Supporting Behavior with Proactive and Reactive Responses

When a child displays challenging behavior in the classroom, the instinct is often to respond quickly. At FirstDay Learning, we help educators respond with intention by integrating proactive strategies alongside responsive actions to support meaningful, long-term change.

Understanding how proactive and responsive approaches work together is key to supporting children and educators. Each plays a role, and when used together, they create a learning environment that encourages trust, consistency, and growth.

What Is a (Responsive) Reactive Approach?

Responsive strategies are what happen after a behavior occurs. These include consequences, redirection, or intervention that help address the behavior in real time. This might look like:

• Redirecting a child who hits another
• Sending a child to a quiet space after a disruption
• Calling for support after repeated behavioral challenges

While these responses are necessary and valid, they are most effective when guided by understanding the behavior’s function. Reacting without context may temporarily manage the situation, but it often misses the opportunity to teach skills that prevent similar behaviors in the future, which is why we recommend coordinating responses to behavior as they go hand-in-hand.

What Is a Proactive Approach?

Proactive strategies happen before the behavior starts. They are focused on prevention, structure, and skill-building. These strategies support children in managing emotions, following expectations, and navigating daily routines. They include:

• Creating consistent routines and expectations
• Teaching emotional regulation during calm moments
• Offering choices to reduce power struggles
• Noticing and reinforcing positive behavior
• Anticipating triggers and making supportive adjustments

Proactive practices create an environment where children are less likely to become overwhelmed or act out by setting them up for success. They also help teachers feel more prepared and confident in their responses.

Use Both Strategies for Better Behavior Support

Effective behavior support isn’t about choosing between proactive and responsive strategies—it’s about using both in tandem. Proactive approaches create structure, prevent triggers, and teach the skills children need to navigate the day. Responsive strategies, guided by understanding the behavior’s function, help educators meet children’s needs in real time.

When used together, these strategies:

• Reduce the intensity and frequency of challenging behaviors
• Help educators feel more confident and prepared
• Strengthen relationships by building trust through consistency and care
• Ensure that responses are purposeful, not just reactive

We encourage educators to think ahead and stay responsive. Proactive strategies make the classroom more predictable and supportive, while responsive strategies help meet children’s needs as they arise. Together, they form a coordinated approach that leads to meaningful change for both teachers and children.

Coordinating Proactive and Responsive Strategies

No classroom can rely solely on one approach. The most effective behavior support systems use proactive planning and responsive actions grounded in understanding behavior.

Here are three ways to integrate both into your classroom practice:

1. Observe behavior through its function. What is the child trying to communicate? Recognizing the “why” behind a behavior helps educators choose responses that teach and support.
2. Plan for common challenges. If transitions are a known trigger, use visual cues or countdowns to support smoother movement between activities.
3. Use everyday moments for skill-building. Emotional regulation and social problem-solving aren’t just for moments of conflict. Proactively build these social-emotional skills throughout the day during play, group time, and peer interactions.

It's important to take a proactive approach that teaches positive behaviors and helps prevent common triggers. Once proactive strategies are in place, educators can focus on identifying the function of a child’s behavior—understanding why it’s happening—so that their reactive responses are not only appropriate but effective.

Support That Starts with You

At FirstDay Learning, we help educators integrate strategies that support behavior change into their daily routines without adding to their workload. Our evidence-based training, coaching, and resources give teachers what they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. Explore our online training courses or call (434) 989-2434 to learn how we can support your team.