Reframing Student Behavior in the Moment

A simple shift in language that helps students reset—before consequences escalate

It’s been a couple of weeks…I took some time to celebrate a milestone birthday and spend time with family over spring break.

And I have to say - just like students - I really craved the structure of my weekly routines. So I am glad to be back and back at it!

Last time, I shared the 3 part formula for responding behavior in the moment. This week, I want to take a deeper dive into one of these strategies: reframing.

Reframing isn’t typically something we name or plan for, but most of us are already doing it all the time. So let’s make it a little more explicit—what does it actually mean to reframe behavior in the moment?

• Reframing language works well for students who need more scaffolding before receiving a direct consequence.

• Works well for students that are triggered easily and may not having the coping skills in the moment to accept the consequence

• We can use reframing language to portray a negative behavior in a positive way

• Works well after a reminder is given and student is still not on task

Here are three strategies for using Reframing Language:

So this week, pick one situation where you’d normally move quickly to a consequence, and try a reframe first. You might be surprised how often that small shift is enough to move a student forward.