unfamiliar

situations. It’s not that the child intends to

be bad, according to the AAP. Children

don’t always understand how to

demonstrate appropriate actions. Modeling

creates imaginary situations that show the

child new behaviors that fit the event or

situation. Parents can create a fun

demonstration by incorporating simple

rewards for modeling the correct actions.

Fictional scenarios at home allow children to

practice appropriate behavior before moving

into real world situations

BEHAVIOUR TRACKING

Formal charts keep track of behavior over a

period of time. Once children learn a new

behavior, charts help monitor the use of the

new information. Formal charts also set

reasonable expectations for families,

teachers and children, according to the New

Mexico Public Education Department.

Parents and teachers use charts, along with

positive reinforcement, to help children

change behavior. Charts offer concrete

proof of modifications. Positive

reinforcement doesn’t need to include food

or cash, positive words of praise also give

children reinforcement to continue to follow

new behavior. Tracking appropriate behavior

helps focus on the positive, rather than

monitoring mistakes and punishing bad

actions.

HELP THROUGH MEDIA

Watching films and television programs and

reading books help introduce and change

behavior. These activities also introduce

concepts for parents and children to discuss

at home about poor behavior. Age-

appropriate media encourages children to

identify with the book character or movie or

show actor. Previewing media helps parents

direct the discussion to topics that tie

directly into home behavior problems.

Monitoring regular viewing controls the types

of programming children see, and this helps

avoid kids tuning into shows that feature

negative behaviors.

PLAYING GAME

Gaming allows kids to explore different

behavior, and when played with family

members or an adult, games teach

appropriate actions. Commercially

manufactured games offer a way to review

specific behavior changes, but parent-made

games can focus on targeting specific ways

to change. The American Academy of

Pediatrics says children frequently exhibit

undesirable behavior when they are under

stress or are angry or frustrated. Games

introduce children to the behavior options

available and alTips for handling bad behaviour in childrenlow kids to select from

several appropriate behaviors. Children can

see through gaming that there are several

options to try before resorting to bad

behavior.