Episode 149 | When “Misbehavior” Is a Misunderstanding w/ Dr. Daniel Russell

Episode Summary

What if much of what schools label as “misbehavior” is actually a misunderstanding of culture?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Daniel Russell to unpack how student behavior is often interpreted through a dominant-culture lens—and why that leads to disproportionate discipline for underserved students.

Together, they explore how behaviors rooted in culture are frequently misread as defiance, disrespect, or disruption, and why frameworks like PBIS and MTSS remain incomplete when cultural responsiveness is missing.

This conversation challenges educators to rethink what they call “behavior” and reconsider whether schools are disciplining students—or disciplining culture.

In This Episode

• Why “misbehavior” is often misunderstood

• Common cultural behaviors teachers misinterpret

• The limits of PBIS without cultural responsiveness

• How behavior becomes racialized in schools

• What validating and bridging behavior support can look like

• The mindset shift educators need to make tomorrow

About the Guest

Dr. Daniel Russell is co-director of Advocates for CLR for Underserved Students and co-author of Supporting Underserved Students: How to Make PBIS Culturally and Linguistically Responsive. His work helps schools rethink student behavior through a culturally responsive lens.

Reflection Question

What if the issue isn’t student behavior—

but the lens through which we interpret it?

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