University of Maine’s Child Study Center Early Childhood Training Program

1. Note: This PowerPoint is intended for the sole use of the participants registered in the University of Maine’s Child Study Center Early Childhood Training workshop series. Any other use is strictly forbidden

2. A special Thank you to the Davis Family Foundation for their generous grant to fund the workshop series last year and this year.

3. University of Maine’s Child Study Center Early Childhood Training Program

4. Classroom management and reducing behavioral problems in children. • Decrease the Child’s opposition with teachers • Decrease negative behaviors and noncompliance • Decrease peer aggression and disruptive behaviors in the classroom

5. What are symptoms of opposition and negative behaviors and noncompliance?

6. ODD: Oppositional Defiance Disorder • ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder • ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder • Temper tantrums • Different from natural development (terrible 2’s, early teen years)

7. ODD can cause clinical impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning, and is characterized by a recurrent pattern of negativism, defiance, disobedience and hostile behavior toward authority figures which persists for a period of at least 6 months. (rules out natural development?)

8. Learning disabilities is a term that describes a heterogeneous (mixed bag) group of disorders that impact listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, math, and social skills. • Learning disabilities do not go away.

9. The difference between normal “BAD” behavior and oppositional/defiant behavior is a matter of degree, frequency, and intensity. (Kevin and traveling, Mason and marker/door) • Children with defiant tendencies display disruptive behavior to the extent that it disrupts their learning, school adjustment, home life (lives) and sometimes with their social relationships.

10. ODD is frequently a co-morbid condition with ADHD, and can also be diagnosed along with Tourette Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety and mood disorders, Aspergers, language processing impairments, sensory integration deficits, or even nonverbal learning disabilities.

11. 50-65% of defiant children have ODD and either ADD or ADHD • 35% of these children develop some form of affective disorder • 20% have some form of mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder or anxiety • 15% develop some sort of personality disorder • Many of these children also have learning disorders.

12. Characteristics include obnoxious aggressive behavior and an intent to bother people, particularly authority figures. Authority figures include teachers, parents, older siblings, grandparents, and also may lash out at authoritarian rules (school attendance, bedtimes, homework deadlines, cleaning room, orderly desk, personal grooming and appearance). (not always ODD) *child and bedtime routine

13. Some of these children share many of the following characteristics: --They possess a strong need for control and will do anything to gain power --they typically deny responsibility for their misbehavior and have little insight into how they impact others (Ricky and his actions)

14. The child is socially exploitive and very quick to notice how others respond, and then uses these responses to their advantage in family or social environments, or both.

15. The child can tolerate a great deal of negativity, in fact sometimes seeming to thrive on large amounts of conflict, anger and negativity from others, and are frequently winners in escalating battles of negativity. (teacher get red, teacher crying, I have a bad attitude) poker face --any attention is good attention, and if they can’t get good attention, they may go for negative attention

16. Partial list of characteristics seen in defiant children: • Getting angry easily • Arguing and talking back • Defying reasonable requests • Bucking rules • Intentionally bothering people • Pushing the limits • Not taking responsibility for mistakes or misbehaviors

17. Getting easily annoyed • Being resentful, spiteful, or vindictive • Speaking harshly • Being brutally unkind when upset • Seeking revenge • Having frequent temper tantrums ( out of terrible 2’s timeframe) • Parents of these children describe them as being rigid and demanding from an early age.

18. Causes: • 2 different theories Developmental theory: suggesting that the resistance is really a result of incomplete development. For some reason, these children never really complete the developmental tasks that normal children master during the toddler years. They get “stuck” in the 2-3 year old stage of child defiance and never really grow out of it.

19. Learning Theory: suggests that defiance develops as a response to negative interactions. The techniques used by parents and authority figures on these children bring about the disobedient behaviors. The parents are not to blame when this happens. The same techniques work out quite well for “normal” children. • Innate versus environmental

20. Too much vs. too little structure • In an overly structured environment the parent is rigid and inflexible. They micromanage and come down hard on their children, controlling every aspect of their lives. (ex: Tiger mom, single child and overprotective parents) • Children can exhibit defiance when parents don’t provide enough structure by setting appropriate boundaries, or establishing and following through with consequences for misbehavior (Sam’s club).

21. DOES MY CHILD HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS? • All children are different. • What’s causing the issue? • Sneakers, parent working more, illness at home, grandparent ill, money, parent issue (impending divorce, daddy doesn’t live with us anymore), loss of job, moving, family stress, death in the family. • Some of the disruptive behaviors are cause specific, and can be dealt with in a simpler manner.

22. Look at your Childs temperament: • some shy kids are labeled introverts, social outcasts, “stuck ups”. • Some active kids are called hyper, difficult, mischievous, “purposely against me”. • Some temperaments can be changed or tempered, some we need to learn how to work with. (BREAKING A CHILD)

23. How do you interact with your child? • Are you causing some of the issues? • Do you expect too much from your child? (EX: Mason, 4 year old and sitting, raising the bar) • How do you view your role as a parent: friend, teacher, guider? • How much give and take is there? • Are you clear in your expectations • We take courses/have training for our jobs, why not assistance for raising our kids?

