Why Do They Do That? Understanding the 'Why' Behind Challenging Behaviors

Last week, I shared how schools use RtI2 as a safety net for students. This week, let's dig deeper into something that changed my teaching: understanding why students misbehave.

I used to think Marcus was just being defiant during math. He'd crumple his papers, refuse to start, and sometimes leave the room. But when I asked the right questions, I realized he wasn't being difficult—he genuinely couldn't do multi-digit multiplication. His behavior was escape, pure and simple.

Here's the truth: every behavior serves a purpose. Students might act out to avoid hard tasks, gain attention, access something they want, or because the behavior itself feels good. Sometimes, it's even our classroom setup causing the problem—I learned my 5:1 praise-to-correction ratio was way off!

The game-changer? Asking "why" before jumping to consequences. Is it a "can't do" (skill deficit) or "won't do" (motivation) problem? The distinction matters because solutions differ completely. When I started teaching Marcus the missing math skills instead of punishing his behavior, everything changed.

Understanding the "why" transforms us from behavior managers into problem-solvers.

References:

IRIS Center. (2025). Functional behavioral assessment (elementary): Identifying the reasons for student behavior. Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fba-elem/

Loman, S. L., Rodriguez, B. J., & Horner, R. H. (2018). Considerations of baseline classroom conditions in conducting functional behavior assessments in school settings. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11(4), 546-557.

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