How to Handle Children with No “Off” Button

1. How to Handle Children with No “Off” Button How to Handle Children with No Off Button Tracy Cheney, M.Ed.

2. When you hear the word discipline, what types of thoughts or images come to mind? • How were you disciplined as a child? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

3. Why do children “act out?” 80% attention How to Handle Children with No Off Button

4. The P’s of Discipline • Positive • Predictable • Proxemics • Posture/body language • Proactive • Preventative • Praise/acknowledgement How to Handle Children with No Off Button

5. A child and his/her behavior is like an iceberg… • What do we know about icebergs? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

6. Behavior never happens for “no reason” How to Handle Children with No Off Button

7. The basics of what teachers want regarding behavior: How to Handle Children with No Off Button

8. More “good” less “bad” • Positive caring interactions with the children • Structure, organization, consistency • Children understand and follow expectations How to Handle Children with No Off Button

9. Teaching Expectations • How do you do this? • How do you know the children understand what you want? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

10. State the expectation • Often = repeat, repeat, repeat • Throughout the routines of your day • Circle, Learning Centers, Story, Meals • Positively How to Handle Children with No Off Button

11. Model the appropriate behaviors • Often = repeat, repeat, repeat • Throughout the routines of your day • Circle, Learning Centers, Story, Meals • Positively • Don’t just focus on trying to teach the expectation/rule at the time it should happen • Practice makes perfect! How to Handle Children with No Off Button

12. Reinforce appropriate behaviors Whatever you call attention to increases How to Handle Children with No Off Button

13. What are you currently doing to reinforce more of what you want/less of what you don’t want? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

14. Positive attitude • YOU are the most important element in the classroom • You got the power! How to Handle Children with No Off Button

15. Predictability • We all thrive in an environment when we know what comes next • CHANGE is challenging for everyone, especially young children. • Add a little stress and you have a recipe for chaos How to Handle Children with No Off Button

16. Same routine in same order every day How to Handle Children with No Off Button

17. Picture schedules How to Handle Children with No Off Button

18. Everything has a spot • Label, label, label How to Handle Children with No Off Button

19. Language is predictable • Clear • Concise • Concrete • Consistent How to Handle Children with No Off Button

20. Para-verbal: How we say something, not what we say • Volume • Tone • Cadence • Pace How to Handle Children with No Off Button

21. Be specific and clear Keep your feet on the floor Be careful How to Handle Children with No Off Button

22. Avoid asking questions you don’t mean to ask • Jason, please wash your hands • We are going outside now • Jason will you wash your hands? • Would you like to go outside? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

23. State requests and directions positively • Walking feet • No running How to Handle Children with No Off Button

24. Posture/body language • Yours and the children! • What are you telegraphing? Is it your intention? • Listen/look/feel – often there are cues before a child escalates • Body language, gestures, movements How to Handle Children with No Off Button

25. Adding unnecessary words Please sit down You need to sit down Perfect way to set up a power struggle How to Handle Children with No Off Button

26. Avoid repeating requests and directives • Counting – 1, 2, 3…. • I’ll give you to the count of 3 • You want the child to respond the first time/quickly How to Handle Children with No Off Button

27. Proxemics • The mount of space a person requires between him/herself and others • Generally 2-3 foot bubble • For others and at certain times, more or less • For some children proximal distance can be a wonderful proactive strategy to minimize problems or used effective when giving more space when agitated How to Handle Children with No Off Button

28. Proactive/Preventative/Praise(Acknowledgement) “Catching ‘em being good” How to Handle Children with No Off Button

29. When is the last time you were positively acknowledged? How to Handle Children with No Off Button

30. “Praise” • It’s not about “Here’s your sticker…” • It’s more about “Hey, I noticed you doing the right thing. Thank you!” • Praise rather than reprimand as often as you can • Praise genuinely and often • Praise approximations How to Handle Children with No Off Button

31. Ratios for positive acknowledgement 11:1 changes behavior 5:1 maintains behavior How to Handle Children with No Off Button

32. Prescriptive Interventions • Routine sensory breaks • Antiseptic bounce: remove the child from the environment, in a non-punitive way and go for a walk – around room, errand, drink of water • Water • Activity – wall push ups, jog in place, yoga • Deep breathing How to Handle Children with No Off Button

33. The Escalation Cycle 7 phases and associated behaviors of this cycle See separate hand out: “Phases and Behaviors of the Escalation Cycle” Colvin (2004): Managing the Cycle of Acting-Out Behavior in the Classroom. Behavior Associates, Eugene, Oregon How to Handle Children with No Off Button

34. How to Handle Children with No Off Button

35. Calm • This is the time to teach expectations • Also, a great time for “pre-corrections” • Anticipating problem behaviors and intervening beforehand • Problem behavior is prevented • Expected behavior replaces the problem behavior How to Handle Children with No Off Button

36. Trigger Anything!!! Obviously, always better to prevent/avoid Remind child of expectations How to Handle Children with No Off Button

37. Agitation • Assist the child in focusing/re-focusing on task • Provide movement activities • Use proximity • Provide more space/or get closer • Provide more time How to Handle Children with No Off Button

38. Acceleration • Avoid escalating prompts • Maintain calmness, matter of fact demeanor • Approach the child in a non-threatening manner • Begin moving/removing other children/obstacles • Move child to a safe area How to Handle Children with No Off Button

39. Peak • Ride the ride • Follow your policies/safety plan • “Isolate” the child How to Handle Children with No Off Button

40. De-Escalation • Engage child in independent work • Establish consequences • Restore child and other children to a calm place • Make decision about child remaining at center/next steps How to Handle Children with No Off Button

41. Recovery • Help child follow steps to transition back to normal routine • Support the child to do so • Follow plan How to Handle Children with No Off Button

42. For more information Tracy Cheney, M.Ed. (401) 585-4065 tlcheney2@gmail.com Facebook: Tracy’s Trainings and Tips for Terrific Teams How to Handle Children with No Off Button