Teaching is my Passion

EDUC511

 Behavior is Communication

       Behavior is a form of communication that can be observed by others yet triggered by multiple underlying factors that can’t be seen through the naked eye.Every person whether an adult or a child communicates with others through behavior every single moment of his life. This our bread and butter.

       Laughing, crying, displaying a high or low tone of voice and every type of reaction or action we do is a sign of behavior pushed to the surface by hidden triggers.

While this topic applies to individuals regardless of age, sex, or any other dynamics, it holds extra significance for children specifically who are unable of articulating and expressing like adults. 

Indeed, it takes us years of accrued experience and high levels of maturity and emotional intelligence to be able to define what triggers us to behave in a certain way and propose remedies.  

        In the child’s case, this is inapplicable. This means that when it comes to a child behaving in an odd, extreme or unusual way, our role as adults is to investigate, judge then act accordingly. One common act parents or educators do is using rewards or punishments directly to get compliance, yet this alone remains irrelevant if the child’s behavior isn’t interpreted in a proper way that leads to addressing the challenge properly.

The child might be in need of more than a reward or less than a punishment or in between, yet only a proper investigation leading to a scientific interpretation can help us define the factors leading to this behavior to support our children in their growth journey.

The role of educators particularly is imperative since children spend most of their day at school which is regarded as their second home. Some educators might miss the point of reading between the lines and interpret a child’s unaccepted attitude as just misbehavior.

When we confront a child’s misbehavior, we as educators or parents should behave as investigators to define why this attitude has occurred. We should do our best to identify

the stressors, work on reducing them and teaching our kids or students the skills that can help them respond to these stressors in the best way. 

  The major stressors that may affect a students’ behavior lie in one of the five domains of self-regulation. They can be biological, emotional, cognitive, social or prosocial. It is very important  to take into consideration these five domains to get a complete understanding of the child’s behavior.When we understand our kids better we will be able to deal with them properly.

     Parents and educators should always remember that behavior is communication that requires interpretation. Behind each behavior there is a message the kid is trying to deliver and it is our responsibility as teachers or parents to find out what each behavior is trying to tell us. This is our mission and challenge for life.