Are you looking for ways to support students who throw temper tantrums? If so, keep reading.
1. Dissuade the student from engaging in those learning activities that cause them unhappiness.
2. Give the student positive feedback that indicates they are successful, competent, essential, respected, etc.
3. Find individuals with whom the student may communicate about their unhappiness (e.g., guidance counselor, school nurse, social worker, school psychologist, etc.).
4. Provide the student additional duties (e.g., chores, errands, etc.) to give them a feeling of success or accomplishment.
5. Organize their surroundings so the student does not have time to dwell on real or imagined problems.
6. Help the student identify how they wish things were in their surroundings and work with the student toward those goals.
7. Teach the student alternative ways to deal with requirements, challenges, and pressures of the school-age experience (e.g., deal with problems when they arise, practice self-control at all times, share problems or concerns with others, etc.).
8. Help the student identify when they are getting upset so something can be done to help them calm down (e.g., walk away, talk about feelings in a socially acceptable way, seek help from an adult, etc.).
9. Teach the student alternative ways to express unhappiness (e.g., express in writing, orally, etc.).
10. Refrain from topics, situations, etc., that remind the student of unpleasant experiences or problems (e.g., divorce, death, unemployment, alcoholism, etc.).
11. Follow up less desirable learning activities with more desirable learning activities.
12. Take the student away from the learning experience until they can demonstrate appropriate behavior and self-control.
13. Provide the student some decision-making power (e.g., seating task, the order of tasks, daily schedule, etc.).
14. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Repeated failure may cause the student to throw a temper tantrum.
15. Assist the student in selecting learning activities that do not cause anger, frustration, anxiety, etc.
16. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
17. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
18. Consider using a socio-emotional learning app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
19. Consider using an emotional intelligence app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
20. Consider using a school counseling app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
