Reframing Attention with Connection
How many times have we observed loud and disruptive behavior in the classroom that we quickly labeled as attention-seeking? These behaviors occur when a student does something to get a response from another student or adult (Minahan & Rappaport, 2012). Unfortunately, this perspective alone may lead us to view the behavior as a personal attack or dismiss it as an effort to gain the spotlight. What if we reframed our view of behavior and shifted our lens to consider students as seeking connection versus attention? We all seek belonging within the spaces we occupy, as we have the desire and need to feel connected to others. Particularly for young children, developing a healthy attachment to adults in their world and feeling a sense of connection to others are vital in their development (Okonofua et al., 2016). When we relabel attention-seeking behaviors as connection-seeking, it not only encourages a new understanding of the student and their situation, but can uncover new strategies that lead to stronger relationships and more effectively meet students’ underlying needs. Two by ten is one strategy that supports connection-building in the classroom and involves a teacher spending two minutes a day for ten consecutive school days to get to know a student with whom they want to foster a positive relationship. Check out the following resource (Greater Good in Education, 2024) and video (Better Lesson, 2024) for more information about the 2×10 intervention.
References
Minahan, J. & Rappaport, N. (2012, October 1). Cracking the Behavior Code. ASCD. https://ascd.org/el/articles/cracking-the-behavior-code
Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(19), 5221–5226. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1523698113
Greater Good in Education. (2024). 2×10: Getting to Know a Student. Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley https://ggie.berkeley.edu/practice/2-x-10-getting-to-know-your-students/
Better Lesson. (2024). 2×10: Building Positive Relationships with Students. https://teaching.betterlesson.com/strategy/1235/2×10-building-positive-relationships-with-students
