Diverse Strategies for Diverse Needs: Classroom Management When One Size Does Not Fit All Students

1. Diverse Strategies for Diverse Needs: Classroom Management When One Size Does Not Fit All Students Flint Simonsen, Ph.D. Whitworth University

2. Roadmap • Practical framework for: • Understanding 2. Predicting • Changing behavior • Sorting intervention options • Problem-solving when things don’t work

3. www.PBIS.org

4. 0 What seems to be the problem?

5. “Get Tough” is the Norm • Exclusion is the most common response for conduct disordered youth (Lane & Murakami, 1987) • Punishing problem behaviors without a school-wide system of support is associated with increased (a) aggression, (b) vandalism, (c) truancy, (d) tardiness, and (e) dropping out (Mayer, 1995; Mayer & Sulzer-Azaroff, 1991)

6. Reactive Responses are Predictable When we experience aversive situations, we select interventions that produce immediate relief and: • Remove students • Remove ourselves • Modify physical environments • Assign responsibility for change to students and/or others

7. When behavior doesn’t improve, we “Get Tougher!”

8. What can we do?

9. 0 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • PBIS refers to the application of positive behavioral interventions and systems to achieve socially important behavior change. • Proactive and preventative rather than reactive and punitive interventions

10. 0

11. Let’s start at the top (RED).

12. The Secret About Problem Behavior… Problem behavior is not a problem for students!

13. Behavior NEVER Occurs in a Vacuum • Behavior happens in contexts • Many factors influence problem behaviors • The most important factors are in the IMMEDIATE context or environment

14. 0 Behavior and the Environment B A C Passage of Time

15. Problem Behavior Escape/Avoid Obtain Automatic Social Activity Social Activity Tangible Peer Adult Peer Adult 0 Three Functions of Behavior

16. Think about “Problem Behavior” as Communication • What are you trying to tell me? • “What do you want?” • How can I teach you new “language” that others can recognize and understand?

17. 0 One More Essential Consideration Two types of problems: • Can’t Do • Teach, Remind, Practice • Won’t Do • Motivate, Encouragement and Discouragement

18. Now let’s build the base (GREEN).

19. Level 1 School-wide Discipline

20. School-wide Discipline 1. Identify a common purpose and approach to discipline 2. Define a clear set of positive expectations and behaviors 3. Implement procedures for teaching expected behavior 4. Differentiate supports from a continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior 5. Differentiate supports from a continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior 6. Implement procedures for on-going monitoring and evaluation

21. What does PBIS mean in the classroom?

23. Evidence Based Practices in Classroom Management • Maximize structure in your classroom. • Define, teach, review, monitor a small number of positively stated expectations. • Establish a continuum of strategies to acknowledge appropriate behavior. • Establish a continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior. • Actively engage students in observable ways. (Simonsen, Fairbanks, Briesch, Myers, & Sugai, accepted)

24. Assess Your Current Status…

25. 0 Make a Plan Write down what the adult will do when students: (a) behave appropriately (b) engage in minor problem behaviors (c) engage in major problem behaviors *Only use strategies proven to be effective!

26. 2. Define & Teach Expectations • Understand purpose: • Clarify means of communication • Use consistent communication • Teach and review for all students, staff, and settings: • Articulate Matrix • Establishes guidelines: • Keep to five or fewer • State positively • Use common and few words

28. Teaching Academics & Behaviors DEFINE Simply ADJUST for Efficiency MONITOR & ACKNOWLEDGE Continuously MODEL PRACTICE In Setting

29. 0 3. Catch ‘em being good (4:1)(Acknowledge expected behavior) • Reinforcement is feedback • Respond immediately • Give information • Different kids have different preferences. • Students will always find a way to get what they want.

30. 3. Strategies for Classroom Reinforcement • Specific and Contingent Praise • Group Contingencies • Group celebration based on group OR individual behavior • Token Economies • Points • “Good Behavior Game” • Class Dojo • Behavior Contracts • IF you do… THEN you get 4 TO 1

31. 4. Discourage Problem Behavior • Clearly define problem and context • Wearing hats in class, excessive tardies, disruptive acts during transitions • Anticipate problem behavior and provide precorrection as a preventive strategy • For identified risk times or settings • Implement consistent procedures • All staff, settings, minor behaviors • Provide ongoing teaching opportunities • Focus on appropriate expectation

32. Continuum of Possible Responses • Acknowledge students exhibiting expected behavior • Secure attention and redirect students to expected behavior • Provide choice between expected behavior and staff-managed consequence • Deliver staff-managed consequence • Deliver office-managed consequence

33. 4. Additional strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior • Beyond the basics, build a menu: • www.pbisworld.com • www.interventioncentral.org • www.safeandcivilschools.com • CHAMPs: A proactive and positive approach to classroom management • Teacher’s encyclopedia of behavior management • Managing the cycle of acting-out behaviors

34. 5. Strategies for Student Engagement • Direct Instruction • Skills groupings • Computer Assisted Instruction • Class-wide Peer Tutoring • Guided notes • Response Cards

35. Yes but… What if it doesn’t work?Think Functionally then move students to Tier 2 or Tier 3.

36. Adopt an “Instructional Approach” to Behavior Management • IF a student has a reading problem? • IF a student has a math problem? • IF a student has a behavior problem? • Most important question: • What do I want this student to do INSTEAD OF problem behavior… • Then Teach and Reinforce.

37. 0 Desired Alternative Typical Consequence Summary Statement Points, grades, questions, more work. Do work w/o complaints. Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Problem Behavior Maintaining Consequences Noncompliance, profanity, physical aggression, Lack of peer contact in 30 minutes. Do difficult math assignment. Avoid task, remove from class. Acceptable Alternative Ask for break, ask for help.

38. 0 Teach and Reinforce • Pick replacement behavior • Teach • Provide reinforcement for functionally equivalent alternative behavior • Student gets(consequence) what he/she wants for doing(behavior) what you want.

39. 0 Big Ideas • Teaching matters in the lives of children • Think Functionally about problem behaviors. • Have a plan and follow it consistently • Use proactive and preventative interventions rather than reactive and punitive interventions • Catch kids doing what you want them to do. • NEVER GIVE UP!

40. pbiswashington.pbworks.comflintsimonsen@centurylink.net Flint Simonsen P. O. Box 602 Cheney, WA 99004