Students, who suffer from mental and behavioral disorders, often find it difficult to control their

behavior and to work as productive members of a classroom. These children commonly lack the
impulse control and the emotional balance that is necessary to handle social interactions with
other students effectively. This can be challenging for a teacher, especially in an inclusive
classroom where there is only a portion of the learners with challenges. While these types of
scenarios can be quite challenging at times, the teacher can still find ways of making things
better for these learners. These students’ behavior can be moderated and controlled by
implementing a classroom management plan that is specially tailored to meet the specific needs
of these students. This paper will explain how a teacher can ensure learners with behavioral and
mental disorders benefit from educational service.

Dealing with pupils with strange behavior and mental disorders is not an easy task. Therefore,
the teacher needs to use motivational strategies to avoid destructive behavior in the class. He
must be conscious of the learners with behavioral and mental disorders by ensuring that they
benefit from the lesson. These children portray strange behavior and the teacher must be patient
enough in order to handle them (Charles, 2002).

According to Cohen (1988), teachers should allow mini-breaks. A lot of these learners lack the
emotional balance and maturity needed to remain focused and on-task for long periods. Instead
of reprimanding these learners for their lapses, he or she should build in short rest periods or
mini-breaks into the school day.

It is important to take time periodically and stop teaching to allow students to catch -up if need
be. They must be given time to finish their assignment, and allow those who have finished
stretching, get out of their seats and move around a bit. This will allow them to burn off any
excess energy that might have built up from sitting still for a long period of time and relax.

The teacher has to ensure that the education provided to the learners with behavioral and mental
disorders should take cognitive of the mental behavior and comprehension instead of teaching
them materials that are not in line with their special learning needs. In this case, learning for
these children must be something enjoyable. It is important to also show love and affection to
these children. To avoid disruptive or off-task behaviors, the teacher should take some extra

1|Page
steps to motivate these students. Offer them incentives for academic successes, large and small
alike. More importantly, he should celebrate their hard work, and praise their good efforts
consistently. This can go a long way in giving these students the motivation to excel in the class
(Parkay and Stanford, 1998).

While having behavioral and mental disorders in a classroom can at first seem daunting, there are
proven ways that can help to cultivate and keep a harmonious spirit of learning. The good news
is that many of these strategies for success can help normal students as well. If the teacher can
follow these tips, he or she can create an atmosphere where all students can excel and thrive.

Let students know about the rules on the first day of a class, and post them in the classroom as
well. For instance, the rules can include; reporting on time to the class, learners to try their best
to be polite to others and having respect for one another (Dewey, 1998).

Furthermore, the assumption that the children with mental and behavioral disorders cannot excel
academically is the source of the wrong attitude that most of the teachers have towards them.
Hence, the teachers can help them to learn self-help skills, acceptable social behavior and routine
manual work. Teachers should take this as an advantage and help such pupils. It is important that
a teacher realizes that no matter how serious the problem might seem to be, these children still
have an opportunity to learn to the best of their abilities (Kapuswammy, 1998).

Cooper (2004) suggests that teachers must ensure that children with mental and behavior
disorders are integrated in regular classes. By so doing, their intellectual and social developments
can be sharpened and they may at least benefit educationally. Teachers must show parental care,
teach them when they want to learn and show them that they are as better as any other learner.
Hence, the teacher must not show a wrong attitude to these children owing in mind the fact that
these children portray a strange and unworthy behavior, not that they want, but because of their
conditions.

The teacher should keep in mind that children with mental and behavioral disorders do not
reason at the same level as normal children, thus, they can even fight the teacher for provoking
them. When these children are forced to do something beyond their standard by the teacher,
learning becomes meaningless. Teachers should think about the child’s problem and figure out

2|Page
some ways to help them. Not only that for teachers to ensure that children with mental and
behavioral problems benefit from educational services, he/she must be direct and positive in
talking to them. Mostly, if not always, children with mental problems do not condone criticism,
hence, the teacher must support and guide them well, treating them with respect and allowing
them to do their own work provided they do not cost them (Kapuswammy, 1998).

Furthermore, Dewey (1998) contends that to help children with mental and behavioral disorders
learn. Teachers should have a serious and constant supervision and not allowing the child to do
things that are harmful to them. It is the teacher’s responsibility to see to it that his or her pupils
are taught self-care and self-rules and to maintain them. Though it is a tedious task especially
that a child is mentally disturbed. The teachers should provide an enriched environment that will
stimulate learning.

As teachers, we likely notice that students with emotional and behavioral disorders find it
difficult to control their behavior and work as productive members of a classroom. These
students often lack impulse control and may have a difficult time effectively handling social
interactions with other students. This can result in disruption of classroom activities and affect
academic outcomes - not to mention added challenges for the teacher as she tries to ensure the
needs of all her students are met.

This is especially true in an inclusive classroom, were there are students within a population of
students who are not. Below, we will discuss a few effective strategies teachers can use to
moderate students' behaviors to make things better in the classroom.

Education should be seen by the teachers as a helmet for the treatment of mental and behavioral
problems. In conclusion, Parkay and Stanford, (1998) said that, teachers must love and show true
affection to children with mental and behavioral disorders to help them benefit from education
services. Their (teachers) conscience must feel the force of the mission entrusted to them, for in
their hands, leis positively the future of humanity life. Teachers must expose the children to good
learning and this disturb the joy of discovering and learning on his own and also the spirit of self-
confidence and self-discipline that will help them to live well and adjust to his environment in
the society.

3|Page
To improve his or her classroom environment and behavioral outcomes, it is a good idea to
spend the first few days (or week) of class explaining class rules to your students. You can
establish academic and behavioral expectations, and you even can ask your students to articulate
what they think those expectations should be. You can give students an overview of all the
exciting things they will learn, all the fun activities they will participate in, and you may also
even mention some enticing rewards for achieving certain milestones as the year progresses
(Dewey, 1998).

Unfortunately, emotional and behavioral disorder students tend to have had a lot of negative
experiences in school. Therefore they often lack the desire or motivation to try to succeed. To
avoid disruptive or off-task behaviors, take some extra steps to motivate these students. Offer
them incentives for academic successes. Celebrate their hard work, and praise their good efforts
consistently. This gives them motivation to excel in your class. The good news is that many of
these strategies for success can lessen your burden as a teacher and the same time bring success
in the education of the learners (Charles, 2002).

In conclusion, one strategy may not work for all students. Each of the strategies discussed allows
for flexibility and the ability for you to adjust them to fit the needs of your learners.
Unfortunately, students with emotional and behavioral disorders have a tendency of involving
themselves with negative experiences in school. Because of this, they often lack the desire or
motivation to try and succeed. In order to avoid disruptive or off-task behaviors, take some extra
steps to motivate these students to actively participate in the learning environment. There are
many ways to do this but the strategies listed below have been found to be effective in engaging
students with academic content.

4|Page
 REFERENCES

Charles, C. M. (2002). Building Classroom Discipline (7th Ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Dewey, J. (1998). Experience and Education. New York: Hirace Livenight.

Kapuswammy, B. (1998). Advanced Educational Psychology. New Delhi: Starling Publishers.

Parkay, S., and Stanford, B. (1998). Becoming a Teacher. Boston. Allyn and Bacon.

Ryan, T., and Cooper, J. (2004). Those Who Can Teach: (5th Ed.). Virginia: Houghton Mifflin.

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd Ed.). Mahwah,
NJ: Erlbaum.

5|Page