Ep. 69: Catch Them First — 3 Proven Ways to Prevent Misbehavior Before It Starts

Every teacher has that moment when they realize—“ugh, I missed it.” The chance to redirect before things spiraled. In this week’s episode, Audra and Caitlin flip the classic “Catch Them Being Good” idea into something even more powerful: Catch Them First. They share three simple, proactive strategies you can use to prevent behavior issues before they happen—so you spend less time reacting and more time connecting.🔑 Key Takeaways• Catch Them First: Don’t wait for misbehavior—frontload support and reinforcement before problem moments arise.• Prime Your Students: Use pre-corrections or positive greetings to set expectations early.• Be Specific: Genuine, detailed praise helps students know exactly what behavior to repeat.• Timing Is Everything: Immediate reinforcement makes connections stronger and behaviors stick.• Small Wins Matter: Even subtle acknowledgments (“Great job being ready!”) build trust and consistency over time.📦 Resources & Links• Related Episode: Ep. 68: 5 Quick De-Escalation Tips for Teachers → https://abainschool.com/ep68yt• Related Episode: Ep. 57: The Crisis Cycle → https://abainschool.com/ep57• Free Visual: De-Escalation Strategy Visual → https://abainschool.com/mja5🤝 Join Us💬 Share what you “caught first” this week in our Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits🎧 Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app📢 Tag us when you try these proactive tips in your classroom—we love hearing your wins!Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists😍 More, you say? We’re here for you! Apple podcast | The Misfit BehavioristsYouTube | @‌themisfitbehaviorists👋 Find us!Audra | ABA in School  Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics🖱️ Rate, Review, Like & Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Showing this love helps us get out to more educators out there!