Catching Bad Days Before They Become Behavior Problems

Teresa Williams has honed this skill over nearly three decades of teaching: She can tell almost instantly when a student had a rough start to the day. It’s a skill that led to a part-time job at Jeeter Primary School in Opelika, Ala., as the school’s first-ever “behavior tutor.” Each morning, as students step off the bus or out of their cars, Williams scans for subtle cues that someone may already be struggling.

A quick intervention—a quiet breakfast for a hungry child, a 30-minute nap for one who was up late—can shift the trajectory of an entire school day.

In other cases, Williams has to dig deeper: Is there tension at home? A fight with a parent or a peer? Anxiety about a test? Catching these warning signs early is like extinguishing a small fire before it spreads, said David Carpenter, the principal at Jeeter Primary, who hired Williams seven years ago.

“Most [poor] behavior stems from an unmet need,” Carpenter said. “Addressing that sooner than later just allows that child to have a fighting chance to be able to have a good day.”

Williams’ work doesn’t stop at the front door. She follows up in classrooms, briefing teachers about students who may need extra patience or flexibility that day. This information is helpful, especially for newer teachers, who can step in to deescalate challenges before it turns into a disciplinary issue.

Williams spoke to Education Week about how to spot warning signs in students as they come into school.

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