After being redirected in class, a seventeen-year-old student slams a locker in the hallway and shouts profanity. Administration is considering suspension.
How will you support the teacher in moving from consequences to connections?
Prompts to support discussion
1. What is the skill gap?
Emotional inhibition?
Stress recovery?
Impulse control under public correction?
Self-monitoring?
Flexible response to feedback?
2. What brain systems are involved?
Acute limbic activation?
Threat response triggered by public correction?
Prefrontal cortex temporarily offline?
Heightened sensitivity to peer perception?
3. What does co-regulation look like here?
Calm adult presence?
Lowered voice?
Private space for de-escalation?
Minimal verbal demand?
Non-reactive stance?
4. What would skill-building look like later?
Trigger analysis conversation?
Practicing pause-and-plan strategy?
Modeling repair language?
Structured reflection protocol?
Rehearsing alternative response?