Designing Interview Questions

Most, if not all, teachers would agree that responding to and understanding challenging student behavior is the most difficult part of our jobs. We are tasked with teaching rigorous and standards-based curriculum to a classroom of 25-30 unique learners while also attending to their social, emotional and physical needs. When you add negative or challenging student behavior to the mix, it is exhausting and overwhelming. 

This week I investigated five common causes of negative student behaviors and developed a list of important problem-analysis questions that can assist with determining the root cause of negative behaviors. While by no means exhaustive, this list can serve as a guide to remind teachers of the things they should consider when confronted with challenging behaviors.  A repetitive theme in my questions was "is the learning environment designed to meet the needs of students?" Although self reflection can be difficult, it is reassuring that simple changes to our own classroom environment or teaching practices can positively influence student behavior.