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Student Services » Anger (Aggression)

Anger (Aggression)

A student dealing with anger may
 
  • have reports from other students about reactive behaviors
  • physically engage with students (touching, hitting, pushing, kicking)
  • have intense reactions of anger
  • get angry or have "blow-ups" frequently
  • be very irritable and impulsive
  • become easily frustrated
  • demonstrate other intense emotions such as crying
 
When supporting a student who is angry or aggressive, some general strategies involve
 
  • Be clear that there is a difference between feelings and behaviors--anger is a normal, healthy emotion; hurting someone is an unacceptable behavior.
  • Teach coping strategies.
  • Reinforce positive or neutral behaviors.
  • Use particular line placement and consider specific movement patterns in your classroom.
  • Avoid "mass movement" in small spaces; create orderly transitions.
  • Maintain visibility.
  • Prioritize safe and sound behavior or an activity in the moment.
  • Avoid "no way out" situations--conceptually and physically.
  • Address environmental over-stimulation (sounds, sights, proximity, etc.).
 
Interventions may include
 
  • Acknowledge and validate their feeling.  Feelings are not wrong.
  • Teach a strategy--Stop, Walk, Talk; Deep Breathing, Self Talk
  • Calm Corner
  • Worry Box/Anger Box (tear it in little pieces)
  • Drawing
  • Reduce challenge/academic demand to prevent an anger response and build back up
  • Reduce activities that may be triggers (announcing test scores aloud, reading aloud in class, negative correction publicly, etc.)
  • Reduce emphasis on competition or perfection; praise effort.
  • Provide options--for that student.
  • Practice/Roleplay appropriate strategies with the student.
  • Do not force interaction with other students or yourself.
Literature Links
 
Hands Off, Harry by Rosemary Wells
Hands Are Not For Hitting or Feet Are Not For Kicking by Elizabeth Verdick
When Sophie Gets Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang
How To Take the Grrr Out of Anger by Elizabeth Verdick and Marjorie Lisovkis
I Hate Everything by Sue Graves
Angry Octopus (teaches relaxation) by Lori Lite
 
Max (Raz Kids Level P)
Morty the Meany (Raz Kids Level S)
 
Teacher Readings
 
A Volcano In My Tummy by Eliane Whitehouse
I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Mad by Anna Greenwald