Don’t Wear Yourself Out – Become a Behavior Detective: ABCs of Behavior
- Shawntel Green
- Nov 23
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever ended a day in the classroom feeling completely worn out from behavior challenges, you’re not alone.
The truth is: most challenging behaviors aren’t random. They’re clues.
When you know how to read those clues, you can stop reacting in the moment and start responding with confidence.
That’s where the ABC Behavior Toolkit comes in—and why we’re inviting you to become a Behavior Detective with us on Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 PM EST.
👉 Ready to save your seat now?
What Is the ABC Behavior Toolkit?
ABC stands for:
A – Antecedent: What happens before the behavior
B – Behavior: What the child actually does
C – Consequence: What happens after the behavior
Instead of just saying, “He’s acting out” or “She won’t listen,” the ABC approach helps you slow down and ask:
What triggered this behavior?
What is the child trying to communicate?
What usually happens right after—and is that accidentally rewarding the behavior?
When you start tracking these patterns, behavior stops feeling like chaos and starts looking like a puzzle you can actually solve.
Why “Don’t Wear Yourself Out” Matters
Many early educators are:
Putting out fires all day
Taking behavior home in their heads at night
Feeling guilty, frustrated, or like they’re “not doing enough”
You deserve better than that.
Using an ABC lens doesn’t mean you ignore big feelings or hard days. It means you protect your energy by using tools and systems that work—so you’re not reinventing the wheel with every meltdown, power struggle, or “no.”
When you think like a Behavior Detective, you:
Stop taking behavior personally
Start seeing patterns instead of “problems”
Create simple, realistic plans that match each child’s needs
How the ABC Behavior Toolkit Works in Real Classrooms
Here’s how educators use the ABC approach day-to-day:
1. Observe, Don’t Absorb
Instead of jumping straight into correction, you pause and notice:
What just happened before this? Who was nearby? What was the activity?
2. Write It Down
A simple ABC form helps you track what you see over a few days.
You don’t need a fancy system—just a consistent one.
3. Look for Patterns
You might notice:
The behavior always happens during transitions
It shows up when the child is asked to share
It increases when the room is loud or unstructured
4. Change One Thing on Purpose
Instead of trying 10 new strategies at once, you adjust one piece of the environment, schedule, or your response—and see what happens.
Over time, this turns into a powerful toolkit you can use with any child, in any classroom, in any state.
You’re Invited: “Don’t Wear Yourself Out – Become a Behavior Detective: ABCs of Behavior”
We’re hosting a live webinar designed just for early childhood educators who are tired of feeling defeated by classroom behavior and ready for practical, real-world tools.
Webinar Title: Don’t Wear Yourself Out – Become a Behavior Detective: ABCs of Behavior
Date: Wednesday, December 4
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Format: Live online webinar (join from anywhere)
In this session, we’ll walk through:
How to use the ABC Behavior Toolkit step-by-step
Real examples of turning challenging behavior into teachable moments
Simple scripts you can use with children and families
Ways to protect your own energy while still showing up with love and consistency
You’ll leave with:
A clear understanding of the ABC model
Printable or digital tools you can start using the next day
Fresh confidence that you can turn behavior around—without burning yourself out
👉 Register here to join us live:
Ready to Become a Behavior Detective?
Instead of ending your day exhausted and discouraged, imagine:
Knowing exactly what to look for when behavior escalates
Having a simple process to follow instead of guessing
Feeling supported, not alone, in the hard moments
That’s what this webinar is all about.
Save your seat for December 4 at 7:30 PM EST and join us as we become Behavior Detectives together—one clue, one child, and one classroom at a time.
👉 Claim your spot now:
About the Author
Shawntel Green is the Founder and Executive Director of the Early Education Career Institute (EECI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to training and supporting career-ready early childhood educators across the country.
For over 20 years, Shawntel has worked alongside childcare providers, center staff, and family childcare owners—especially diverse and nontraditional adult learners—helping them earn stackable credentials like the CDA and the U.S. DOL ECE Apprenticeship Credential.
Her work focuses on:
Making high-quality training accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive
Supporting educators who are English language learners
Giving real-world tools that work in real classrooms, not just on paper
Shawntel believes that when we understand children’s behavior as communication—not defiance—we can protect educators from burnout and create calmer, more responsive classrooms for everyone.
Through EECI, she and her team support apprentices and providers in multiple states with live, instructor-led training, mobile CDA pop-ups, webinars, and apprenticeship pathways that lead to better jobs, better pay, and better outcomes for children and families.
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