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24 Effective Behavior Reflection Sheets For Students

August 30, 2023 //  by  Lauren Du Plessis

Crafting a compassionate classroom is about more than managing student behavior, it’s about fostering an environment where your students can learn from their actions, embrace responsibility, and cultivate emotional intelligence. Ultimately, this journey begins with understanding and reflection. Dive into our collection of meticulously curated behavior reflection sheets, each designed to empower your students to think, feel, and make choices that contribute positively to your classroom environment and beyond. Get ready to transform your teaching approach and inspire your students on their path to self-improvement with these resources!

1. What Happened Reflection Sheet

Let’s unlock the doors to understanding! Guide your students in pondering their actions and reactions. What led them down a certain path? This reflection sheet brings empathy and responsibility to life- culminating in a transformative journey that takes place within the very heart of your classroom.

Learn More: Pinterest

2. “Feelings Map” Reflection

Feelings, feelings everywhere! Help your students navigate their emotions  after any event by having them draw a map of their feelings. Let them get creative with this visual project, which will help them increase emotional literacy and regulation.

Learn More: Reward Charts

3. Behavior Consequences Sheet

Have you ever considered the impact of your actions? Ask your students to dig deep into their behaviours and think about how what they do affects themselves and others. 

Learn More: Laura Candler

4. My Behavior Plan Worksheet

Time to shape future success! With this worksheet, encourage your students to outline a robust behaviour improvement plan. To do so, have them write down concrete goals to improve their future actions. This activity is more than just planning; it’s about taking ownership and making a genuine commitment to positive change. 

Learn More: Have Fun Teaching

5. Behavior Journal Reflection

Open the doors to daily discovery! This behaviour journal reflection invites your students to engage in a self-dialogue. Have them check in with themselves as a good daily kick-off to your lessons by encouraging them to explore a variety of topics, ranging from their emotional well-being to their openness. The options are endless!

Learn More: Twinkl

6. Self-Evaluation Reflection Sheet

Guide your students in evaluating their behavior by taking a good look at who they are. Pondering, exploring, and growing – that’s what this activity is all about! Watch them bloom and flourish as they take stock of their lives in uncharted ways. 

Learn More: Squarehead Teachers

7. Peer Impact Reflection Sheet

Encourage your learners to be a positive addition to your classroom community by reviewing their impact with a peer impact reflection sheet. This sheet will help them see how their actions affect others and consider ways in which they can be more empathetic in the classroom. 

8. Goal Setting Reflection

Goals: Whether big or small, we all need them! With this tool, your students can set, strive, and achieve. Ask them to write down specific goals and detail how they plan to accomplish them.

Learn More: TPT

9. Time-Out Reflection Sheet

Time-outs aren’t just for toddlers or sports teams – a pause for personal growth can be beneficial to your students as well!! Encourage them to reflect and grow by taking a moment or two to sit in solitude.

10. Behavior Chain Sheet

Invite your learners to dive into the causes of their behavior by completing a behavior chain sheet. With this exercise, they’re offered an opportunity to deeply explore their triggers and reactions. Be sure to encourage them to be understanding and compassionate with themselves and others as they take time to reflect.  

11. Teacher-Student Conference Sheet

Bridging gaps and building connections is what this sheet is all about! Foster dialogue between yourself and your students to nurture trust and rapport. Ask your students to reflect on their interactions with you, and how both of you can be more understanding of one another moving forward. 

Learn More: Ninja Plans

12. Making Amends Reflection Sheet

Apologies can heal, and so can forgiveness. This reflection sheet helps your students make amends and embrace reconciliation. Ask them to put themselves in their peers’ shoes to understand why their classmates may have acted in a certain way. Empathy, humanity, and compassion take center stage here!

Learn More: Kid Pointz

13. Behavior Reflection Using Painting

Art and emotions blend in this colorful approach to understanding behavior. Break out your art supplies and have your students craft a painting that reflects how they felt or what they did in a specific scenario. Then, have everyone share their pieces! This creative approach may help reluctant students express feelings they otherwise might not have known how to express! 

Learn More: Kinder Art

14. Positive Behavior Reflection

Shine a light on positivity with this thought-provoking task! Celebrate and encourage the good things that your students do by asking them to spend time reflecting on them. If they struggle, step in to help them recognize the good and build on it; encouraging a culture of positive actions amongst your learners. 

Learn More: Social Emotional Workshop

15. My Behavior and Learning Sheet

With this sheet, your students can explore how learning and behavior influence each other. Encourage them to think of behaviors that positively impact their ability to learn and behaviors that could still use some improvement. Connecting life and learning in a harmonious dance, this activity acts as a delightful classroom tool that’s sure to have a tangible impact on your lessons. 

Learn More: Laugh Eat Learn

16. Respect Reflection Sheet

Honor and respect are two important foundational elements of any classroom environment.  Engage your students in understanding respect’s true meaning by asking them to reflect on what it means to them, and how they use it in their day-to-day lives. This sheet is perfect for nurturing self-esteem and encouraging your kiddos to consider their values. 

