Are you looking for strategies to encourage students not to steal? If so, keep reading.

1. Connect with the learner’s parents to disseminate information about the learner’s appropriate behavior. Parents may reinforce the learner at home for appropriate use or consideration of others’ belongings at school.

2. Intervene early and often when there is a problem to prevent a more severe problem from happening.

3. Urge the learner to create an understanding of the consequences of their behavior by writing down or talking through problems that may happen due to their impulsivity (e.g., perceived as unmannerly, avoided, etc.).

4. Urge the learner to create an understanding of themselves and those around him/her. Get the learner to periodically step back and ask themselves, “Am I behaving impulsively?”

5. Give constant, positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior. Ignore as many unacceptable behaviors as possible.

6. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate behavior: (a) give the learner a concrete reward (e.g., classroom privileges, passing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the learner an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

7. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate behavior based on the duration of time the learner can be successful. As the learner shows success, slowly increase the duration of time required for reinforcement.

8. Create rules (e.g., be friendly, ask permission to borrow things, share, etc.). These rules should be consistent and followed by everyone in the class. Talk about the rules often.

9. Show the learner how to ask permission to use something and how to react if they are told “no.”

10. Arrange for the learner to be involved in many learning activities with other students to help them learn the skills appropriate to interact properly with them.

11. Teach the learner to think before acting (e.g., they should ask themselves, “What is happening?” “What am I doing?” “What should I do?” “What will be best for me?” etc.).

12. Address the grabbing of belongings privately rather than publicly.

13. Praise those students in the classroom who demonstrate appropriate behavior in reference to others’ belongings.

14. Give the learner an easily grasped list of consequences for unacceptable behavior.

15. Assist the learner in building or creating a prized possession to satisfy the need for ownership (e.g., this can be done in art, home economics, industrial arts, etc.).

16. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

20. Consider using a socio-emotional learning app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

21. Consider using an emotional intelligence app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using a school counseling app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.