So what exactly should you be doing instead?

First...figure out what skills each specific challenging student is lacking and what problems continuously set the stage for that student’s challenging episodes. If you click here, you’ll see the list of skills we frequently find lagging in challenging kids. Take a few moments to look at the list…you’ll probably find many items that describe your challenging students to a tee. We call these “skills that need to be trained,” and as you’ve already read, the school discipline program doesn’t teach any of these skills.

Then think about the situations in which each challenging student is most likely to exhibit challenging behavior. During specific academic tasks? Or circle time? On the school bus? During lunch? At recess? In the hallway between classes? We call these “problems that have yet to be solved.” If a problem is still setting the stage for challenging episodes, then that’s pretty solid proof that the problem isn’t solved yet.

Once you’ve identified the lagging skills and unsolved problems contributing to a student’s difficulties, you’re ready for an approach geared towards solving problems and teaching skills. Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) was first described in the book, The Explosive Child, by Dr. Ross Greene, and it’s how we help educators solve problems, teach skills, restore communication, and improve relationships with their challenging students.

How does CPS work? Well, instead of helping adults get better at imposing their will and giving kids the incentive to comply, CPS helps kids and adults learn how to solve problems together. Along the way, kids learn how to be more flexible, better tolerate frustration, solve problems, and a whole bunch of other skills crucial for handling life’s challenges.

Is it hard work? Yes, very hard work. But you’re working hard already. We want to make sure you have something to show for your hard work.

Interested in learning more? We were hoping you might be. On the Resources page, you’ll find all kinds of resources to help you learn about CPS and help you and your challenging students begin to collaborate on solving the problems that have been causing classroom disruptions for a long time.