Learn More: Printable Word Searches

17. Behavior and Emotions Sheet

Unlock the world of feelings by bringing in a sheet that connects emotions with actions; shaping emotionally intelligent students. As your learners embark on a journey that’s sure to bring them closer to themselves, prompt them to consider how their emotions influence their day-to-day decision-making. 

18. My Impulse Control Sheet

Teaching mindfulness has never been easier! Guide your students to take a moment to pause before they react using this impulse control sheet. Have them practice staying calm and collected by considering their options before taking action. Their future selves will thank you!

19. Learning from Mistakes Reflection

Mistakes are meant to be embraced! Help your kiddos transform their errors into milestones by asking them to reflect on the mistakes they’ve made, and considering how they can ensure that they don’t happen again. Make sure to include themes of resilience in this activity, and let them know that with experience comes wisdom! 

Learn More: TeacherVision

20. Taking Responsibility Reflection

Accountability is the main focus of this reflective tool. Lead your students towards responsible learning by encouraging them to consider how their actions have direct consequences. 

21. Calm Down Reflection Sheet

In a world that is increasingly stressful, it’s important to have the ability to stay calm! Help your students learn this skill with a sheet that has them reflect on ways to relax during high-stress situations. Encourage mindfulness, breathing exercises, and self-reflection to help them explore and manage these feelings.  

22. Behavior Change Contract

Take your goal-setting sheet one step further and create a behavior change contract for your students. Let them commit to betterment by signing a piece of paper detailing what they will do to improve themselves within your classroom. Ensure they’re active participants in creating the contracts, and join them on the journey by signing it as well! 

Learn More: Scribd

23. My Choices Reflection Sheet

Choose your own adventure! With a choices reflection sheet, you can walk your kiddos through a series of decisions and detail how they often lead to different end results. Provide them with intriguing paths, full of twists and turns, and see how they start to connect the dots of their own choice patterns! 

24. Weekly Behavior Reflection Sheet

Encourage Your students to celebrate their improvements on a longer time scale by taking time to reflect on their weekly behavior. Point out patterns, and foster interest in their continual growth by using this exercise as a chronicle of your students’ improvement, and as a roadmap to their future success. Feel free to share with their parents at the end of the year! 

Reflective Essay Topics for Negative Behavior

Common Struggles in High Shcool

Written reflections on negative behaviors can focus on both past and future actions. By thinking about what happened and how it can help or hurt future goals, students can learn life lessons from their own reflection and through the advice of others.

Admiting What Went Wrong

One of the most important steps of changing negative behavior is understanding what went wrong. Have students carefully think through their actions and have them specifically write, in detail, what they did that was hurtful or disruptive to themselves or others. For example, a student who is calling other students names should stop and think through how her words made other students feel. One essay topic might be a journal entry from the perspective of a classmate. Ask the student to consider how she would feel if someone treated her in a similar way. The point is not to shame the student, but rather to make her aware of how actions affect others.

Developing Alternatives

Encourage students to write about how they could have handled a difficult situation in a more positive way. For instance, if a student is caught lying, ask him to write about the merits of honesty and ways the situation could have been handled better. Students could be required to write about two or three ways to deal with situations in which they might normally be tempted toward destructive behavior, such as disrupting class or fighting with classmates. This can serve as a preemptive tool for future scenarios.

Have Students Focus on the Future

Students can be inspired toward positive behavior and away from negative behavior by writing about their own future success. Teach for America suggests that students think of themselves in college or an exciting career and then write about how negative behavior distracts them from their goals. Allow students to keep these written reflections and encourage them to reread their essays often. Consistent reminders of plans can serve as ongoing encouragement well after the paper is complete.

Show Students Where to Seek Advice

Push students to seek the advice of others. Tell students to interview school staffers, parents, neighbors or older siblings to document their life experiences in making good and bad decisions. After they've talked with two or three people, have them compile the advice into thoughtful essays that reflect on the decisions they've made that have helped or hurt their individual progress. Encourage students to review these essays with parents or important adults in their lives to reinforce these life lessons through follow-up conversations.

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• Intervention Central: Teacher Behavioral Strategies
• Teach For America: Establish Rules and Consequences

Teaching Kids to Accept Responsibility for their Choices

When it comes to classroom management, learning to deal with small disruptions is probably more important than figuring out what to about the big stuff. One reason is that those little things you might be tempted to ignore can quickly escalate into BIG problems and hours of lost instructional time.

That’s why you need an easy strategy for dealing with frequent student misbehavior, and it’s best if your strategy also helps kids understand how their choices impact others. This Behavior Reflections graphic organizer is the perfect tool for doing just that!

Years ago when I was trained in Thinking Maps , I was introduced to the Multi-flow Map for exploring causes and effects. Right then, I had an “ah-ha” moment about how to improve student behavior. I realized that most students who were engaging in distracting behaviors had never thought about why they were behaving in a certain way or how their actions might affect others. So I created the Behavior Reflections cause and effect graphic organizer to help students reflect on their behavior, understand why they made certain choices in the past, and make better choices in the future.

