The Science of Defiance: Why Students Shut Down and How to Motivate Them
JFS is pleased to offer you complimentary access to The Science of Defiance, a professional development training presented by The Wellness Institute. You’ll gain practical strategies to strengthen classroom management and build a culture where all students feel motivated to succeed. This event is intended for educators and school professionals of children in grades K–12.
Picture this student: They are bright and capable. But the moment an assignment feels difficult, they shut down. They put their head on the desk, refuse to begin, distract the students around them, or insist the work is pointless. The more you try to encourage them, the more they pull away. You have had this student. As you read this, you can probably think of a name and see a face. What looks like defiance or a lack of motivation may actually be a student who feels overwhelmed, is afraid of failing, and does not know how to move forward.
Event Details
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
7:00–9:00 p.m. EDT
Live on Zoom. Register at: The Science of Defiance
In this webinar, you’ll learn to:
- See the stress that may be driving shutdown, avoidance, and disruptive behavior.
- Shift the mindset by helping students recognize and manage negative beliefs about learning.
- Build motivation with field-tested strategies that give students a greater sense of competence, confidence, and control.
Speaker Bio
Jerome Schultz, PhD, is a clinical neuropsychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry. A former special education teacher, he has spent more than 40 years helping children and young adults with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other learning needs. He is a consultant to schools throughout the United States and internationally and the author of Nowhere to Hide: Why Kids with ADHD and LD Hate School and What We Can Do About It.
