Behavior Modification Strategies

Behavioral contracts and damage repair

In stages such as secondary school, where autonomy is greater, behavioral contracts are a very effective negotiation tool.

This is a written document signed by the student, the teacher and the family, which clearly stipulates what behaviors are expected and what consequences (positive and negative) will result from them.

For example, "if I turn in all of my homework for the week, I will be able to choose my project partner on Friday; if I am disrespectful, I will lose the right to breaks between classes". This formal commitment encourages individual responsibility.

Along with this, restorative justice is promoted over traditional punitive punishment.

If a student damages school furniture, the consequence should not be an expulsion home (which can live like a vacation), but repairing the damage: staying after class to clean up or fix what was damaged.

This connects the action to its real impact on the community and fosters empathy and assumption of consequences, elements that are often missing in disruptive behavioral profiles.

Safety protocols and crisis containment

When behavior escalates to the point where people's physical integrity is at risk, the educational priority becomes safety. Centers must have clear protocols for crisis management.

The first step is always verbal and environmental containment: remove the rest of the group or dangerous objects and talk to the student in crisis in a low voice, short sentences and offering simple de-escalation options ("you can sit here or go out to the hallway to drink water").

Physical restraint is always considered a last resort, applicable only when there is imminent and real danger, and should be performed by trained personnel to avoid harm.

The goal in a crisis is not to "teach a lesson" at that moment (the student's brain is not receptive), but to restore calm and safety to the environment.

Learning about what happened will take place later, whe