These days, every teacher in every classroom is not only an educator but also a part-time psychologist, a part-time nurse and a part-time referee. As the demands of the curriculum and the competition to succeed seem to grow exponentially each year, so too does the pressure on teachers. Given this pressure and the goals of everyone involved (students, teachers, administrators), it may be helpful to look at the classroom in a different way.

What is the CBT Lens?

     Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an effective, evidence-based form of talk therapy used to help individuals develop coping skills by teaching them to think about how they are thinking or perceiving a situation.  Research has shown that how a person thinks about an event will affect and determine how that person reacts in that situation and how he or she feels about the event. 

            For example, if we feel that a situation is dangerous, we will be on the defensive and do and say things that will protect us from being hurt or embarrassed. Thus, if a classroom is perceived as being an unsafe place to present opinions or take risks, a student may avoid asking or answering questions. Or if past experiences in a given situation was negative, a person might avoid similar situations in an effort to avoid dealing with unpleasant feelings.  

            Teachers are human.  They come to their jobs each day with their own biases, strengths and weaknesses. Past experiences with children and families, personal stresses and problems and administrative pressures all weigh in. Students, too, often come into a classroom with pre-determined notions of what their experience will be like. 

            By looking at the classroom through the lens of CBT, we can begin to see how various situations give rise to different feelings, thoughts and behaviors on the part of the participants.

Feelings

     In school we generally ask children to talk about their feelings only while they are young. We teach them to identify facial expressions and body language, linked to an appropriate response.  We take it one step further and have children problem-solve how a misinterpretation can have negative effects on themselves and others. 

            But as students grow and progress through their school life, we assume they've mastered identifying, properly interpreting and reacting to their own feelings, as well as the ability to "read" others. Perhaps it is time for parents and teachers to stop assuming that students are able to attain this complex skill merely by osmosis.  Direct instruction about the subtle cues in oral and body language could help everyone in the classroom cope better. Further, by using role-play and other forms of examples (such as comic strips, video clips, advertisements and political cartoons), teachers can help children develop an emotional vocabulary. 

            Taking a moment to reflect on their own visual cues and voice tone can also help teachers connect better with their students as they can begin to understand that the same sentence uttered in a different tone or with a different emotion can illicit a very different reaction. Not only would this skill help our students in their everyday dealing with friends and family, but it would pay dividends in the classroom as well.  There is no doubt that by being better able to properly identify and articulate how we feel, we are better able to determine if our thoughts and behaviors are appropriate.

     The National Council of School Psychologists has recently stated, "In order for children to gain control of their behavior when they are experiencing strong feelings, they must know how to identify their feelings.  It is never too early to talk to children about their feelings or to help them see the link between their feelings and their behavior. Helping children to learn to label their feelings accurately can pay dividends throughout their lives as they will be better able to act appropriately." 

            When a teacher takes a moment to notice if a student is hungry, tired, frustrated, overwhelmed or excited, it may determine how he or she will react to the student.

Thoughts

     From a very early age, we teach people to "go with their gut" or base their reactions to situations on their immediate thoughts.  That idea works well in situations where one is in imminent danger or peril, like the need to move out of the way of an oncoming bus. But  perhaps it would be more realistic and helpful to teach children to take a moment to check whether their thought in the moment is correct and appropriate. For some people, the idea of reacting to a situation or a person solely on the basis of how they think or feel in the situation can lead to trouble.  For example, if a teacher has had a negative experience with one of his students and sees similar behaviors exhibited by that student's younger brother or sister, the teacher may react negatively or punitively without truly getting to know the current student.  Further, it can be detrimental for an anxious student who may see danger in situations that are not life-threatening to act immediately without checking on the soundness of his thought.

     A more constructive and helpful idea to teach is that one should take a moment and "think about what they are thinking," for this will guide their behavior and emotions about a situation or a person.  A substantial body of research in cognitive therapy spearheaded by Aaron Beck encourages people to ponder their "automatic thoughts" (Beck, 1976) and question their possible distorted thinking by guiding them to discover more rational, balanced thoughts. 

            If teachers take the time to first and foremost look at their own way of thinking about their students, their peers, their administrators, the curriculum, and even their view of self, perhaps they could develop a more pragmatic and even-handed approach to each of them.

Behaviors

            More so than with thoughts and feelings, teachers can observe student behavior to help determine their approach to teaching. Depending on the type of learning and the expectations or outcomes desired, teachers have to be flexible and allow for a variety of leaning scenarios. Individual study, collaborative work times, frontal teaching and computer labs all have benefits and will each illicit different types of learning and different types of behavior.  Teachers need to be proactive and anticipate their student's behaviors, and they can only do this by getting to know the students, their limits and their needs.

            Some things that can help include having clear and transparent procedures presented orally, and, if possible, visibly; articulating the expectations; providing reasonable time for questions and clarifications; allowing for students who may need extra help or assistance access to it; and delineating marking schemes. All can help students meet the behavior expectations of the classroom. 

     Teachers also need to track the behaviors of their students, looking for patterns such as when the child acts out, avoids, or is actively engaged in learning.  The teacher can use this information to connect with each individual.  Knowledge of their students collected in this way can help the teacher use evidence-based statements, such as,   "I notice you participate a lot during history class, why do think that is?" A relationship with the child can be built, and that trust can be used positively in the classroom.

      Looking at your classroom through the lens of Cognitive Behavior Therapy may provide you with an opportunity to change something that needs to be changed or try something that you have never done before.  Perhaps it will make the complex demands in the classroom a little easier. 

Leanne Matlow has spent her entire career working with children. Through her work as a teacher, Special Education Resource teacher, guidance counselor and workshop facilitator, she has learned a lot from them.  She graduated from the University of Toronto, the Institute of Child Study and completed her Master's Degree in Human Development and Applied Psychology at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.  Having also completed her certification in Cognitive Behavior Therapy at the University of Toronto and additional training at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy Development and Research in Philadelphia, Leanne is a Professional Colleague of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and an Associate member of the Association for Behavior and Cognitive Therapies. Her book, Thinking About Thoughts has received endorsement from the mood disorder clinic at CAMH and is a recommended reading for parents on Kids Mental Health.ca. Leanne is passionate about helping parents, teachers and students build awareness of coping strategies for children with anxiety. Her second book, TELL ME! will be available soon.