Rethinking Positive Behaviour Support for Neurodivergent Students

Despite a focus on positive reinforcement, when we're considering Positive Behaviour Support in schools, it's important to be aware that the foundation is behaviourism — and therefore we're talking about both a 'carrot' and a 'stick'.

The theoretical underpinning of School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support is grounded in the theory that humans will choose to repeat behaviours they're rewarded for and avoid discomfort, through reducing actions that attract negative consequences. As it's been described succinctly for a long time; the use of both a carrot and a stick.

Whilst this lean towards 'positive' reinforcement and explicit teaching of expectations, often involving less talk about consequences, it certainly doesn't mean they've disappeared from the picture. For a long time, the ways in which we've thought about behaviour have been reduced to the simple 'carrot and stick' approach. In many ways, this is still what we're working with, despite significant advances in understanding human brains, nervous systems and childhood development.

I think it's important to acknowledge that just because we're focused on rewards (carrots), it doesn't mean the stick isn't still there.

Throughout many conversations with health professionals, children and their parents, along with my own children; I've come to understand something significant. For neurodivergent students, the stick (deterrent/consequence) is already there in relation to their every action or inaction. This is the case long before the school's behaviour system comes into play.

We already recognise there are significant barriers for our neurodivergent students in accessing education. This is, in part, why there's an ever growing light being shone on inclusion. It's because we know we need to do better. Our systems and society need to be more understanding, more flexible, more considerate of the needs of every-body, not just the majority.

But we're working against a huge tide here.

Our current education system was designed to meet the needs of the Industrial Revolution. To produce 'good workers' – compliant, able to work effectively within hierarchy, comfortable with boundaries and time limits, ready to comply with expectations without deviating. It was a time when people were needed to participate in the 'machine' of industry.

A system designed within the context of colonialism and patriarchal structures, where performance and output were the priority, was not one that considered individuals' needs. It had no interest in uniqueness, or outside-the-box ways of thinking or being. Compliance was rewarded. Non-compliance was deterred – originally with literal sticks, harsh punishments. Children experienced significant fear, and that was considered a good thing. Thankfully times have changed, yet we're increasingly seeing poor mental health outcomes and growing numbers of associated school can't.

When we're attempting to retro-fit inclusion into a structure built with compliance and homegeneity as central tenets, it feels like trying to turn the tide.

If you work within education, or in any role that interacts with the education system, you've likely seen and felt this. There's actual resistance. There's so much to navigate. Contradictions everywhere.

Which brings me back to the stick.

We place neurodivergent children in environments not designed with them in mind. Classrooms where expectations (implicit or explicit) around sitting still, starting promptly, transitioning smoothly, tolerating noise, making eye contact, and working in groups are all grounded in neuronormative ways of being. Physical environments with bright lights overhead, noises bouncing around and plastic chairs. Every single day, they navigate a world that wasn't built for their bodies and brains.

And the consequences of this are real. The potential of not fitting in. The loneliness of friendships that don't come easily. The visibility of looking different, moving differently, responding differently; or working hard to mask this. The constant low-level (or not so low-level) message that the way they naturally are isn't quite right.

All of this is the negative consequence. All of this is the stick, in the form of an environment not designed with you in mind, it's the experience of belonging to the neuro-minority, rather than neuromajority. This is all before the school has imposed a single sanction. Before a breaktime is lost or a single name goes on the board.

Then we add a reward system on top.

Next time: What happens when a child does their best to engage with the reward system – and what it costs her.