Beyond the Behavior: Supporting Students with Emotional Needs

“He’s just being defiant.”

“She refuses to do her work.”

“She needs to be disciplined.”

We often hear these statements about students whose behavior disrupts the class, challenges authority, or breaks rules. But what if those actions aren’t the problem, but a signal of deeper needs?

Behind the behavior is always a story. Trauma, anxiety, learning disorders, or unstable home lives can all manifest as defiance or withdrawal. And yet, we’re often quicker to punish than to understand.

Supporting struggling learners means more than modifying lessons. It means meeting emotional needs. Creating safe spaces. Asking questions like, “What happened to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?”

When we see students through a lens of empathy, we can move from managing behavior to building trust—and from discipline to healing.