The Behaviorally Challenged Student and Personal Space

A personal space is important to all students, but the behaviorally challenged students needs a little more space than others. I like using desks with blinders on the side so that the student can have some privacy and not be distracted by other students or movement in the room. Here they can define their own space by decorating it with pictures or others items that reflect their personality. One of my students is a NASCAR fan and he decorates his personal space with pictures of cars and his dog. They also have a place to store personal things that they can access easily. Most behaviorally challenged students have a hard time with a locker combination. If they can run into my room and grab their supplies, it makes their day a lot easier.

Personal space in the mainstream classroom is also important. Most mainstreamed behaviorally challenged students are accompanied by an aide or paraprofessional that helps them get through their day and redirects when negative behavior occurs. The best spot of the mainstream room for this student is in the back and near a door. If the child starts acting out, the aide can redirect without drawing the attention of others in the room. The aide can escort the child back to the behavior room if the child escalates or refuses to comply with the aide's instruction. If the child is compliant during the classroom time, the student can receive extra help from the paraprofessional without to much distraction to the rest of the class.