How I Introduced this Graphic Organizer to My Class

• We started by writing a short description of the undesirable behavior in the middle of the form. For example, “Repeatedly blurting out answers.”
• Then they tried to figure out the causes, or why someone might engage in that behavior. Those items were listed on the left. Answers might include, “I wanted the teacher to know that I knew the answer,” “It’s a bad habit,” or “I got excited and wanted to tell my answer.” Sometimes this step takes a bit of coaching because most kids have never really tried to figure out why they do the things they do.
• In the three boxes on the right side, they wrote out the effects, or consequences of their behavior, including how their behavior affected others. They may never have realized that when they blurt out answers, they are depriving other students of the opportunity to think through a problem and answer on their own.
• Finally, the student writes out a short plan for improvement which I have to approve before the paper goes home for a parent signature.

How and When I Used It

After I introduced the Behavior Reflections form to the class, I began having students complete it when they engaged in a distracting, annoying, or disrespectful behavior. I did not use this form for violent incidents or for serious infractions, and it never took precedence over established school policies. It was simply a tool to get kids to understand why they were behaving in a certain way and how their behaviors affected others.

What Happened

The Behavior Reflections form turned out to be even more powerful than I had anticipated. Misbehaving students stopped seeing me as someone who would punish them arbitrarily for something they didn’t think was wrong, and they began to accept more responsibility for their actions. Sometimes additional steps were needed such as short-term behavior contracts, but this form was a great place to start.

Inspired by Thinking Maps

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Essay on Behavior in Class for IELTS – Writing Task 2

Updated On Nov 17, 2023

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IELTS is one of the English language evaluation exams that millions of candidates take in order to migrate to an English-speaking country. This reflects the importance of the language on a global scale. As a result, the problem/cause and solution essay, a part of Writing Task 2 of the IELTS, is discussed here with an outline and vocabulary that will help you to prepare.

Learn some ways to achieve a band score of 8 for Writing Task 2 and check out this speaking skills essay for IELTS given below.

You should spend not more than 40 minutes on this task.

You should write at least 250 words.

In many countries, schools have severe problems with student behavior. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?

Problem/Cause & Solution Essay

Introduction

• In many countries, the manner in which students conduct themselves in schools is quite distressing.
• There are numerous reasons behind this development that have led to such alarming behavior in young children, especially adolescents.
• In the following paragraphs, I will elaborate on the causes and possible solutions to tackle this issue.

Paragraph 1: Reasons/Causes of severe issues with student behavior.

Paragraph 2: Solutions to reduce this behavior.

Clearly restate the points covered in the essay.

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Sample Answer 1

In many countries, the manner in which students conduct themselves in school is quite distressing . There are numerous reasons behind this development that have led to such alarming behavior in young children, especially adolescents . In the following paragraphs, I will elaborate on the causes and possible solutions to tackle this issue.

To begin with, children lack proper awareness of the diversions around them due to a lack of adult supervision. For example, since most parents are working professionals who do not have the time to educate their children on the good and bad, these young people crave attention and easily go astray . Additionally, unbridled access to social media and video games exposes them to violent activities that are imitated by them to stand out among their mates. Further, excessive pressure created due to academic competition and societal comparisons forces some students to act out. For instance, students either go into depression due to demotivation or become vicious towards classmates who are better than them. Therefore, these factors, coupled with unhealthy lifestyles and peer pressure, tend to make students unruly , which is reflected in their etiquette at school.

There are several measures that can be taken by the elders to manage the misconduct of students at school and at home. Firstly, parents, irrespective of their busy schedules, should take time to look after their wards. For instance, spouses should divide their chores among themselves and interact with the children before bedtime, and occasionally, make them feel special through various activities. Secondly, involving grandparents in the upbringing of the child can give both company and help them to learn from each other. Thirdly, teachers should be careful not to compare the students, as each child has unique capabilities and may not achieve the same thing. Lastly, both family members and teachers should control access to the internet or cruel games that might affect the child’s psyche .

To sum up, guardians or parents should motivate the students for their efforts and take care of their surroundings so that external influences or bad lifestyle do not affect their demeanor and make them ill-tempered.

Looking for a detailed guide on IELTS Writing Task 2? Check here !

Important Vocabulary Used in the Essay on Behavior in Class 

• Distressing (adjective)

Meaning: upsetting or worrying

Eg: The workload was quite distressing for me today.

• Alarming (adjective)

Meaning: causing worry or fear

Eg: The way the sea levels are increasing is alarming for us.

• Adolescent (noun)

Meaning: a young person who is developing into an adult

Eg: Parents should guide adolescents properly.

• Crave (verb)

Meaning: to have a very strong feeling of wanting something

Eg: The baby craves for the mother’s touch.

• Astray (adverb)

Meaning: away from the correct path or way of doing something

Eg: The stranger led us astray from the main road.

• Unbridled (adjective)

Meaning: not controlled or limited

Eg: The young boy became arrogant due to the unbridled attention he received from his parents.

• Unruly (adjective)

Meaning: difficult to control or manage

Eg: His unruly behavior at the party caught everyone’s attention.

• Etiquette (noun)

Meaning: the set of rules or customs that control accepted behavior in particular social groups or social situations

Eg: Please maintain the table etiquette properly.

