De-escalation Strategies for Volatile Students

The following are de-escalation strategies that teachers can utilize in dangerous situations in order to prevent violence between students.

·         Confronting an angry, potentially aggressive student can increase or decrease the potential for problems. Develop de-escalation procedures, such as the following, with your staff members and practice them through role-play:

·         Reduce the student’s potential to engage in face-saving aggression by removing any peer spectators.  

·         Take a nonthreatening stance with your body at an angle to the student and your empty hands at your sides in plain sight.

·         Walkie-talkie can look weapon-like in the hand of a staff member and may seem threatening to an emotionally upset student.

·         Maintain a calm demeanor and steady, level voice, even in the face of intense verbal disrespect or threats from the student.

·         Acknowledge the student’s emotional condition empathetically—for ex- ample, “you’re really angry, and I want to understand why.”

·         Control the interaction by setting limits—such as, “I want you to sit down before we continue” or “We can talk, but only if you stop swearing.”

·         Provide problem-solving counseling with a school psychologist or counselor at the earliest opportunity.

 

Larson, J. (2008, January 1). Knowing how to prevent and respond to student anger and aggression

 is important to maintaining order in school. Retrieved August 8, 2014.