Educational Considerations

1. Educational Considerations • Jonathan Benz • & • Josiah LeTourneau

2. Warm Up Exercise • Myth or Fact: • Students with emotional or behavioral disorders exhibit problematic behavior constantly?

3. Warm Up Exercise • Myth or Fact: • Hyper aggressive behavior is less seriously impairing than shy or antisocial behaviors?

4. Warm Up Exercise • Myth or Fact: • Students with emotional behavioral disorders usually have high IQ scores?

5. Definition: • The federal definition as covered in IDEA is: • Condition exhibiting one or more of the following, which adversely affects educational performance: • Inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors • Inability to build or maintain satisfactory relationships with peers or teachers • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression • Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems • Includes Schizophrenia, Does not Include Socially maladjusted, unless it they are Emotionally Disturbed

6. Definition (cont.) : • Though a tricky and controversial topic, professionals, groups, and experts do agree on a few things. • Behavior that goes to an extreme - not slightly unusual • A problem that is chronic - does not quickly resolve. • Behavior that is unacceptable because of social or culturalexpectations.

7. tremendously terrific, or tentatively terrifying terms? • What should we call it? • EBD has been named everything from a disability, to a handicap, to an impairment, to a disorder. • Until 1997, “seriously emotionally disturbed” was what we went with. They dropped the “seriously” part in 1997. • Now the National Mental Health and Special EducationCoalition is considering revising it to “disorder” in stead of “disturbed”

8. Got Friends? • Many youth who are afflicted with EBD find it hard to make friends often because they are unable to connect with their peers on an emotional level. • Can be withdrawn or aggressive but usually isolated. (PG 263 has in impressive list of adjectives some teachers have used to describe these children). Which creates a vicious isolation cycle.

9. Ugh! ... Oh... Sorry. • Don’t confuse *annoying* with *impaired* • students who are consistently aggravating are at higher risk for acquiring disorder, or being the cause for another student. • Symptoms, however, are not present 24/7, contrary to popular belief.

10. Classification & Prevalence • • Individuals who are diagnosed with an emotional or behavioral disorder are at high risk to have other disorders. • • Comorbidity (multiple simultaneously occurring conditions in the same individual) is very high in EBD • • Studies show that at least 6-10% of school aged children show serious and persistent emotional/behavioral problems. • • Less than 1% are identified as such in the US school systems. • • This means that we are neglecting roughly 80-90% or our students with EBD!

11. Causes of EBD • 1. Biological disorders and diseases • 2. Pathological family relationships • 3. Undesirable Experiences at school • 4. Negative Cultural influences

12. Biological Factors • • Genetic neurological or biochemical factors, alone or in combination. • • Prenatal exposure to Alcohol can contribute. • • Rare that biological factors are the sole contributor to the • occurrence of EBD • • Medications are effective in treating EBD • • Obviously, disease, malnutrition, brain trauma, or the like can • contribute to EBD.

13. Family and Cultural Factors • • Relationship between the family and the disorder are complex • • Provide families with resources to help them work with their child • • Most parents do want the best for their children and will do • anything they can to help. • • We must ensure that we provide the best possible environment for • the children in our classrooms. • • Keep an eye out for the isolation spiral! • • We live in a violent and busy culture, this could possibly affect our • students. A knowledge of a child’s life and family can help one • understand and possibly be aware of risks.

14. Identification • It is much easier to Identify different disorders than it is to find their causes. • • Conduct Disorder: Aggressive, • disruptive behavior or antisocial • acts. • • Schizophrenia: Includes • • Paranoid • • Catatonic • • Disorganized • • Undifferentiated • • Residual

15. Identification • • Teachers input and observations are generally regarded as a good first line of defense. • • Internalized issues are less often detected, because of their personal nature. • 3 Steps to ensure students aren’t overlooked: • • List and rank students • external and internal issues • • Record if top-ranked students • have exhibited disruptive • behaviors recently • Another professional observes the student on the playground or in the classroom.

16. Intellectual Achievement • • Research has shown that one who has been diagnosed with EBD has a lower IQ than average (around 90). • • Many who have EBD are categorized with a learning or intellectual disability. • • BUT: don’t use this as a blanket statement for all individuals in the group.

17. Intellectual Achievement • • Many students who suffer from EBD are also under achievers (at least as achievement is classified by standardized testing). • • This can be challenging as a teacher who is trying to moderate the student’s emotional performance in the classroom as well as their academic struggles.

