Are you looking for strategies to help students who show unacceptable behavior going to and from school? If so, keep reading.
1. Assess the appropriateness of the task concerning the student’s capacity and ability to perform the task successfully.
2. Select a peer to escort the student when going to and from school to monitor and urge appropriate behavior.
3. Escort the student when going to and from school to teach the student appropriate behavior (e.g., using sidewalks, crossing at crosswalks, taking the most direct route, boarding the bus, sitting quietly, remaining seated, leaving the bus, etc.).
4. Designate the student duties to perform when going to and from school (e.g., act as the bus driver’s assistant to monitor behavior, escort a younger peer to and from school, pick up trash on the way to and from school, etc.).
5. Urge the student to report problems that happen while going to and from school (e.g., being bullied, approached by strangers, teased by other students, etc.).
6. Let logical consequences happen if the student fails to demonstrate appropriate behavior when going to and from school (e.g., parents will have to give transportation and/or supervision).
7. Make sure the student is seated near the bus driver to prevent unacceptable behavior when riding the bus to and from school.
8. Create a behavioral agreement with the bus driver and the student for appropriate behavior on the bus while riding to and from school.
9. Get “block parents” to monitor the student’s behavior when going to and from school.
10. Prior to the student leaving the school, make sure that they know the rules about walking to and from school (e.g., walk on the sidewalk, walk nicely with friends, etc.).
11. Create rules for appropriate behavior when going to and from school: • Sit quietly on the bus. • Remain seated on the bus. • Utilize a quiet voice while on the bus. • Take the most direct route when walking to and from school. • Utilize sidewalks. • Follow up crossing rules at crosswalks. • Refrain from fighting on the way to and from school. Examine rules often. Praise students for following the rules.
12. Get the student to question any directions, explanations, or instructions they do not understand.
13. Select a peer to model appropriate behavior going to and from school for the student.
14. Connect with parents (e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the student’s progress. The parents may reinforce the student at home for demonstrating appropriate behavior when going to and from school.
15. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., sitting quietly on the bus) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.
16. Praise the student for demonstrating appropriate behavior going to and from school based on the number of times the student can be successful. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of times required for reinforcement.
17. Praise those students in the classroom who demonstrate appropriate behavior going to and from school.
18. Converse with the student to explain (a) what the student is doing wrong (e.g., fighting on the bus, taking an indirect route to and from school, etc.) and (b) what the student should be doing (e.g., sitting quietly on the bus, taking the most direct route to and from school, etc.).
19. Praise the student for demonstrating appropriate behavior going to and from school: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., privileges such as leading the line, handing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).
20. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
21. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
22. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.
23. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