• Psyche (noun)

Meaning: the mind, or the deepest thoughts, feelings, or beliefs of a person or group

Eg: Freudian study deals with the human psyche.

• Demeanor (noun)

Meaning: a way of looking and behaving

Eg: Her calm demeanor attracts everyone.

Sample Answer 2

In numerous nations, the behavior of students within educational institutions is a cause for concern. Multiple factors have contributed to the emergence of disorderly behavior among young individuals, particularly adolescents. In the subsequent sections, I will delve into the underlying reasons and potential remedies to address this matter.

One significant cause of behavioral issues in schools is the breakdown of the traditional family structure. With more families facing single-parent households or both parents working long hours, children may lack the necessary guidance and supervision. This can result in a lack of discipline and a decline in values taught within the home. Furthermore, economic challenges can lead to financial stress, which often trickles down to affect a child’s emotional well-being. Moreover, the influence of media and technology cannot be underestimated. The constant exposure to violent or inappropriate content desensitizes students to aggressive behavior, making them more prone to acting out inappropriately. Additionally, social media platforms can exacerbate conflicts among students, leading to disruptions within the school setting.

To address these issues, schools should prioritize fostering a strong sense of community. Implementing mentorship programs and involving parents in their child’s education can create a support system that reinforces positive behavior. Schools can also provide workshops and resources to help parents develop effective discipline strategies at home. Furthermore, it is imperative to incorporate media literacy into the curriculum. In addition, schools should promote extracurricular activities that encourage teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution skills. These activities not only provide an outlet for pent-up energy but also instill values that promote positive behavior.

In conclusion, the severe problems with student behavior in schools stem from a combination of factors. However, by facilitating a sense of community, teaching media literacy, and providing opportunities for positive engagement, schools can work towards creating a more conducive learning environment for all students.

Important Vocabulary Used in the Essay on Behavior in Class

• Disorderly (Adjective)

Meaning: It describes something that is chaotic, messy, or not well-organized.

Eg: The disorderly classroom made it challenging for the teacher to conduct the lesson effectively.

• Trickles Down (Verb phrase)

Meaning: It refers to a process in which something, often wealth or information, gradually passes or spreads from a higher level to a lower level.

Eg: In some economic systems, the idea is that when wealth trickles down from the rich to the poor, it benefits everyone in society.

• Desensitizes (verb)

Meaning: To make less sensitive or responsive to something.

Eg: The continuous exposure to violent movies desensitizes children to real-life aggression.

• Exacerbate (verb)

Meaning: To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.

Eg: Adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate the conflicts among students.

• Fostering (Noun)

Meaning: It refers to the act of nurturing, promoting, or encouraging the growth or development of something.

Eg: The fostering of creativity in schools is essential for students’ overall development.

• Mentorship (Noun)

Meaning: The guidance and support provided by a mentor, usually a more experienced or knowledgeable person.

Eg: The mentorship program pairs experienced teachers with new educators to offer guidance and support.

• Imperative (Adjective)

Meaning: It signifies something that is crucial, necessary, or of utmost importance.

Eg: It is imperative that we address the environmental challenges facing our planet to ensure a sustainable future.

• Pent-Up (Adjective)

Meaning: It describes emotions or energy that has been suppressed, restrained, or held back for a period.

Eg: After a long day of work, she had a pent-up desire to relax and unwind by taking a long walk in the park.

• Conducive (adjective)

Meaning: Making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible.

Eg: A peaceful and inclusive classroom environment is conducive to effective learning.

Also, check:

• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic (In September 2015) & Band 9.0 Essay
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic ( In January 2016) & Band 9 Model Essay.
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic (In July 2015) & Band 9.0 Argumentative Essay
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Architecture & History – Sample Essay
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Environment & Sample Essay
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Economic Growth With Model Essay

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Social skills and low lexile literature for adolescents with ebd, asd or intellectual disabilities, write better behavior goals.

Writing Secondary Behavior Goals: Not Your Average Co-Teacher’s IEP!

If you aren’t a “behavior person,” the magical hoodoo of behavior goals may be a bit outside your schema. If you are a behavior person, you probably aren’t getting a lot of solid, reliable advice and guidance for writing your behavior goals; it’s kind of a niche market. Even if you’re getting examples of general goals in your district, they are likely targeted towards academic needs. Here’s some guidance to help you write decent, workable behavior goals for the most common areas of need: hygiene, anger, social interactions, thinking, and executive function. It isn’t coincidental that my book categorizes lessons into these five areas; doing so will allow you to choose lessons specifically designed to target student needs.

“Don’t Try to Eat a Whole Pizza in One Sitting”: Advice About Setting an Appropriate Number of Goals

Chances are, if you (the behavior teacher) are the primary case manager for a student, he/she has a laundry list of issues that need to be addressed. It’s tempting to write separate goals to address each of the numerous and sundry concerns.

