EBD In Special Education
But what does “EBD” in special education really mean? First, EBD stands for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. When this term pops up, many parents and teachers are frustrated trying to decide how to support these students with EBD. Not any longer. Below, an education lawyer will break down what EBD is, how it affects students, and what you can use to help them thrive.
What Is EBD?
EBD stands for “Emotional and Behavioral Disorder.” It describes a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges which impact a student’s ability to learn or participate in a traditional classroom environment. Not your run-of-the-mill mood swings or behavioral problems, by any stretch. Students with EBD often have difficulty controlling impulses and behaviors, including interacting appropriately with others, and they may consistently disrupt their own learning and that of others. Wow. How hard is that? As it turns out, it is. Getting to know such students in order to assist them is already a good start.
Impact Of EBD On Learning
Think of trying to focus on math when your emotions feel like they are running a marathon. This is what students with EBD experience every day. Students’ emotions and behaviors are not just side issues-they affect every part of their school day. According to our friends at K Altman Law, students with EBD may:
- Frequently have outbursts or meltdowns
- Struggle to form friendships
- Feel anxious, depressed, or angry
- Act impulsively without thinking through consequences
Well, now, how do you do that in a classroom of 20+ kids? Sounds like a mess, right? But the good news is students with EBD aren’t trying to be hard-to-deal-with; they’re simply trying to survive things they can’t control.
The Emotional Implication Of EBD
Ever have one of those days where everything just felt off emotionally? Perhaps stress, anxiety, or frustration filled your thoughts. For children with EBD, those feelings can dominate their lives. These children often live with high levels of anxiety, depression, or anger that may express through their behavior. It’s not that they don’t want to behave; it is that their emotions are in the driver’s seat.
The Behavioral Side Of EBD
This is where the rubber meets the road in the classroom. Students with EBD often exhibit behaviors that hinder a child’s ability to learn. Such behaviors can range from aggression and defiance to harming themselves when the child feels he or she is overwhelmed. These acts of aggression, defiance, and self-injury are not merely “bad” behavior but survival strategies of children who cannot find ways to manage their feelings.
Supporting Students With EBD
Now that we have a clearer understanding of what EBD looks like, let’s discuss the solutions. Good news to parents and teachers: there are strategies that will allow students who have EBD to become successful. And, trust me, these strategies do not include yelling or punishment. These kids need some support, understanding, and the right tools to effectively regulate their emotions and behaviors.
Here are some of the key strategies:
1. Build Trusting Relationships
First things first — relationships matter. These students often have problems with trust, and a relationship is where all the gains come in. Take some time to become acquainted with them. Be curious about what their hobbies are. Let them know you are on their side. When students feel they are safe with you, they are more likely to open up for you to work with.
2. Consistent Routines And Clear Expectations
Children with EBD live on routine. If they know what is coming next, they can prepare themselves emotionally and mentally. Provide clear daily routines and consistent rules. Honestly, who doesn’t hate being caught off guard, right?
3. Techniques For Emotional Regulation
Teach the students how to manage their emotions. That is like giving them a box of tools to take through life. Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and self-reflection can be helpful to regain control when overwhelmed. It’s not about suppressing the emotions, but more on how to handle them.
4. BIPs
You may have experience with Behavior Intervention Plans in a classroom. Those are individual plans to target specific behaviors with proactive strategies. Really, it is inside-out work to determine what is causing that behavior and then teaching the student to behave differently. Ah, that answer to the tricky puzzle, right? That’s what a good BIP should feel like, solving the puzzle of behavior.
5. Social Skills Training
Most of the EBD students have issues with social relationships. They do not understand the unspoken rules of conversation or friendship. That is where social skills training comes in. Through role-playing, teaching empathy, and direct feedback, you can help such students become much better with their game of social relationships. Over time, they start coming close to their friends and are very comfortable in social life.
6. Positive Reinforcement
No one likes to hear criticism nonstop, do they? Children with EBD frequently hear about what they are doing wrong, not what they’re doing right. Well, flip that script on its head by giving positive reinforcement. Focus on the small wins. Did they get angry in that scenario? Congratulate them for it! Good behavior is reinforced in which the child repeats the same good action.
Let’s take some time to put ourselves in the shoes of a student with EBD.
Meet Mark. Mark was a 9th-grader who frequently engaged in fights at school. He had difficulty with homework, listening in class, and grew angry quickly when things didn’t go his way. He acted out when things did not go his way. Teachers viewed Mark as a problem student but could not see, beneath that loud behavior, what his deep anxiety and fear of rejection.
One day, a new teacher, Ms. Davis, walked into the school. She witnessed Mark’s rages and didn’t stigmatize him by labeling him “bad.” Instead, she worked hard to connect with him individually. She began to realize that Mark didn’t “rage” because he was “bad” or wanted to be; instead, Mark raged because he had been overwhelmed in social situations. She began making teeny, tiny adjustments — giving Mark little mini-breaks whenever he sensed the anxiety begin to surface and providing him with positive reinforcement when he could handle stuff calmly.
Over time, Mark’s behavior improved. He felt understood, and that made all the difference.
Parents To Accommodate EBD
Parents: You are a strong advocate for your child with EBD. You work in collaboration with teachers, recognize your child’s triggers, and assist them in developing coping mechanisms at home. Quick take away: Open communication is key to a home-school partnership. The more you and the school communicate, the greater their support of your child will be.
Overcoming The Stigma Of EBD
Let’s be honest: there is so much stigma around emotional and behavioral disorders. Yet, the truth is that EBD has no such power to define a student’s future. In reality, with the right support and strategies, students with EBD can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. It’s simply about setting up environments where they feel valued, respected, and understood.
Supporting a student with EBD is not curing; it is giving the student tools and skills to handle his or her own feelings and behaviors in any given setting. Such students can, after all, find success within the confines of the classroom walls and even beyond. With personal anecdotes, discrete strategies, and some tolerance, any educator can unleash the potential hidden within each of these special students. If you feel your student is not receiving the support they need in school, contact an attorney near you for help.