Preventing and Responding to Escalating Behaviour - Paul Leitch

Prevention before de-escalation

One of the central messages throughout this conversation is that effective de-escalation begins long before a student reaches crisis.

Paul explains why behaviour support should first focus on preventing less productive behaviour, maintaining productive behaviour, and only then considering corrective responses. Drawing on his experiences as a beginning teacher, he reflects on how lesson preparation, explicit teaching of expectations, predictable routines and active supervision create the conditions for successful learning while reducing the likelihood of behavioural escalation.

The discussion also explores how teachers can identify students who may require additional support before lessons even begin, using entry routines to check in on students' wellbeing and proactively adjust their support.

Responding with purpose

Throughout the episode, Paul emphasises that effective responses are deliberate rather than reactive. He discusses the importance of remaining calm, pausing before responding, and using brief, clear and confident instructions that are more likely to redirect students back to learning.

The conversation also explores how a teacher's tone, body language and presence can influence student behaviour, helping educators avoid power struggles while maintaining positive relationships and high expectations.

Understanding the escalation cycle

A significant focus of the episode is understanding how behaviour typically progresses through the escalation cycle.

Paul introduces each phase of the cycle: calm, trigger, agitation, acceleration, peak, de-escalation and recovery, and explains how educators can recognise the behavioural indicators associated with each stage. Rather than viewing behaviour as a single event, he describes escalation as a process where the purpose of the teacher's response changes as the student's level of regulation changes.

The conversation highlights why timing is critical and why strategies that are effective during one phase may be ineffective, or even counterproductive, during another.

Matching strategies to each phase 

Building on the escalation cycle, Paul explains how teachers can adapt their responses to match each phase of escalation.

The discussion explores how the purpose of a teacher's response shifts, from prevention and redirection during the early stages, to reducing anxiety, providing choices and maintaining safety as behaviour escalates. As students begin to recover, Paul explains why the priority becomes supporting regulation before gradually returning students to learning.

Throughout this section, he shares practical examples of language, decision-making and classroom strategies that educators can immediately apply.

Correcting behaviour without escalating it

One of the most practical parts of the conversation explores how teachers can redirect behaviour while maintaining students' dignity.

Paul discusses the importance of correcting behaviour using the least intrusive strategies possible, leading with curiosity, allowing students to save face, and maintaining a balance between acknowledgement and correction. The discussion also examines why corrections should remain brief, respectful and learning-focused rather than becoming emotionally charged interactions.

Listeners will also hear practical examples of how experienced teachers use language to redirect students back towards expectations without creating unnecessary power struggles.

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Recovery, re-entry, and learning from incidents

The conversation concludes by exploring what should happen after an incident has occurred.

Paul explains why recovery is not the appropriate time for lengthy discussions or consequences, and instead encourages teachers to focus on helping students successfully return to learning. The discussion explores effective classroom re-entry, maintaining consistency, conducting brief and purposeful debrief conversations, and ensuring that follow-up discussions remain focused on learning rather than punishment.

The episode finishes with a broader discussion about the science and art of teaching, highlighting that while evidence-informed practices provide the foundation for effective behaviour support, professional judgement, coaching and reflection are what enable educators to apply those practices successfully across different students and contexts.

Resources

1. Richmond, C. (2008). Teach more, manage less: A minimalist approach to behaviour management. Scholastic Australia.

2. Colvin, G. & Sugai, G. (2005). Understanding and Responding to Escalating Behaviour.

3. Colvin, G. & Sugai, G. (2018). 7 Steps for Developing a Proactive Schoolwide Discipline Plan.

4. Richmond, C. (2002). The Balance Model: Minimalism in Behaviour Management.

5. Bill Rogers publications: https://www.billrogers.com.au/publications