From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us, July/2020

Challenging behavior is one of the most significant issues educators face. Though it may seem radical to use words like love, compassion, and heart when we talk about behavior and discipline, the compassionate and heartfelt words, actions, and strategies teachers employ in the classroom directly shape who students are—and who they will become. But how can teaching from the heart translate into effective supports and practices for students who exhibit challenging behavior? 

In From Behaving to Belonging, Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod detail how teachers can shift  from a “behavior management” mindset (that punishes students for “bad” behavior or rewards students for “good” or “compliant” behavior) to an approach that supports all students—even the most challenging ones—with kindness, creativity, acceptance, and love. 

Causton and MacLeod’s approach

1. Focuses on students’ strengths, gifts, and talents.
2. Ignites students’ creativity and sense of self-worth.
3. Ensures that students’ social, emotional, and academic needs are met.
4. Prompts teachers to rethink challenging behavior and how they support their students.
5. Helps teachers identify barriers to student success in the cultural, social, and environmental landscape.
6. Inspires teachers to reconnect with their core values and beliefs about students and teaching.

 We need to transform our classrooms into places of love. To that end, this book represents a paradigm shift from a punitive mindset to a strengths-based, loving approach and encourages the radical act of creating more inclusive and caring schools.

About the Authors:

Julie Causton is founder and CEO of Inclusive Schooling. She is a former professor in the Inclusive and Special Education Program in the Department of Teaching and Leadership at Syracuse University. She has spent the past 20 years studying and creating best practices for inclusive education, with a specific focus on supporting students whose behavior challenges the educational system. As a former special education teacher, she knows firsthand how belonging leads to better outcomes for students. Julie works with administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, and families across the country to help them create inclusive experiences. She is the author of seven books about inclusive education and has published articles in over 30 educational research and practitioner journals. She lives in Manlius, NY, with her wife, two adorable teenagers, a dog, and three cats. When she is not parenting and working, she enjoys journaling, organizing, and FaceTiming with Kate.

Kate MacLeod is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Maine at Farmington and founder and consultant at Inclusive Schooling. Her teaching, research, writing, and consulting are guided by a passion for inclusive education and social justice. Kate is a former high school special education teacher in New York City and now works with administrators, educators, and families around the country to create more inclusive practices for all students. Her research and writing are focused on understanding the culture of inclusive schools and best practices for supporting students with complex support needs, including those with challenging behaviors. She lives in Maine with her husband, two dogs, a cat, and a flock of chickens. When she is not working, Kate loves to spend time with family and friends, get outdoors, and set new goals with Julie.