26 Hacks to Help Students Who Become Overexcited

Are you looking for hacks to help students who become overexcited? If so, keep reading.
1. Let the learner close the classroom door or windows to lessen visual and auditory stimuli from outside the classroom.
2. Provide the learner a special signal when they are becoming excited (e.g., a secret word, a hand signal, etc.).
3. Assist the learner in recognizing the signs of becoming overexcited. Teach the learner appropriate actions to gain self-control.
4. Get the learner to take part in small group learning activities (e.g., free time, math, reading, etc.) to lessen the level of visual and auditory stimuli in the group. As the learner successfully functions in the presence of visual and auditory stimuli, slowly increase the size of the group.
5. Stop the learner from becoming so stimulated by an event or learning experience that they cannot control their behavior.
6. Assess the visual and auditory stimuli in the classroom. Ascertain the level of stimuli to which the learner can respond appropriately. Remove the unnecessary stimuli from their surroundings.
7. Be firm, fair, and consistent, expecting the learner to settle down after becoming excited. Do not Let the learner participate until they have regained self-control.
8. Be firm, fair, and consistent, expecting the learner to leave a situation when they become overexcited (e.g., send the learner to the counselor’s office, make them sit in a chair for five minutes, etc.).
9. Choose a specific place the learner can go to regain control after becoming overexcited.
10. Give a consistent routine (schedule) for the learner to enable self-control.
11. Urge the learner to consider the consequences of their behavior before engaging in any learning experience.
12. Find the situations in which the learner is most likely to become overexcited. After you have identified these situations, think of ways to minimize their occurrences.
13. Praise the learner for demonstrating self-control. As the learner shows success, slowly increase the duration of time required for reinforcement.
14. Teach the learner appropriate ways to gain self-control after becoming overexcited (e.g., slow deep breaths, leave the learning experience, walk down the hallway to the water fountain, etc.).
15. Do not let the learner take part in learning activities that cause them to become so excited that they cannot settle down.
16. Minimize visual and auditory stimuli to a level at which the learner can successfully function. As the learner shows that they can successfully tolerate the increased levels without becoming overexcited, slowly allow visual and auditory stimuli to increase.
17. Make sure that the learner knows the relationship between unacceptable behavior and the consequences that follow (e.g., missing out on special learning activities, being avoided by peers, etc.).
18. Maintain a pleasant/calm atmosphere that will lessen the likelihood of the learner becoming overexcited.
19. Draft an agreement with the learner stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., keeping self-control in the presence of visual and auditory stimuli in the classroom) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.
20. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
21. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
22. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.
23. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
24. Consider using a socio-emotional learning app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
25. Consider using an emotional intelligence app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
26. Consider using a school counseling app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.