BLAST OFF to Crisis Management

I had a great day today… the kind of day that makes me happy I’m a teacher.  It was one of those days when the chemistry in my class was just right, children made good choices, and a lot of learning happened.  Sounds like just another normal, though particularly good day, right?  Not quite.  My prep and entire schedule was changed, a 'new' person covered my class, my students missed their favorite period of the day due to an assembly... basically, a recipe for disaster. However, my day went well because of effective crisis management. In a crisis situation, one or more students has a “meltdown,” potentially caused by a variety of factors such as trouble at home, bad academic news, a fight, teasing, student illness that causes upset, or other unsettling events, like today's schedule changes.  I use a strategy I developed called BLAST OFF to de-escalate these crises.

One of my students had a fairly major and public meltdown today... he has a very limited tolerance to disruptions to his routine.  However, by really focusing on the last F you're about to see, we were able to turn a potentially disastrous day into a very positive one!  I am always impressed with my students, but it's days like today that they really shine.  I hope these steps can help you experience a similar outcome!

Be realistic.
Don't tell a student you'll do something you really won't do, like threaten to call their parents or call security or the office.  However, be clear about your planned response to a situation: "I am going to put you with Ms. X during this assembly.  I will pick you up as soon as it is over."

Listen.
Sometimes, students act up more in a situation because they feel like you are not taking them seriously.  When they are talking, don't interrupt, and frame your responses in "accountable talk" language, like "I hear that you are saying _____, is that right?"  or "It sounds like you are upset about _____, did I hear you correctly?"  Understand that doing that isn't VALIDATING the student's concerns, but it is clarifying them, which can sometimes de-escalate sticky situations. 

Ask questions. 
Through good questioning, you can come to understand a situation and then start to feel out how to work through it.  Additionally, you can guide a student's process through a tough situation by framing your responses as questions.  At the same time, try to avoid yes-or-no questions... you want to keep your students talking, because usually talking students are more receptive to problem-solving or conflict-resolution than are screaming students or silent students.

Stay calm. 
Especially with really upset students, it is important that they see that you are not fazed by their actions.  This takes away the "shock factor" of really out-there behavior.  It also can provide some stability for upset students to see that an emergency situation is not fazing YOU.  Students really rely on their teachers for calm and support, and if you are visibly upset they will be less able to calm down.

Talk it out. 
You can usually diffuse a situation by talking honestly with your student.  At the same time, do not allow your student to get into a “did not/did too” argument with you, and don’t bother getting into a standoff with your student… there’s no use in arguing with an upset child.  Instead, develop techniques to take time out or discuss it at an agreed-upon interval later… sometimes, having a “buddy teacher” to whom you can send upset students is useful.  Make it clear to your student that they are going to have a chance to cool off, not as a punishment.

Offer support/sympathy. 
Make sure your student knows that you care, and that the behavior is what you’re trying to handle, not the student.  Make sure your student knows that you are there for him/her and that you have his/her best interests at heart.

Follow through. 
If you say you are going to do something, do it!  Consistency is really key to handling tough situations with students, and if you say you are going to (talk to a parent, talk to another teacher, talk to another student, talk to a guidance counselor/administrator), make sure you do it and that your student knows that you have done so in order to solidify the trust bond between you. 

Faith in your students!
As much as it may be frustrating to deal with “crisis situations,” they can be great times for “teachable moments” and proving to your students that you really do believe in them.  Kids are resilient, and if you give them a chance to work through a problem, they will often surprise you.  Work with them to develop a solution, don’t just hand one to them based on your own knowledge or experience… what works for one child will not necessarily work for all of them.

Note: as a follow up, I use a communication log with some students to enable them to express their frustration about a situation in an appropriate way and get a response from me when I have a moment to write one.  This helps students feel as if their concerns are being taken seriously while also giving them a chance to take a breather from a tantrum or meltdown to write, and lets me take time to think about how to address the students’ personal concerns.  The student did recover from the incident and was able to have a successful remainder of the day due to BLAST OFF and the fact that the rest of my students supported and respected his needs during his crisis. 

How do you support your students and handle crisis situations in your classroom?  Please post your ideas here!