What Educators Are Really Saying About Student Behavior in 2025


If you scroll through social media or chat with school leaders today, a common concern bubbles to the surface: student behavior is changing—and it’s not for the better. But beyond headlines and statistics, what are real educators actually seeing in their classrooms? We’ve gathered insights from the Emozi community and beyond to paint a clearer picture of what’s happening in 2025 and how schools are responding.

What Educators Are Seeing
While every school context is unique, certain themes keep showing up:

  • More frequent emotional outbursts, even from students who were previously well-regulated.

  • Difficulty with transitions, collaboration, and focus, especially after returning from remote learning.

  • Increased anxiety, frustration, and apathy, making academic engagement a challenge.

  • Teachers feeling burned out, unsupported in managing student behavior.

One principal shared, “Our teachers aren’t just teaching content—they’re managing emotions all day long. And they’re tired.”

Why It’s Happening
These shifts aren’t random. Experts point to a combination of factors:

  • Pandemic-related disruptions in early development and peer learning.

  • Increased screen time, decreased face-to-face socialization.

  • A growing mismatch between student needs and outdated behavior systems.

The result? A rise in student dysregulation and teacher exhaustion.

How Emozi Helps
Emozi is not a behavior chart or a one-off assembly. It’s a character development system that:

  • Builds emotional regulation and self-reflection into daily instruction.

  • Aligns with ELA standards for seamless integration.

  • Supports both teachers and students with easy-to-implement tools.

For example, instead of sending students out of class for disrupting, a teacher might use a “Feelings Check-In” prompt from Emozi to pause, process, and repair—building skills in the moment.

A Culture Shift, Not a Quick Fix

Behavior doesn’t change overnight. But when schools commit to character development, they see fewer disruptions, deeper student-teacher trust, and stronger community bonds. And perhaps most importantly, teachers report feeling empowered—not overwhelmed—by the tools Emozi provides.


Student behavior is communication. Let’s start listening—and responding—with tools that work.


Are you seeing these behavior trends in your school? Explore Emozi’s K–12 solutions and download our free behavior support toolkit to start making a difference.

Anna-Lisa Mackey