Anger Intervention
A Guide to Managing Anger in the Classroom
Charles D. York, MS
ISS-Autism Consultant
DoDDS-Europe
Anger Facts
Follows a predictable pattern of levels
levels have observable characteristics
Opportunities for intervention are present at
every level
May be about something other than the situation
at hand (lack of sleep, peer relationship
problems, fight with parents, etc.)
The Anger Cycle:
Levels Overview
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
Description
– May be legitimate questions about an activity, missed
information, etc.
• “What are we suppose to be doing now?”
• “Why do I have to go?”
• “How does learning this stuff help me?”
– May be an attempt to question your authority
• “Why do I have to listen to you?”
• “Who died and made you boss?”
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
The easiest way to prevent escalation from this
point is simply to answer the question
Assume that questions are real. Do not assume
the student is trying to “start something” or be
manipulative by asking questions
Use “Reflective Listening” to maintain clear
communication
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
Reflective listening
– Let the student do the talking
– Focus on what the student is saying
– Focus on the student’s emotions (look at body
language, sound of voice, etc.)
– Restate what the student is saying to you to show
you understand
– Keep your answers short and clear
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
An Example: The Wrong Way
Billy: “Why do I have to go to the gym?”
Staff: “Billy, get in line.”
Billy: “But why? Why can’t I stay here?”
Staff: “Billy, I’m not putting up with this today. Get
in line.”
Billy: “You’re not the boss of me!”
Situation escalates to “Back Talk”
The Anger Cycle:
Level 1: Questions
An Example: The Right Way
Billy: “Why do I have to go to the gym?”
Staff: “Because the class is going to the gym. Is
there a reason why you do not want to go?”
Billy: “I have a headache and the gym is really loud.”
Staff: “You have a headache. I can understand why
you don’t want to go. I will ask Ms Johnson if
you can stay in her room. Is that ok?”
Situation resolved
The Anger Cycle:
Level 2: Back Talk
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle:
Level 2: Back Talk
Description
– Student is showing his anger and trying to incite you to
be angry
•
•
•
•
“You’re always telling me what to do! Why don’t you do it?”
“You don’t know this stuff either. How can you teach me?”
“You’re not a real teacher.”
“This is all just stupid.”
The Anger Cycle:
Level 2: Back Talk
Stay calm and in control
Be aware of your facial expressions, your posture,
and how your voice sounds
– Keep a distance of at least 3 feet between you and the
student
– Speak slowly and be friendly
– Do not cross your arms or make yourself look “closed”
Redirect the student to the topic of the discussion
The Anger Cycle:
Level 2: Back Talk
An Example: The Wrong Way
Billy: “You’re not the boss of me!”
Staff: (moves in close, arms crossed, looking
mean) “That’s enough! Get in line right now
or you get detention.”
Billy: (Crosses his arms and throws himself in his
desk seat) “No. I’m not going”
Situation escalates to “Refusal”
The Anger Cycle:
Level 2: Back Talk
An Example: The Right Way
Billy: “You’re not the boss of me!”
Staff: (Steps away from Billy and lowers arms to the
side. Takes a breath, thinks about body
language, and uses a calm voice) “I can see
you’re upset, but we’re talking about the gym.
Can you tell me why you don’t want to go?”
Situation resolved
The Anger Cycle
Level 3: Refusal
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
Description
– The student is challenging your control of the
situation by refusing to comply with a direction
•
•
•
•
“I’m not going.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
Crossing arms, turning head, ignoring you
“Do it yourself.”
The Anger Cycle
Level 3: Refusal
Stay calm, cool and collected. Your behavior
impacts the situation. If you are responding to
the student’s anger, the student will become
more angry
Give the student two clear choices that are
reasonable and appropriate. Explain the
consequences for each of the choices
The Anger Cycle
Level 3: Refusal
An Example: The Wrong Way
Billy: “No. I’m not going.”
Staff: (Shaking finger in Billy’s face) “You better get
out of that chair or you’re going to the
principal’s office and I’m calling your parents.”
Billy: (Staring staff in the eye)“Make me.”
Situation escalates to “Challenge”
The Anger Cycle
Level 3: Refusal
An Example: The Right Way
Billy: “No, I’m not going!”
Staff: “Billy, you have a choice. You can come
with us to the gym, or you can wait for us in
Ms Johnson’s room. But if you go to
Ms Johnson’s room, then you need to finish
your homework.”
Situation resolved
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
Description
– The student is attempting to directly challenge your
authority
• “You can’t make me do it!”
• “I don’t have to do that!”
• “Pick on somebody else!”
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
Try to remove either the student or the audience.
The student may escalate faster if the other
students are watching
Seek help if you think this will escalate further
Check your own behavior and make sure you
are in control
Increase distance between the student and
yourself
Restate choices
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
An Example: The Wrong Way
Billy: “Make me.”
Staff: (Grabs Billy’s arm and attempts to pull him
from the chair) “That’s it buddy, you’re outta
here! And you won’t be coming back to my
class!”
