What are other De-Escalation Techniques that
I can apply in my classrooms?
** Star those you already use
Check those you are willing to try (at least 3)
---- Draw a line through any that would never work for you, given your teaching style.
Use their name
Using a person’s name can be calming and convey respect. However, overuse can make you sound artificial.
Escape Passes
Give a limited number of five-minute cardboard passes to leave the room and cool down. Give the student control of when to use them. (Bowman et. al., 1997).
Errand List
The teacher keeps a list of student preferred errands at her desk. When she notices a student starting to get angry, she looks at the list and has the student complete the task (i.e. note to secretary, check mailbox, etc.).
Manipulatives
Lego’s, drawing, ripping up recycling materials
Release Energy
Allow an opportunity for the child to release pent-up energy. Jogging for 10 minutes may reduce aggression by up to 50% with the maximum benefit being after the first hour (Allen, 1980).
Humor Break
When the room is full of stress, the teacher cues for a humor break and tells a joke, funny story, or silly trivia (Bowman et. al., 1997).
Fogging
A way of confusing provoking parties by appearing to agree with them (Bowman et. al., 1997). When a student says, “You’re the meanest teacher I’ve ever had,” respond with, “Thank you for the compliment” or “You’re probably right.” If a student makes a “not-so-nice” comment about your clothes, say, “You really think I have no taste?”
Plead for Their Sympathy
Normally I don’t mind your humming, but I have a headache today, could you help me by being quiet? This can be helpful with some students. With others it can be an advertisement to make more noise.
Use Verbal Decoding
Instead of assuming every action is against you as the teacher or counselor, use reflective listening to get at the underlying message. For example, if a student drops their books, the teacher might respond, “It looks like you’re upset today.” (Bowman et. al., 1997).
Use of “Matter of Fact” Approach
By using a calm, level-head approach, it may actually help the angry student to begin to “cool down.” The “passionate” approach with the angry student may actually be making things worse.
Teach coping strategies
Assess which coping or communication strategies the student may be missing and then try to teach it to them. Set up situations in which the student can practice using the skill.
Teach Positive Self-Talk
Have the student practice self-talk ahead of time, maybe evena 3x5” card on the desk of statements like. “I can handle this, it’s no big deal,” “I’ll survive,” “Tomorrow will be a better day” (Bowman et. al., 1997).
Teach ‘The Pressure Point’
Teach student to press finger and thumb together to the count of ten as a means of competing with impulsivity (Bowman et. al., 1997). Teach the student how to ‘Ask for Help’: Teach how to appropriately ask for help and reinforce use of this skill. Cue the student when they might need help, like, “the next section is pretty hard, and you might need to ask for help.”
Teach Problem-Solving
Teach a problem-solving method which has the components of identifying the problem, brainstorming, picking a workable solution, trying it, evaluation, and starting over if necessary.
Teach Self-Monitoring
Teach student to monitor feelings and then time themselves out if needed. The student may not have the complex understanding of feelings that we do, therefore we may need to help them learn to identify their “gut” feelings and then take preventative action based on that feeling (Feeney & Ylvisaker, 1996).
Side or Cross Dialogue
When the student won’t listen to teacher. Two teachers can have a conversation about what the student needs to do to resolve the conflict and earn back privileges. Most students will listen to what adults are saying about them. This can sometimes be helpful in communicating to the student without forcing them to listen. (Mandt, 1994).
Give the Student Power
When the student seeks power in the classroom, find ways to appropriately give the student power. Let the student choose which activities will be next, or ask the student to work with you to help develop classroom rules. However, do not give the student power for things that are not appropriate.
Invite the Last Word
When a student always wants to get in the last word, say, “I know you wish to get in the last word, so go ahead and say what you wish. By doing this, the student feels he/she has gained some power but really you, the teacher have the power because you allowed the student to finish (Bowman et. al., 1997).
Contracts/Rules
Invite the student to develop contracts and rules with you, including rewards and consequences.
Say, “You’re Right!”
To deserved criticism, responding with “you’re right” serves to prevent the conflict from going any further. To undeserved criticism, saying, “you’re right” but adding the excuse. It is also important to follow these statements with appropriate plan to correct the action (Bowman et. al., 1997)
Natural Consequences
State the positive first: “When you put the chair down quietly, you may stay in the play area and play games.” Then, state the negative: “If you don’t put the chair down quietly, you’ll need to stop playing and leave the play area.”
Use of Fantasy
Ask the student to fantasize about having their way, but then help them cope with reality. Example: “Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to do Social Studies. However, we have to complete the assignment, so how can we get it done as painlessly as possible?”