Are you looking for strategies to help students who show unacceptable behavior going to and from school? If so, keep reading.

1. Assess the appropriateness of the task concerning the learner’s capacity and ability to perform the task successfully.

2. Select a peer to escort the learner when going to and from school to monitor and urge appropriate behavior.

3. Escort the learner when going to and from school to teach the learner appropriate behavior (e.g., using sidewalks, crossing at crosswalks, taking the most direct route, boarding the bus, sitting quietly, remaining seated, leaving the bus, etc.).

4. Designate the learner duties to perform when going to and from school (e.g., act as the bus driver’s assistant to monitor behavior, escort a younger peer to and from school, pick up trash on the way to and from school, etc.).

5. Urge the learner to report problems that happen while going to and from school (e.g., being bullied, approached by strangers, teased by other students, etc.).

6. Let logical consequences happen if the learner fails to demonstrate appropriate behavior when going to and from school (e.g., parents will have to give transportation and/or supervision).

7. Make sure the learner is seated near the bus driver to prevent unacceptable behavior when riding the bus to and from school.

8. Create a behavioral agreement with the bus driver and the learner for appropriate behavior on the bus while riding to and from school.

9. Get “block parents” to monitor the learner’s behavior when going to and from school.

10. Prior to the learner leaving the school, make sure that they know the rules about walking to and from school (e.g., walk on the sidewalk, walk nicely with friends, etc.).

11. Create rules for appropriate behavior when going to and from school: • Sit quietly on the bus. • Remain seated on the bus. • Utilize a quiet voice while on the bus. • Take the most direct route when walking to and from school. • Utilize sidewalks. • Follow up crossing rules at crosswalks. • Refrain from fighting on the way to and from school. Examine rules often. Praise students for following the rules.

12. Get the learner to question any directions, explanations, or instructions they do not understand.

13. Select a peer to model appropriate behavior going to and from school for the learner.

14. Connect with parents (e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the learner’s progress. The parents may reinforce the learner at home for demonstrating appropriate behavior when going to and from school.

15. Draft an agreement with the learner stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., sitting quietly on the bus) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

16. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate behavior going to and from school based on the number of times the learner can be successful. As the learner shows success, slowly increase the number of times required for reinforcement.

17. Praise those students in the classroom who demonstrate appropriate behavior going to and from school.

18. Converse with the learner to explain (a) what the learner is doing wrong (e.g., fighting on the bus, taking an indirect route to and from school, etc.) and (b) what the learner should be doing (e.g., sitting quietly on the bus, taking the most direct route to and from school, etc.).

19. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate behavior going to and from school: (a) give the learner a concrete reward (e.g., privileges such as leading the line, handing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the learner an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

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.