By Susan Damico, M.A. | March 31, 2026
Across early childhood classrooms, educators everywhere are asking the same question: How can we better address challenging behaviors? The need for support has grown dramatically in recent years. Teachers report rising numbers of children struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges, both externalizing behaviors like tantrums or aggression, and internalizing behaviors like withdrawal or anxiety.
While there’s no single “magic fix,” there is a different way to think about these challenges, one that begins by looking inward.
Shifting the Lens: From Fixing Problems to Noticing Strengths
When behaviors feel difficult, it’s natural for teachers to seek new strategies, tools, or interventions. But what if the most powerful change starts with how we notice the children in front of us?
Instead of focusing solely on what needs to stop, teachers can intentionally notice what’s going right:
- Are you noticing when a child asks for your help?
- When they invite you to read or play?
- When they smile and cooperate with peers?
Simply noticing and talking to children about these positive behaviors can strengthen them. Our observations and the attention we give can powerfully influence what behaviors children choose to use again.
The DECA: A Tool for Noticing What Matters
The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) is one resource designed to help teachers and parents do exactly that. Rather than focusing on what a child cannot do, the DECA invites adults to reflect on how often a child demonstrates 27 key protective factors – the social and emotional skills that support lifelong resilience.
Some of these positive behaviors include:
- Choosing to complete a challenging task
- Sharing materials with classmates
- Playing cooperatively with others
- Asking an adult to play or read
- Seeking help when needed
Unlike many assessments, higher DECA scores signal more frequent use of strengths, and that’s a good thing. The simple act of noticing, acknowledging, and celebrating these behaviors becomes a growth strategy in itself.
Why the DECA Stands Out
Too often, teachers complete assessments without understanding how the results connect to day-to-day practice. The DECA changes that. It helps adults reflect, respond, and reinforce positive behaviors in real time.
Here’s how:
- It’s a framework for attention. Completing the DECA helps adults intentionally focus on behaviors that contribute to a child’s success. The more we notice and acknowledge these skills, the more likely children are to use them.
- Results are immediate and actionable. Reports show whether a child’s behaviors are typical, exceptionally strong, or need extra support, guiding teachers toward targeted encouragement and scaffolding.
- It’s not diagnostic. The DECA doesn’t label or pathologize. Instead, it helps adults know where to invest their attention to build resilience and emotional competence.
You Are the Strategy
So, the next time someone asks how you’re addressing challenging behaviors in your classroom, you can confidently say: “I am the strategy, and I use the DECA to guide me.” Because when teachers see children through a strengths-based lens, small moments of noticing can lead to big changes in behavior, connection, and growth.
