Featured Posts
Banished to the Back of the Line….Because You Were Struggling.
September 27, 2023
It’s a new school year, and therefore it’s not uncommon to see teachers spending a lot of energy making sure rules are followed and expectations are met. One area that always seems to require a lot of energy from teachers AND students: The hallway. It was elementary school. The kids were ‘walking like soldiers’ down the hall, having just being...
You Can Join Us, But Only If You’re Good???
August 25, 2023
Dear Educators, When you have “end of year”, “end of semester” or “end of testing” parties, and base participation in those events on “good behavior”, you’re making some children feel TERRIBLE and alienating them in the process. Your students want to do well. ALL KIDS WANT TO DO WELL! The students who were “bad” were having a hard time meeting...
The Dropoff
August 14, 2023
I went to an elementary school early to experience the morning dropoff and help anyone who may need a little support with the transition into school. As I arrived at the school, I was “announced” by a group of some of my tiny friends: “MR. GREG IS HEEEEEERE!” I’ve been an OT for almost a quarter of a century. That...
Manipulating Kids via Mascots: Compliance-Based Behavior Management Under the Guise of School Spirit.
August 3, 2023
Bulldog Bucks Cougar Cash Lion Loot Panther Points Tiger Tickets Spartan Stars Schools are addicted to using extrinsic rewards to get compliance. The philosophy is simple and steeped in behaviorism: Reward the behavior you want, and deny access or punish for behavior you don’t want. For the kids who are able to meet expectations, these behavior programs are often unnecessary....
Taking Away Recess: A Revenge Mindset
July 25, 2023
A little boy had recess taken away from him. The reason? He was standing at lunch. They told him to sit down, and he did, but then he stood up again. As a “consequence” for non-compliance, he lost recess. The little boy is a happy, energetic, on-the-go, sensory seeker. “Sitting still” is hard, so his body did what it thought was...
Say You’re Sorry (But Only If You Mean It!)
July 11, 2022
Say You’re Sorry! (but only if you mean it!) We often demand an apology from kids when they do something to another child. But what if they don’t mean it? What if they’re NOT sorry? What if they think THEY’VE been wronged? What if they’re still angry about what happened? Here are a few articles to further explain why forced...