24. ARE YOU THE INSTIGATOR?

25. What is your temperament? • For a child you are the most important person in their life. • But that usually changes as they grow, and they will grow. • Are you adapting to them as they change? (no; why; can I; how come; pleeaassseee, mommy mommy mommy, daddy daddy daddy, what does this mean???) Objectively take a step back

26. HOW IS THE FAMILY LIFE? • What affects one child may affect others. • Behavior issues can be learned by siblings. • Attention seeking by siblings or spouses. • How is married life? • Finances, work, drug & alcohol use. • Education level not always a great indicator of parenting skill

27. Avoiding conflict • Avoiding conflict is not avoidance, it’s akin to picking your battles • Clear language and expectations • Age appropriate (tall 3 year old) • Walk away • Keep calm • Find out the child's “end game” • What do you know about your child?

28. Build on the positives, give the child APPROPRIATE praise and positive reinforcements when they show flexibility or cooperation. Put yourself in time out. • Apologize when you’ve made a mistake. Good modeling. • Manage your own stress. All work and no play…

29. How to decide too much vs. too little? or…. where can we find the perfect parent with all the answers?

30. How pervasive a problem? • SOME SAY ONE 1 IN 14 TO 1 IN 7 HAVE BEHAVIOR ISSUES (7-15% OF POPULATION). • Are we pushing too hard, thus causing some of the problems?

31. Preschoolers are expelled 3 times more frequently than children in grades K-12

32. National Center for Early Development and Learning (2000) indicated that 46% of kindergarten teachers reported that more than half of the children in their classes were not ready for school, that is, they lacked the self-regulatory skills and emotional and social competence to function productively and to learn in kindergarten. • Will public pre-K’s help with this problem?

33. Similarly, several Head Start studies suggested that between 16% and 30% of preschool children in those classes posed ongoing conduct problems for teachers. • Question: is it child, or teacher/parent, or both? (Party, shirts, language and soap,)

34. The Early Child Longitudinal Survey (ECLS), in a national representative sample of over 22,000 kindergarten children, suggests that exposure to multiple poverty-related risks increases the odds that children will demonstrate less social competence and emotional regulation and more behavior problems than more economically advantaged children.

35. How to diagnose behavior issues? • Across the board assessments ----Horribly expensive ---- insufficient personnel to conduct assessments ---- too long a time lag for treatment. ----Unnecessary?

36. Who should do the testing/screening to form a diagnosis?

37. Pediatricians • See child infrequently • See child short periods of time • Rely heavily on parent feedback • Training for behavior diagnoses? • Direct observation of child’s issues? • Good part of a team approach

38. Parents Lack of training Bias Professional understanding of issues? Understanding of developmental stages? Denial Checklists available (Dr. LaFreniere) Used by early education staff also

39. There is increasing evidence to suggest that teachers efforts to involve parents in ways to support their children’s learning at home (through phone call, newsletters, suggested homework activities, etc,) and in developing coordinated home/school behavior plans have positive effects on children’s academic, social and emotional competence. Shouldn’t it be built into work week?

40. Early Education Staff • Childcare, preschool, early public school • Training • Direct observation • Time period of observation • Comparison of other children of similar age • Interactions with family members • Unbiased (?) filler of the blanks

41. Mental Health Professionals • Professional training • Access to comprehensive diagnostic testing materials • Knowledge of development • Interaction with early education staff and family • Facility to conduct therapies

42. Who makes the diagnosis? EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER

43. Diagnosis made, now what to do? Accept diagnosis? (I think you’re full of .., His father was the same way at that age,) Team treatment. Family, program and therapists working together. Clear, consistent communication a must. Follow treatment plan…can you? 10 experts, 6 different ways to proceed, which way do you go?

44. For parents, follow the plan that you can STICK WITH. • Is there a weak link? Too difficult, too strenuous, too unnatural, too expensive plans may not work. If not workable, inform team immediately for revisions or additional assistance or services.

45. For teachers in public school, special staff, supplies and scheduling are available. • For preschool/child care staff, backing of Director/supervisors essential, as well as other staff, and family. • One-on-one or additional staffing needed? • Workshops for staff specific to situation. • Patience and persistence to deal with situation.

46. Treatment plans too numerous to mention here. • Medications • Herbal treatments • Diet (JUMPING ON ANOTHER CHILD) • Treatment facilities • In-home staffing/therapy • Respite care

47. Treatment needs to be designed for YOUR child and YOUR family or center. Whatever treatment plan chosen, done in conjunction with family.

48. 10+ C’s • Clear language • Calm manner • Concise explanations/directions • Consistent • Caring • Choices • Consequences—taken away, given back • Communication • Changes • Confidentiality • +1

49. Parent & family training & intervention (dog obedience classes) • Effect on family • Explanations (communication) • Individual time • Deal with perception of favoritism among siblings • Parent time (perfect parent?)

50. And now a word from our sponsor.