Change display time — Currently: Central Daylight Time (CDT) (Event time)

Root Causes of Behavior: Cultivate a Calmer School and Classrooms

,
Marriott Rivercenter - Grand Ballroom HKL

Preconference

ASCD Annual Content

Preregistration Required

Additional Fee

Save to My Favorites

Session description

If you’re an educator who is exhausted by surface-level behavior interventions that don’t seem to stick—or an administrator seeking to support trauma-informed teaching in a practical, research-based way—this session is for you. Through rich dialogue, experiential activities, and real-world strategies, you’ll learn how to address the root causes of behavior by understanding the interplay between neurodivergence, executive function, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma. You’ll leave equipped with actionable tools to create calmer classrooms, support student self-regulation, and boost engagement—while also sustaining your own well-being.

Outline

Part 1: Beyond the Behavior – Understanding the Root Causes

• Many students’ behaviors stem from unmet needs, not intentional defiance.

• Explore how ADHD, trauma, and anxiety show up in the classroom—and why traditional discipline often fails these students.

• Reflect on your current assumptions about student behavior and what might be beneath the surface.

Takeaway: A foundational understanding of how brain-based differences drive behavior and why compassion is a powerful classroom strategy.

Part 2: Rethinking Behavior Plans – What Doesn’t Work (and Why)

• Traditional tools like color charts, time-outs, and rigid consequences often backfire for neurodivergent learners.

• We’ll analyze how interventions can unintentionally reinforce shame or masking, rather than regulation and growth.

• Participants will explore alternative, supportive approaches rooted in emotional safety.

Takeaway: Clarity on why many conventional interventions fail—and what to do instead.

Part 3: Teaching Attention – Practical, Brain-Based Strategies

• Dive into five attention strategies that support focus and regulation for all learners:

Multimodal input

Cognitive load reduction

Self-regulation

Positive relationships

Background knowledge activation

• Participate in an interactive activity to explore trauma vs. ADHD through these strategies.

Takeaway: A ready-to-implement toolkit of strategies for attention and engagement.

Part 4: Root Cause Analysis – Moving From Reaction to Intention

• Conduct a “Behavior Autopsy” to identify underlying drivers of common classroom challenges.

• Use trauma-informed principles to design individualized supports that target root causes.

• Collaborate in teams to build actionable intervention plans.

Takeaway: A framework for matching supports to students' real needs, not just their behaviors.

Part 5: Executive Function and Emotional Regulation – Building Skills that Stick

• Learn how ADHD and trauma impact working memory, impulse control, and flexible thinking.

• Discover research-backed ways to teach executive function explicitly—especially for students who need co-regulation before independence.

• Explore role-play scripts, safety plans, and body-awareness tools.

Takeaway: Concrete tools to help students develop lifelong regulation and planning skills.