There are four fundamental reasons why “more isn’t better” when it comes to behavior goals. First, it’s demoralizing and overwhelming for the student to think about trying to work on 7 different problems at once, all while attempting to master Algebra. Second, it’s demoralizing and overwhelming for the family, who already are fully aware that their child does a bunch of different “weird” things. Third, it’s pretty much impossible to effectively progress monitor a lengthy list of behavior goals, especially if the student already has academic goals to address. Fourth, if you address the most concerning/interfering behaviors and address them, some of the minor issues will resolve, as well.

Personally, I won’t write more than two behavior goals on a kid’s IEP. It’s a matter of principle (see above). Keeping the number of behavior goals manageable will increase the level of success for the student and the degree of compliance you’ll get from your colleagues.

“Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day”: Advice About Setting Realistic Goals and Benchmarks

I’ll keep this section short. If a student is very, very deficient in an area of social skills or behavior, it isn’t realistic to expect him/her to reach proficiency in one school year. I’ve worked in places where teachers were advised that writing a goal that had any end result other than proficiency was unacceptable. This is ridiculous and is, at its heart, the antithesis of best practice in teaching.

Write goals with realistic outcomes based on evidence-based principles about student learning. Never, EVER, write a goal with an outcome of 100% mastery/compliance; that’s a recipe for failure right from the start. Goal success should be assessed in comparison to an “average” (not super-high, not super-low) peer. If a student is exhibiting behaviors at a rate commensurate to his/her peers–even if that behavior is less-than-delightful–it isn’t fair to create a behavior goal for that behavior. Like it or not, sometimes it’s going to take more than one year to get where we need to go.

Ow! Standing on this soapbox is killing my back!

All the Stuff Your Goal Needs

• Describe the behavior (desired or undesired)
• Describe the “direction” of the behavior (increase or decrease)
• Describe the setting where you’ll be observing the behavior (across all school settings, in the general education classroom, in the special education classroom, at lunch)
• Describe the present level of performance (PLEP)
• Describe the level of performance to be met at the end of one year
• Describe the measurement tool you’ll use to assess the behavior
• Describe the tools or supports the student will use in order to increase/decrease the desired/undesired behavior.

Questions to Ask Yourself as You Proofread a Behavior Goal

• What ONE behavior am I trying to shape?
• Can I measure this goal?
• When will the goal be up for reevaluation?
• What tools will I use to measure this goal?
• How often will I measure this goal?
• In what settings will I measure this goal?
• What will I do (what appropriate replacements will I teach him/her) to help the student meet this goal?
• When and where will I teach the student the replacement behaviors?

Handy-Dandy Goal Planning Chart

Relax. This isn’t some sort of printable handout required to write a behavioral IEP (I mean, you COULD print it, but you probably won’t want to or need to). A lot of the time, I sketch out this chart on a piece of paper or make one in Google docs in the VERY EARLY planning stages of writing a goal in order to make sure the goal is workable and has all components before I get down to formally writing it. It’s just the questions above, put into a chart. If something is left blank (or I’m not sure what to write in a blank), I know I need to run it by a colleague to get some input–and maybe rewrite the goal or reassess the behavior I want to shape. If I have a lot of blanks, I know that the goal I’m trying to write isn’t realistic, and I’ve got to do something different.

W ording for Behavior Goals

In a perfect world, it is best practice to write goals that are positively worded—goals that tell the reader of the IEP what the child will be able to DO after one year, as a result of appropriate intervention. Realistically, I don’t think you can pass the “stranger test” with that type of goal when you’re looking at trying to extinguish some inappropriate behaviors; it becomes a convoluted “game” that makes the goal unclear and makes monitoring difficult. Academic or study skills goals should always be written positively. It’s advisable to discuss the best way to write behavior- centered goals with your administrators and fellow special education teachers in advance of writing the goals, in order to make certain they understand this reasoning and are “on board.” The bottom line: be positive if you can, but always make sure clarity and common sense trump word games.

“In 36 Instructional Weeks”—A Phrase I Hate

My personal pet peeve? The phrase “In 36 instructional weeks.” I hate that. It’s pretentious and gives parents no idea when they can expect to receive formal progress monitoring. In my district, we present formal progress monitoring at the end of each 9-week grading period. The school calendar for my district is posted over a year in advance. Seems like a “no brainer” to hop onto the PDF of that calendar and find the end date of each grading period and use the month/year for the end of the grading period instead. Let’s say I have an IEP meeting and initiate new goals in November. I know that my first formal progress monitoring will happen in mid-December at the end of second quarter. When I go to write my benchmarks, I wouldn’t write, “At the end of 9 instructional weeks.” First of all, there are only four instructional weeks between now and when my monitoring is due. Secondly, it just sounds unnecessarily convoluted. I would, instead, write “By mid-December 2016.” That lets parents know when to start checking the backpack or mailbox, and sounds far less stuffy (passes the “stranger test). I would also make sure, as I wrote the benchmarks for that goal, that I took into account that there would only be four weeks between the initiation of that goal and would make sure my benchmark for the first benchmark reporting period was appropriate for the short time frame.

