Resources to Support Challenging Child Behavior

I have a bright student with Asperger’s who is falling behind in his grades. When I talk to him about it, he doesn’t seem to understand what he has to do to pull up his grade. He doesn’t seem to care much about the work that is assigned.

I have a student who can not keep his spit in his mouth, but he will also purposely spit on his peers.  Do you have any suggestions?

I have a new student who has extremely limited communication skills and many challenging behaviors. He can imitate some sounds and words but does not use them functionally. He will hit, scream, or scratch to get something he wants or to get out of something that he doesn’t want to do. Also, when he wants something he will just go and get it on his own. His parents report the same behaviors at home and that they often give him whatever he wants just to stop the screaming.

My student chews anything he can.  He will chew anything that is on his desk like his pencil or eraser.  He chews on his shirt sometimes and often his fingernails.  What can I do to stop this behavior?

I teach 2nd grade in a very busy classroom.  There is one student who has major difficulty with certain academic tasks and will melt down whenever he gets frustrated.  We don’t know what to do when he gets like that – it’s very disruptive!  Sending him out of the classroom isn’t the answer.  What can I do to help him calm down?

I have several students in my classroom who seem to get very anxious when we’re going on field trips. I’ve tried explaining where we’re going in advance, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. What can I do to help them feel more comfortable on these outings?

I have a student who has a difficult time waiting. School assemblies and other events are difficult for him. How can I help reduce his anxiety during times when we have to wait for a variety of reasons as waiting for the ‘show’, or waiting for many other classes to arrive?

My son is 9, has autism, and he is constantly sticking his tongue in his nose out of habit. The kids at school are making fun of him and it grosses other students and people out. Can you suggest a way to stop it?

So many times I have to deal with calling out behavior or tears because I did not call on a particular student. How can I decrease this behavior? I can’t call on everyone all the time.

My child is 5 years old and cannot sit through dinner with the family. He will jump up, come back take a few bites, if any bites at all, bang on the table, and sometimes just leave and play with his toys. We never have a peaceful family meal. Any suggestions?