Billy: (Becomes irate and starts shouting profanity)
Situation escalates to “Outburst”
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
An Example: The Right Way
Billy: “Make me.”
Staff: (To class) “Class, line up in the hall. I will be
right there. (To Billy) “I need you to choose.
Will you come to the gym, or will you go to
Ms Johnson’s room.”
Billy: “Fine! I will go to Ms Johnson’s room.”
Situation resolved
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
Description
– The student is no longer able to maintain control.
May take two forms: Verbal or physical
• Verbal Outburst- Student screams, yells, shouts profanity,
cries, etc.
• Physical Outburst- Student attacks, kicks, throws, breaks,
runs, etc.
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
If the outburst is verbal:
–
–
–
–
Keep a space between the student and yourself
Allow the student to vent
Do not attempt communication at this point
Wait for the episode to progress naturally to the next
level; the “Quiet Period”
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
If the outburst is physical:
– Remove the other students from the room
– Exit the room yourself, and attempt to maintain visual
contact with the student
– If your school has a Crisis Response Team (CRT), call
the team and implement Non-Violent Physical Crisis
Intervention
– If your school does not have a CRT, maintain
observation and wait for the student to move into the
next level; the “Quiet Period.”
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
An Example: The Wrong Way
Billy: (Becomes irate and starts shouting profanity.
Grabs a book off his desk and throws it
across the room)
Staff: (Grabs Billy’s arm and attempts to subdue him.
Staff and student fall over the desk and into the
student seated at the next desk)
Situation is chaos and risks injury to students and staff
The Anger Cycle
Level 4: Challenge
NEVER attempt a physical
intervention unless you have
been trained and approved by
DoDDS in NonViolent Crisis
Intervention (NVCI)
The Anger Cycle
Level 5: Outburst
An Example: The Right Way
Billy: (Becomes irate and starts shouting profanity.
Grabs a book off his desk and throws it
across the room)
Staff: (Students are already in the hall, staff member
moves far away from Billy and exits the room.
Holding the door open, staff observes. Sends
one student to the classroom next door to get
the teacher, another student to the office)
Environment made as safe as possible
The Anger Cycle
Level 6: Quiet Period
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle
Level 6: Quiet Period
Description
– After every outburst, the student will reach a “quiet
period” in which their emotional status is below their
average state
– Usually represented by being quiet, lack of energy,
sometimes crying, moving to a protected area, etc.
The Anger Cycle
Level 6: Quiet Period
Give the student space and time to calm down
Quietly offer support
The Anger Cycle
Level 6: Quiet Period
An Example: The Wrong Way
The struggle has ended. Billy is exhausted
and breathing hard. He is sitting against a
wall in the back of the room.
Staff: (Shouting) “Are you happy now? See what
you’ve done?” If anything is broken, you’re
paying for it!”
Emotions remain high, relationships are damaged
The Anger Cycle
Level 6: Quiet Period
An Example: The Right Way
The room is trashed. Billy has quit throwing
things and is standing in the middle of the
room. Staff enters, but keeps a large distance
between them.
Staff: “I can see you’re upset. Why don’t you have a
seat and cool off. I’m going to sit at my desk
and grade some papers.”
Student has the space and time needed to calm down
The Anger Cycle
Level 7: In Control
5. Outburst
4. Challenge
3. Refusal
2. Back Talk
1. Questions
7. In Control
6. Quiet Period
The Anger Cycle
Level 7: In Control
Description
– The outburst is over, and the student has regained
control
– Still a sensitive time, and care should be given not to
re-escalate the situation
The Anger Cycle
Level 7: In Control
Invite the student to rejoin the class
Ask the student to clean up any messes or
damage caused
Ask the student which of the choices they have
selected
The Anger Cycle
Level 7: In Control
An Example: The Wrong Way
(The principal has entered the room. Students are still
quiet from the shock)
Staff: (To principal)“Mr. Smith, look what he’s done this time.
He could have hurt the other students! I want him
suspended.” (To Billy) “You better get up here and start
cleaning up this mess!”
Staff creates a hostile environment. Billy remains
angry and non-compliant. Relationships are damaged.
No resolution occurs.
The Anger Cycle
Level 7: In Control
An Example: The Right Way
Staff: “You seem pretty calm now. Let me give you
a hand and we will clean up this mess.
You were really upset. When you’re ready,
I’d like to talk about what happened.”
Student repairs damage, an opportunity for
discussion is opened, and the student is
made aware that the behavior has not
impacted his relationship with staff.
Review
Anger follows a predictable and observable
pattern
There are appropriate interventions for each
level of the anger cycle
You are an active participant in the cycle, and
can escalate or de-escalate the behavior with
your actions
Review
When a student reaches the outburst level, they
are no longer in control of their actions
The key point during an outburst is to create the
safest environment possible to prevent injury
NEVER attempt a physical intervention unless
you have received training from DoDDS in NVCI
The End
Chuck York
ISS-Autism Consultant
DoDDS-Europe
DSN: 338-7759
Comm: 0611-380-7759
E-mail: chuck.york@eu.dodea.edu