Difficult, Challenging Behavior in General Education Settings

1. Difficult, Challenging Behaviorin General Education Settings What Educators Can Do MRESC—12/8/11 mary@maryfowler.com

2. Recollection & Reflection • Who or what brought you here? Who was (is) that student that escaped you? Defeated you? Challenged all you thought you knew? Continues to mystify or challenge you? • Write, draw, tell. • Remember a time when you had a teacher (or someone else) who didn’t like you. • Tell a partner about the experience. • Partner share what you heard with the large group.

3. Relationship—makes the difference! We don’t have to love our students, but we do have to LIKE them (not their behavior). • Behavior reflects beliefs. • Students who come w challenges & difficulties are like canaries in the coal mine. • Take perceived rejection harder. • Reactions are more pronounced. • Today’s goal: improve SEB performance • Today’s 3 objectives: build the road that makes the posi+ive difference.

4. Understanding Triggers The sensory/emotional sub-story

5. The Emotional Sub-story

7. The Challenges • Underlying neurological factors • Traumatic stress • Weak skills • Problem-solving • Social “graces” • Inhibition (prone to reaction)

8. Primary Fear Circuit(when rats get scared) Diagram from: The Emotional Brain: LeDoux High Road-RESPONDERS executive network Thoughtful Reflective Problem solving Low Road—REACTORS Emotional Reflexive Mindless

9. Distressed Learners • Mis-read situations • Mis-perceive threat • “One size fits all” context • Quick to Fight, Flee or Freeze

10. Self-defeating Behaviors • Quit • Avoid • Clown • Control • Bully • Deny (Brooks, 2007)

11. QUIET the BIOLOGY Reactive behavior has to calm before it can become response-enabled.

12. If-then De-escalation Strategies • Begins to escalate, e.g. raises voice—“Stop & Breathe.” • Meltdown begins—step away, cue “Calm Down.” (Avoid verbal and non-verbal threats, tones, gestures.) • In non-physical meltdown—Stay calm, focus other students on specific task, signal “it’s okay” to student in meltdown, cue “Stop & Breathe” “Calm Down Place” • In physical meltdown—Stay calm, quietly call for help, focus other students or move to protect • Meltdown subsides—wait to meet privately about behavior, focus student on activity or “Calm Down Place.” (made a mess, been disruptive, said inappropriate things, made threatening gestures) • DO NOT: demand on-spot apology, public apology, use talk & reason, engage in a power play, make threats.

13. Trigger Id & Prevention • Observe & Ask • Make a trigger list. • Develop strategies—student self-report form (Marzano) • Did without thinking • Thought about it but still did it • Thought about it and did it less than normally would • Didn’t do it • Practice prevention— • Cue trigger = “heads up!” • Teach alternative responses • Coach strategy • Appreciate and Congratulate!

14. PBS for well-beings The way we do the things we do!

15. Framework for Resilience Developmental Supports • Caring relationships • High expectations • Opportunity to participate Developmental Traits • Social competence • Problem solving • Autonomy/identity • Sense of purpose

16. Resilience Reflection • What tapped my own resilience? • What occurred in my life that brought out my strength capacity? • How am I connecting this knowledge to what I do in my work w youth? www.cchealth.org “Tapping Resilience in Youth”

17. Resilience—How Schools Can Help • Safety • Belonging • Respect/self worth • Autonomy/identity • Mastery/empowerment • Meaning

18. Social Referencing

19. PBS • Way of being • Alongside not instead of • Higher not lower expectations • Personal responsibility and accountability • Problem solving not struggle • Mistakes as learning opportunities

20. Brand Identities Great brands are about who we are– how we communicate our essence, our character. Tom Peters

21. What’s Your Brand • Explore your “brand” identity. • Is it what you intended to create? • Is how you see yourself how the student sees you? • Are there adjustments you can make?

22. PBS Foundation Intelligence unfolds in the presence of a nurturing environment. Erickson • Safety, Trust, Constancy, Predictability • Connection, Community, Competent Management • Notice, Name, Appreciate Conscious, deliberate action!

23. Strength-focused Cultures • What can you do? • What do you love? • What is your talent? • What can you become? • What is your preferred classroom activity? • What do you like to work for? I really like it when teachers ___________________. www.businessballs.com

24. I really matter! Student Identifies Teacher Supports Listen important details of life Find strengths Show interest Observe, empathize Seek to understand goals.

25. Community Builders • Morning Meeting • Gather & greet • Share and listen • Group activity—skill introduction & practice • Morning message • Bucket Fillers

26. Familiar Friendly Face • Connection & belonging • Decision-making • What would Gertrude say? Suggest? • Authentic

27. Ordinary Magic

28. Social Skills Training • 1 per week • Class (or school) initiative • Personal Scorecard assessment BEST: body posture, eye contact, say appropriate thing, tone of voice (Elias) CALM Down: stop & breathe—Keep calm (Elias) SLANT: silent, listen, attention, nod head, track the speaker

29. Meaning & Purpose • Learning to give.org • Volunteer • Help someone else

30. Solid Classroom Management • Classroom code (not the same as rules) • Structure—train rules & procedures • Student generated • Y charts (look, sound, feel like) • Range of responses • Language • 1 behavior at a time (3 maximum)

31. Restorative Discipline Not how can you solve the problem but how can you put it right. Self-control, self-discipline, acceptance, responsibility, accountability, empathy, truthfulness, dependability Recognize, Acknowledge, Own, Repair

32. Restorative Discipline for Schools Discipline is a long-term process that leads children to become responsible. • Recognizes purpose of misbehavior • Addresses needs of those harmed • Works to put right the harm • Aims to improve the future • Seeks to heal • Uses collaborative processes Amstutz & Mullet

33. RD Benefits • Blame > Claim • Disregard > Acknowledgement • Defensive-reactive >Responsive-proactive • Escalation > De-escalation

34. Restorative Inquiry & Apology of Action • Establish the fact pattern • What happened? How did it happen? What was your part? • Ask empathic questions • How did it affect you? The other person(s) • Resolve w reflective & restorative action • What can you do to make it right? • How can you repair the harm? • What future action can you take?

35. Dakira—see handout p. 6 Teacher comes to help students at group table. Dakira talks to group members the entire time. She ignores commands to be quiet and escalates when teacher speaks to her. Her voice is loud, aggressive, and snarly. She’s into a verbal volley w teacher and has an answer for every directive: “Why are you talking to me! Can’t you see EVERYONE else is talking? Why are you always picking on me? “Change your seat, Dakira.” “Why are you asking me to move? They’re the ones talking. I’m working. Can’t you see me working? Miss, you know I always get my work done so why are you starting with me?!!!

36. Using RD and Apology of Action • Private 1-1 conference or call out • When “you” are not angry or reactive • When “you” are able to listen actively • For an occasional situation or alongside other strategies for chronic problems.

37. Collaborative Problem Solving Lost At School, 2009 Ross Greene

38. Collaborative Problem Solving For chronic issues (as part of RTI, I&RS, or teacher-driven effort). • Students want to do well. • Chronic problems result from lagging skills & unsolved problems. • Students make lasting change when they are stakeholders.

39. CPS Process Work on “actionable” information! • Notice • Empathize • Identify • Invite • Assess UNDERSTAND PROGRESS OVER TIME Cue-less not Clueless!

40. I will act as though what I domakes a difference. William James Every child needs at least one adult in life who is crazy about him or her. Eli Neuberger GO CRAZY!!!