Virtual Summer Convening

This presentation examines the underlying reasons why many classroom-based interventions for challenging student behaviors fail to achieve sustained success in engagement and regulation, despite teachers’ dedicated efforts. Focusing on kindergarten through high school settings, Dr. Minahan will analyze the limitations of traditional classroom behavior management approaches. These traditional methods frequently prioritize observable behaviors while overlooking internal processes, such as distorted cognitive patterns and inaccurate perceptions, which are core features of anxiety and trauma and profoundly impact behavior. Commonplace classroom practices often rely heavily on external rewards and consequences rather than prioritizing preventative strategies and the explicit instruction of adaptive skills.

When classroom strategies fail and progress stalls, the current approach is likely overlooking key factors required to address challenging behaviors in students with mental health needs. Three specific “blind spots” include: 1) the connection between cognitive perceptions and behavior, 2) the student’s baseline self-awareness, and 3) the necessity of directly teaching skills to modify behavior.

As a result of this workshop, teachers will be equipped to identify current gaps in classroom behavioral support and develop a roadmap for effective, positive behavioral interventions. In addition to shifting existing pedagogical practices to address these blind spots, teachers will acquire practical, easily implemented strategies to mitigate negative and inaccurate cognitive patterns across common classroom activities. These approaches are designed to prevent dysregulated behaviors and enhance student engagement, task initiation, persistence, emotional regulation, and self-monitoring through practical, preventive methodologies.