Case Studies and Sample Goals

First of all, don’t panic. I totally made up pretend students for these examples, but they are based on actual students I have now or have had in the past. You know, kinda like that disclaimer at the beginning of episodes of Law and Order. Preferably the old episodes with Chris Noth; he’s dreamy! Oops, overshared. Anyway…

Case #1 (Anger Management): Jessica

Jessica was a fifteen-year old high school freshman in the ninth grade. Jessica was very immature for her age and had difficulty relating to her peers. She often had angry, extended rages in class when she felt frustrated by an assigned task, a problem at home, or an interaction with a peer, flying into a yelling, screaming rage that could last as long as 80 minutes (based on data collected). She had these rages, on average, two days per week, and it was making her relationships with teachers and peers difficult…not to mention the instructional time she was missing! As I collected data on Jessica, she was enrolled in my Social Skills class. Jessica, her parents, other teachers/administrators, and I noticed that she was willing to employ techniques for self-calming that she had learned in the class when her rages began in order to de-escalate; with more practice, we all felt she’d show improvement.

Definition/Description of Behavior “Extended Rages”*: Standing up and pacing the room, knocking over chairs, slamming books or other supplies on the table or throwing them on the floor, tearing papers, breaking pencils,running out of the classroom to either counseling or the behavior support room, crying, swearing (“Fuck this shit!” “He’s a fucking asshole!”), engaging in negative self talk (“I’m fucking retarded.” “Everybody knows I’m a fucking moron.”), or verbally expressing ideation of harming others (“I will kill her. I will chop off her head.” “I’m going to get revenge! I’ll get even!”)

Baseline Data: Jessica engages in extended rages* an average of 2 times per week in the general education or special education classroom. The average duration of a rage episode is 80 minutes (the longest episode observed lasted 206 minutes; the shortest episode lasted 22 minutes), based upon data collected during the 9-week period of quarter 1 2015-2016.

See that asterisk up in the Description of Behavior? That little asterisk is really important; it directs the person reading the goal to the Definition/Description of Behavior for the goal. At first, my colleagues and administrators thought the tactic was ridiculous (and wordy). However, as time has gone on, they really appreciate the specificity. After all, the phrase “extended rages,” by itself, doesn’t tell you much, does it? Furthermore, the direct quotes filled with profanity from the student aren’t there just to produce shock in the reader (although colleagues who aren’t used to really “putting it out there” can be taken aback at first); they are included so that ANYONE reading the Definition of Behavior (including the parents of the student) know EXACTLY what the behavior looks and sounds like and what they need to watch for when taking data. Some people may choose to change words like “fuck” to “f$%^,” but I think this is juvenile (we’ve all heard those words), unprofessional (this is supposed to be a clinical description of behavior), and empowering for the student (“Tee hee! They had to bleep out my bad words in the IEP!”). Seriously, if you’re in this line of work, you aren’t a delicate flower; just write down the word, be clinical about it, and move on.

Goal: By mid-December 2017, Jessica will reduce her extended rages in general education and special education settings to 1 or fewer incidents per week, lasting 30 or fewer minutes per incident by independently using appropriate self-calming strategies (journaling, drawing, taking a “time out” in the quiet area of the recovery room, etc.).

What tool will you use to assess the goal?: Frequency and duration log, ABC data analysis (to identify antecedents to aid in the teaching of preventive strategies)

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior (“self-calming strategies”) be taught?: Guided practice with gradual release, teacher modeling, direct instruction in Social Skills class via target lessons

Case #2 (Social Interactions or Executive Function): Wade

Wade was seriously the sweetest kid ever. He was deeply sensitive, very insightful, had a wonderful kindness about him…and had absolutely no idea that his interrupting and blurting out during class was making me want to lock him in the closet with duct tape over his mouth (relax…I idn’t actually DO it). Sometimes, Wade would blurt out something on topic to the lesson…but it was an inappropriate time (such as when the teacher was giving direct instruction). Sometimes, Wade would blurt out a question about the assignment that was specific to just him at an inappropriate time (“Mrs. Williams, can I turn in my vocabulary now?” “No, Wade, we’re doing a lab right now. If you let go of the beaker, Tommy will be permanently blinded by caustic acid. You’ll have to wait.”). Sometimes, Wade would blurt out something totally off-topic AND at the wrong time (during a lesson on Emily Dickenson: “You know what would be awesome? A ninja penguin!”).

Definition/Description of Behavior (“verbal interrupting”): Wade engages in verbal interruptions of classroom instruction, such as blurting out a piece of information relevant to the topic but at an inappropriate time, calling out a question related to the class at an inappropriate time, or blurting out a comment unrelated to the topic at an inappropriate time.

Baseline Data: Wade engages in an average of 19 verbal interruptions per 50-minute class period in the general education/co-taught classroom setting/special education setting, based on 12, 50-minute classroom observations.

Goal: By April 2017, Wade will employ self-regulation skills to reduce his verbal interruptions general education, co-taught, and special education classes to 9 or fewer per 50-minute class period, based on a minimum of 8, 50-minute observations per 9-week grading period.

