Inclusion Based Behavioral Interventions in School

1. Inclusion Based Behavioral Interventions in School Presenters: Mike Tattershall, LISW Roswell Independent School Direct Ashley Swanson, LISW Roswell Independent School District

2. Objectives • To enhance behavioral intervention skills of school staff, community mental health personnel and other providers in the context of student assistance team (SAT) and Special Education. • To enhance the ability of all participants to understand the “language” of school based behavioral interventions • To be able to apply the concepts underlying intervention strategies in common language • To understand the impact of culture in education as it relates to behaviors • Lastly, to learn practices consistent with state guidelines.

3. “Can you say that in layman’s terms, please.” • What EXACTLY is the problem behavior? • When does it occur and what does the student gain or avoid by exhibiting the behavior? • What strategies have been effective and/or ineffective? • Can any factors be manipulated to create change? • Most important: what can be done to help the student replace the problem behavior with the desired behavior that both fills the student’s and teacher’s needs in a positive way?

4. Problem behaviors we once knew • Gum Chewing • Cutting in Line • Not raising hand • Running in the halls • Passing love notes • Writing in text books. That was so 1950!!!

5. Problem behaviors facing our schools today • Physical assault • Bringing weapons to school • Verbal threats/bullying • Drugs • Depression No one understands me.

6. Understanding the Behavior Triangleand Myths behind problem behaviors WHAT? WHEN? WHY?

7. Common MYTHS about addressing problem behaviors. If you can identify these you are the road to success! • Problem behaviors are a matter of CONTROL. • Punishment is an EFFECTIVE tool for permanently changing behavior. • Consequences are NEGATIVE. • A student knows why they are misbehaving, so just ask. • The ONLY motivations for any behavior are to get CONTROL or AVOID something.

8. Now that you know the secret, you need a map and a plan to navigate through problem behaviors.

9. ALL behavior either positive or negative is the manifestation of some underlying need. “To SEEK or Avoid, that is the question.” KEY POINTS“I know I have heard that before.” “To seek a hamburger with fries and a shake or avoid fat?”

10. The motives are the cause and the behavior is the result. **Note behaviors are observable, motives are NOT. To change a behavior (result) one must identify and address the motive (cause). “I bought a gym membership, so why don’t I use it?” Who said that again?

11. Rather than attempting to control or suppress behavior, replace or modify the motivation or supply an alternate acceptable behavior that meets the same need. Ohh, now I get it.

12. In order to learn how to dispel the myths and solve the mysteries about how to address problem behaviors, let’s take a look at a scene that might be all too familiar to some. Let’s test your new skills

13. “Why my dear Watson, I think we found a clue.”