MODULE 16: MANAGING

DIFFICULT BEHAVIORS
 OBJECTIVES
In this lesson, you will be able to:

differentiate developmentally appropriate behavioral

concerns and those needing specialized interventions;

describe how a classroom environment can be modified to

address challenging behaviors;

and explain how functional behavior assessments work.

 INTRODUCTION
The passage discusses how all children, including those
with developmental disabilities, may show difficult
behaviors at times. It questions whether such behaviors
are normal or signs of deeper issues. The goal is to help
early childhood teachers distinguish between typical and
problematic behaviors, and it introduces strategies for
managing these behaviors effectively in the classroom.
Young children may sometimes display inappropriate behaviors
that are normal developmental deviations and typically resolve on
their own. For example, a three-year-old biting out of frustration
can be considered typical, while the same behavior in a seven-
year-old may signal a problem. Teachers must understand
developmental milestones and red flags to distinguish between
typical behavior and those requiring intervention. Additionally,
children with developmental delays or communication challenges
may act out due to frustration, but this does not excuse
inappropriate behavior—they still need to learn appropriate ways
to express themselves.
 The Teaching Pyramid
How can such challenging behaviors be prevented in an
early childhood classroom? Using a tiered framework, the
Teaching Pyramid provides four levels of intervention to
promote the social, emotional, and behavioral
development of young children (Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter,
Joseph, & Strain, 2003, as cited in Alex & Cowdery, 2015).
It is assumed that when the first three levels are in place,
only a few children will need intensive intervention.
 1st Level:
Building positive relationships with children. Early childhood
teachers are expected to create a learning environment
where children feel safe and cared for by their teacher and
other significant adults in the classroom. Positive relationships
develop children's self-concept and confidence (Fox et al.,
2003, as cited in Alex & Cowdery, 2015). Greeting each child
by the door with a handshake, a high five, or a fist bump and
asking how the child is are practical ways of developing
rapport. Spending time with them and chatting about their
weekends and favorite activities during snack time make
children feel that their teacher sincerely cares about them.
 2nd Level:
Implementing classroom preventative practices. Setting
classroom routines, procedures, and expectations provide
a predictable and structured environment that helps
ensure children's safety. Reviewing the effects of a
learning environment on the behavior of children enables
an early childhood teacher to make simple changes and
decisions. For instance, eliminating wide-open spaces and
providing clear areas for play, writing, reading corner, and
other activities provide children with the structure they
need.
 3rd Level:
Using social and emotional teaching strategies. Having
homeroom-guidance sessions, such as teaching children
how to identify, label, and discriminate among emotions
(e.g., anger, sadness, disappointment, happiness,
frustration), is important. Other strategies that help
build socio-emotional learning and resilience may include
mindful breathing, counting 1-10, turn-taking, sharing,
and giving compliments to their classmates.
 4th Level:
Planning intensive individualized interventions. This
level is used for specific children with significant
problems in managing their behavior. Functional
behavioral assessment may come into play to help
manage a target behavior.
 FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO
MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS
The 4th Level in the Teaching Pyramid calls for individualized intervention.
How does an early childhood teacher determine the problem behaviors?
This is where functional behavior assessment (FBA) becomes useful. In using
FBA, a teacher seeks to understand why a child engages in a specific
behavior. And once this is understood, concrete steps are taken to prevent
the behavior or to provide positive behavior to take its place. It is done
systematically, based on data gathered through observation. FBA involves
the following steps as outlined by Allen and Cowdery (2015):
1. IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR. THROUGH
OBSERVATION, THE TEACHER IDENTIFIES
Problematic behavior displayed by a child in specific, observable
terms. For instance, disruptive behavior is unclear as it is only
descriptive, and it does not indicate specific behaviors. On the
other hand, pulling a classmate's hair, or frequent throwing of a
classmate's notebook is more specific.
2. DETERMINE THE EVENTS THAT OCCUR BEFORE,
DURING, AND AFTER A SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR.
During observation, it is important to determine events in the
environment that can trigger specific behaviors and the
consequences of the events. For instance, if a child has been
reported to throw his/her classmate's notebooks, or bites his/her
classmates during playtime, an observer needs to see what
happens before and when such a behavior occurs. What time does
it happen? What is the child doing before engaging in the behavior?
What happens after the child does the behavior? Does the teacher
call his/her attention? Is he/she able to escape from a task?
 3. ASSESS THE FUNCTION OF THE BEHAVIOR.
CHILDREN ENGAGE IN BEHAVIORS TO MEET
specific functions: (1) to gain attention from teachers or
peers; (2) to escape or get out of an unpleasant situation; or
(3) for self-pleasure or self-stimulation (Iwata et al., 1982, as
cited in Allen & Cowdery, 2015). Knowing the function of a
specific behavior enables teachers to understand it and find
alternative behaviors to replace it, modify the physical
environment, and other possible strategies.
 4. IDENTIFY A REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR AND
PLAN THE INTERVENTION.
Upon identifying the target behavior and the specific function it serves, teachers
can teach a child an alternative behavior to replace the problematic one. If, for
instance, the child throws his/her classmates' notebooks during writing time to get
his/her teacher's attention, the teacher creates a plan where he/she can instruct
the child to ask for help during independent writing activities. A step further is for
the teacher to immediately approach the child during such tasks to prevent
frustration and untoward incidents. Other techniques are providing a child with
choices, providing preferred activities in different areas in the classroom,
catching the child doing good and giving verbal praises as affirmation, and paying
attention when he/she is actively engaged in an appropriate behavior.
5. IMPLEMENT THE PLAN AND ENSURE CONSISTENCY.

Once the plan is in place, teachers implement it and ensure that

other adults in the classroom understand it so that it can be
followed consistently. At the onset, a child may exhibit more problem
behavior, perhaps as a form of resistance, and it may take two
weeks or more before any change can occur. What is essential is
that teachers are consistent so that behavioral change will happen.
 6. MONITOR PROGRESS AND IMPLEMENTATION.
Continue to collect data through observation to determine if the child's behavior
is improving. At this point, it is also essential to determine if specific techniques
need to be discontinued, such as praising a child less often, when steady
improvement is observed. Putting such systems in place allow early childhood
teachers to manage challenging behaviors and provide a positive, supportive
learning environment for all children. When early childhood teachers have positive
relationships with the children, have structured, predictable routines and class
rules that are consistently implemented, children are taught specific techniques
and strategies to develop their socio-emotional functioning, and behavioral
interventions for specific children are provided, challenging behaviors can be
prevented and managed, thereby creating a positive learning environment for all
children.
ASSESS: USING A DICE, EACH MEMBER OF A GROUP ROLLS AND COMPLETES THE
TASK THAT THE NUMBER CORRESPONDS TO. IF A MEMBER ROLLS A 5, HE/SHE DOES THE
TASK IN #5 (SEE BELOW).

1 - Give examples of normal deviations in behavior for young children.

2- Differentiate normal deviation in behavior and
problematic/challenging behavior.
3- Narrate an experience when you observed a challenging behavior
in a young child and what was done to address it.
4 - Summarize how to use the Teaching Pyramid.
5- Explain how a teacher can use functional behavior assessment
(FBA). 6- Argue for or against it. What are the pros and cons of using
FBA?
CHALLENGE

In one of the observations you have made in an early

childhood classroom for this module, describe any
inappropriate behavior that you observed. Narrate the
events that occurred before, during, and after the child
displayed the behavior. What did the early childhood teacher
or other adults in the room do to manage the behavior?
THANK YOU