What tool will you use to assess the goal?: frequency count

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior be taught?: direct instruction of self-regulation skills (pausing and counting to three before speaking, writing down questions to ask at a later time, etc.) in Social Skills class

Case #3 (Executive Function): Aaron

Aaron’s parents and teachers were frustrated. Aaron was a junior in high school but still was unable to keep track of due dates and papers or to figure out how to prioritize assignments for his classes and was, as a result, getting lots of “0”s logged in the grade book. This is probably the #1 behavior goal I’ve seen written in IEPs, across all populations within special education. It is also probably the #1 behavior goal for which I have observed a “fall down” on teaching skills and replacement behaviors…which means the student didn’t make progress.

The progress monitoring for this type of goal is pretty simple. If your school uses a computerized gradebook database, you can log in and count up the number of assignments, then count up the number of “0”s the student has received. A little 3rd grade long division, and you’ve got yourself a percentage of work completed. Like I said, the progress monitoring is the easy part for this type of goal.

Teaching the skills necessary to improve organization and executive function is the tough part.

Definition/Description of the Behavior (failing to turn in assigned classwork): Aaron fails to turn in homework and in-class assignments because he loses/misplaces papers, forgets to turn in completed work, or fails to finish assignments by their due dates.

Baseline Data: During quarter 1 2015-2016, Aaron turned in an average of 62% of all assigned work in his core academic classes (Geometry, English 11, Physical Science, American History) with an average score of 70% on turned-in assignments in each class.

Goal: By October 2016, Aaron will apply learned task management skills to turn in an average of 80% of assigned work in his core academic classes (English, Math, Social Studies, Science) with an average score of 70% or better on turned-in assignments in each class.

What tool will you use to assess the goal?: teacher gradebooks

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior be taught?: direct instruction of organizational skills (using labeled folders, etc.), guided task prioritization (to-do lists ranked by order of importance, etc.), and instruction in using Google calendar to track due dates in Study Skills class, weekly one-to-one guided practice with the school social worker or counselor (15 minutes per occasion)

Case #4 (Hygiene): Lindsey

Lindsey, a sophomore, was very intelligent (wound up scoring a 32 on the ACT)…but she was oblivious to social norms regarding hygiene and appearance. It hurt her feelings when peers avoided sitting near her or working in groups with her, but the smell and her generally disheveled/dirty appearance were off-putting for the other teenagers in her classes. Just “talking to her” wasn’t working; Lindsey couldn’t understand the importance of hygiene (“They should like me for who I am on the inside!”), nor could she seem to figure out the steps needed to actually follow through a grooming routine. Because her lack of grooming and hygiene were impacting her social interactions with peers, the IEP team felt it was appropriate to create a goal to improve it.

FYI, this was one of those times where we had to create a rubric in order to take data on the behavior. That rubric (see below) turned into our assessment tool as we monitored the goal. This tool is a good example of the importance of creating assessment tools that are simple and quick for staff to use; a convoluted tool would have made it difficult to keep accurate daily data while co-teaching her first hour class. We had the hour 1 special education co-teacher do this quick assessment each day Lindsey was in class, then her Social Skills teacher followed up with her on it later in the day. We found it very helpful to keep our data on a shared Google doc (something I do a LOT, but check with your own building admins about the acceptability of this practice in your district) so we could all easily check in on how she was doing, including Lindsey herself and her mom. The goal was for Lindsey to get as many checkmarks in the “met criteria” column as possible. Because she was a sophomore in high school, we sought to avoid tangible reinforcers; a favorable reaction from her peers was highly motivational for Lindsey…and a much more “natural” reinforcer (as well as one that staff would not have to provide).

Personal Grooming Assessment

Definition/Description of Behavior (poor hygiene): Lindsey comes to school daily with dirty hands/neck/face, discernible bad breath, discernible body odor, unbrushed/unwashed hair, stained/dirty/wrinkled/holey/worn clothing.

Baseline Data: Lindsey “meets criteria” on an average of 0/6 hygiene criteria on her daily Personal Grooming Assessment, based on 15 direct classroom observations in her hour 1 class.

Goal: By March 2017, Lindsey will use a grooming checklist to meet criteria on 4 or more hygiene criteria on the Personal Grooming Assessment, based on a minimum of 3 direct classroom observations per week during her hour 1 class each 9-week grading period.

What tool will you use to assess the goal?: Personal Grooming Assessment rubric

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior be taught?: direct instruction of grooming practices in Social Skills class (including use of a personal hygiene checklist), corrective instruction by staff

Case #5 (Social Interactions): Marley

Definition/Description of Behavior (“sharing inappropriate personal information”): Marley shares inappropriate personal information during unstructured conversations with peers and staff while in the general education/co-taught setting (“When I was in rehab last year, they wouldn’t let us have shoelaces.” “I haven’t smoked any weed in five months.” “The last time I was in juvie, the food sucked.” etc.)

Baseline Data: Marley engages in an average of 6 instances of verbally sharing inappropriate personal information with peers or staff per class period in the general education/co-taught setting, based on 12, 50-minute observations in English 9, Algebra 1, Biology, and Health.

Goal: By October 2017, Marley will utilize socially appropriate conversation skills to engage in 1 or fewer instances of verbally sharing inappropriate personal information with peers or staff per 50-minute class period in the general education/co-taught setting, based on a minimum of 12, 50-minute observations per 9-week grading period.

