How to Define Behavior Management

The definition of behavior management depends to some extent on the setting in which it is practiced. According to "Behavior Management: A Practical Approach for Educators", behavior management is "all of the actions and conscious inactions to enhance the probability people, individually and in groups, choose behaviors which are personally fulfilling, productive, and socially acceptable." A Florida Department of Juvenile Justice publication defines behavior management as "the use of strategies and techniques to change someone's actions."

Background

• Behavior management derives from behavior modification theories. Behavior modification operates on the premise that behaviors that are rewarded will increase, while behaviors that result in negative consequences will decrease. Therefore, behavior modification emphasizes changing specific behaviors by applying positive and negative reinforcement, while behavior management focuses on maintaining order in a group setting.

Approaches

• Educators tend to encourage the student's self-management; that is, increasing the student's desire and ability to act in a pro-social manner from an internal awareness of right and wrong. Students are encouraged to participate in negotiating behavior contracts with their teachers in order to teach them to monitor their own behavior and reward themselves for reaching their own goals.

Techniques

• Both teachers and correctional facility staff find behavior management skills to be very important to maintaining order and providing the structure necessary for learning to take place. Reinforcement, or applying consistent consequences to encourage or discourage behaviors, is one technique. Another powerful technique is modeling. Modeling involves the teacher demonstrating to the young person the desired behavior, such as showing respect, resolving conflicts peacefully and being fair.