About Behavior Management

Behavior management describes the way an individual or group can develop and apply strategies that will result in achieving long-term goals. These strategies work toward creating a productive and fulfilling life. When people express behaviors in ways that are socially acceptable, their relationships improve and management skills help this happen. To manage one's behavior is to be self-aware of one's actions before and after they are carried out.

Function

• Because not all individuals or groups are inherently competent (such as children, or those incarcerated), some forms of behavior management may be placed with guardians or managers. These guardians give direction to, or act on the behalf of, those who are unable to do so on their own. Teachers are often in the position of managing the behavior of their students in order to optimize learning and the learning environment.

Types

• Behavior management differs from behavior modification. With modification the goal is to change behaviors. With management, the goal is to maintain order.

Features

• Common techniques of behavior management include positive reinforcement, mild punishments, and modeling. In addition, there is a growing collection of self-directed learning strategies in keeping with Carl Rogers' theories. Rogers believed that behavior problems stemmed from the individual deciding how they wanted to behave. By teaching internal awareness and the difference between right and wrong, he reasoned that behavior problems would diminish.

Self-Directed Learning Strategies

• Self-directed learning strategies include decision making, problem solving, choice making, self-management, self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-reinforcement, self-evaluation, self-scheduling, behavioral contracting, antecedent cue regulation, goal setting, among others. Michael Wehmeyer, et. al., in the Journal of Special Education note that some of the techniques used to teach self-directed learning include involving students in educational planning and meetings, structuring the classroom to promote student-directed learning, providing instructional activities in non-school settings and providing mentoring programs.

Considerations

• The line between behavior modification and behavior management is becoming increasingly unclear since many of the techniques that improve management will also modify the behavior.