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior be taught?: direct instruction, modeling, and role-playing of appropriate conversational skills in Social Skills class

Case #6 (Thinking/Internal Monologue or Social Interactions): Camilla

Camilla was “thrown out” of parochial school in the third grade after four difficult years there. Even as a young child, Camilla had serious episodes of emotional dysregulation and violent behavior. After years of attending alternative schools, Camilla returned to the traditional high school setting in the 9th grade. She desperately wanted to make friends and fit in…but it wasn’t going as planned. At the alternative school, Camilla was the prettiest, wittiest, smartest, and most popular; at “regular” school, she was just one more fish in a very large pond. Camilla had always struggled with obsessive and repeated negative self-talk (“I’m so stupid,” “Everyone hates me,” “I’m just a fat, ugly troll.” etc.); back at the alternative school, she was given lots of positive verbal reinforcement for the behavior (“No, you’re not,” “You’re really pretty,” “You’re not fat,” etc.). Due to the overwhelmingly positive responses she had gotten from teachers and peers, making negative comments about herself had become her go-to (ineffective and awkward) conversation starter. However, back at “regular” school, students mostly just sought to avoid her due to her negativity, and teachers (busy with academic instruction) weren’t providing the level of reinforcement to which she had grown accustomed. This was leading to an escalation in the behavior, and to an escalation into “tantrums.” We knew it was a habit she’d have to break in order to be successful.

Definition/Description of Behavior (“negative self-talk”): Camilla makes negative comments about herself (“I’m so fat,” “I’m stupid,” “Everybody just wishes I would die,” etc.) during conversations with teachers at peers across all school settings (general education, special education, co-taught classes).

Baseline Data: Camilla engages in negative self-talk in conversations with teachers and peers across all school settings (general education, special education, co-taught classes) an average of 13 times per 50-minute class period, based on 12, 50-minute observations.

Goal: Camilla will employ appropriate conversational skills to reduce incidences of negative self-talk in conversations with peers and teachers to 5 or fewer per 50-minute class period, based on a minimum of 9, once-weekly, 50-minute observations per 9-week grading period.

How and where will the skill/replacement behavior be taught?: direct instruction of appropriate conversational skills via modeling, guided practice, and reinforcement of appropriate conversations in Social Skills class

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Behavior Essay Examples

The power of actions: speaking louder than words.

Actions have a remarkable ability to convey messages and make a lasting impact. While words can be persuasive, actions hold a unique power that goes beyond mere rhetoric. This essay explores how actions can speak louder than words, transcending language barriers and leaving a lasting...

The "What You Give is What You Get" Phenomenon

The concept of "What you give is what you get" is a fundamental principle that underlies various aspects of human interactions and behaviors. In this essay, we will explore the significance of this principle in social dynamics, personal development, and even broader societal contexts. From...

The Application of Psychology in Everyday Life

Psychology, the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes, plays a significant role in our everyday lives, often without us even realizing it. From making decisions and managing emotions to understanding and interacting with others, psychology influences various aspects of our daily experiences. In...

The Innate Human Desire: Do People Need to Belong

Belonging is a fundamental human need that plays a crucial role in our lives. Throughout history, humans have sought to form connections and establish a sense of belonging with others. This essay explores the importance of belonging and the impact it has on individuals' well-being...

Discussion of Whether Parents Are Responsible for Their Children's Behavior

The three articles are crucial in understanding behavioral problems in children. They also help to evaluate how parenting influence children behaviors. Here I want to find out arguments against well-known statement that parents are not responsible for their children's behavior. This essay gives analysis of...

The Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: the Depiction of Our Needs

The Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs essay explores the influential theory proposed by Abraham Maslow, which arranges human needs in a hierarchical order, and has been widely applied in psychology, education, business, and beyond. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology that was proposed...

What is Morality and How It Shapes How People Behave

Morality is a term that is used to describe the set of values and principles that guide human behavior and decision-making. It encompasses concepts such as right and wrong, good and evil, and the principles that underpin ethical behavior. "What is morality?" is the core...

Exploring the Hidden Truth About What Does It Mean to Be Wicked

What does it mean to be wicked? This essay states that this phrase means to be morally bad or evil. It is a term used to describe someone who deliberately and intentionally chooses to act in ways that are harmful or unethical. Being wicked implies...

Specifics of Philip Zimbardo’s Perspective of Stanford Prison Experiment

Phillip Zimbardo’s book “The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil” examines how we are all susceptible to making poor choices. Zimbardo argues that there is both good and evil in the world and the line between good and evil is easy to cross,...

American Concept of Morality and Its Problems

Some scholars claim that “American society is in a dire moral state, and there is urgent need to renewal, revival, and recommitment .” Are these scholars right with their claims? Is American culture lacking morals? The essay about morality aims to discover the concept of...

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• Stanford Prison Experiment
• Human Behavior
• Behaviorism
• Child Behavior
• Attachment Theory
• Operant Conditioning
• Classical Conditioning
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Consciousness
• Nature Versus Nurture
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
• Procrastination
• Self Concept
• Child Development
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychologist
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

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