18. Aggression • *Behavior that intentionally causes others harm or that elicits escape or avoidance responses from others. • All students will exhibit aggression like, fighting, yelling, crying, or vandalism to one degree or another. However, students with EBD will do so compulsively and frequently. • The behavior is frequently *learned*

19. Aggression (cont.) • Don’t let children justify aggressive behavior because of their disorder, this may cause continued aggression. • It is also undesirable to excessively punish students with EBD as this may also promote aggressive behavior • It is our jog, with the help of the school psychologist, and special educators to find the happy medium that promotes order in the classroom and helps the student work through their EBD.

20. specific strategies • Intensive Instruction: • Low student-teacher ratio and full staff that is qualified to help meet students health needs. • Relentless Positive Behavioral Support: • Uses disciplinary action as only as necessary. Teach students coping mechanism to help with their anxiety. Emphasizes positive enforcement. • Specific Intervention: • By meeting a students specific needs (ie. attention development and mathematical problem solving) students learn to be independent and can make tremendous gains in the academic setting.

21. Sources • Council for Exceptional Children’s website (CEC) • The Text • Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders website

23. Meeting challenges • High dropout rates/lower graduation rates • Often placed in highly restrictive environments (IMPORTANT for later) • Balance between academics and social learning • Often from poor and ethnic-minority families • Juvie…

24. Balancing Behavior with Academics and Social Learning • One of the largest challenges, most of the time the teaching is overly focused on managing a student’s behavior • Takes away from the need to teach them academics and basic social learning

25. Extra services • Along with possible special education help, many students need extra services: • Family-oriented services • Psychotherapy or counseling • Community supervision • On-the-job training related to employment • Integration of such things all together with school make a better experience on students.

26. Effective Strategies for guiding educationMainly for going about different levels of EBD • Systematic, data-based intervention • Continuous assessment and monitoring of progress • Provision for practice of new skills • Treatment matched to the problem • Multicomponent treatment • Programming for transfer and maintenance • Commitment to sustained intervention

27. Services • Small percentage of students with EBDs that are identified and DO receive special education • These students usually tend to be on the extreme end • And most of these students are considered to have “mild disabilities” • Severe!

28. THE Controversy • Most students with EBD have been placed into classrooms outside of regular classrooms • Current trend – placing students with EBDs in regular schools and classrooms • Argument against – argue that high-risk students NEED to be placed in a special class for a more structured curriculum

29. Placements • Varied • BUUUUT, there should be at least a consistent environment • Individual-based • IDEA – least restrictive environment • Can and should be taught alongside their nondisabled peers to the extent of appropriate education.

30. Teaching struggles • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm4KX60Ndg4 • What was a major issue that occurred in this video? • What could have been done differently? Guesses?

31. Incorporations into teaching • Most curriculum is similar to what is taught in general classrooms • Basic academic skills are key! • Social skills, too! • Using peers to demonstrate right and wrong behaviors • Trending away from institutionalizing

32. PBS: A learning experience • Welcome to my neighborhood! • PBS actually is Positive Behavioral Supports. • 6 steps: The ability to figure out a student’s behavior and solve how to minimize it or the enabler in the classroom • Different Strategies • http://www.pbis.org/school/default.aspx

33. BIPs and FBAs • BIP – Behavior intervention plan • FBA – Functional behavioral assessment • Conducted after a student is suspended for more than 10 days or change in placement from disciplinary problems • To find the behavior of a student and intervene to prevent them from falling back into that behavior • Similar to PBS

34. Testing: Measuring progress and outcomes • Hard to deal with classwork and failure of adequate progress in school • Two assessments • School Social Behavior Scales • Evaluates social competence and a scale based around 32 items – ex. Academic behavior, Peer relations • Administered by teachers or school personnel (not janitors or lunch ladies) • Learning and Study Strategies Inventory • LASSI and LASSI-HS • http://www.hhpublishing.com/_assessments/LASSI/web_lassi_demo/2_assessment.html • Measures attitude, motivation, time management, anxiety, concentration, study aids, and test strategies.

35. More Assessments • Ongoing assessments are one of the best things that can be done – makes sure they are on track with certain goals and helps the teacher plan instruction accordingly • CBM – Curriculum-based measurement and the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES) both are utilized by teachers for determining how to analyze a student with EBD and their progress

36. Testing • Standardized tests • Not clear on what accommodations help • Although there are accommodations! • Scheduling and Presentation (presentation not as common

37. Juvi • Some schools or special classes are provided • Although, wide variation in teaching and strategies • Many do not get the education to match their needs, either due to poor education, poor assessment, lack of resources, etc.

38. The key for teachers • Ability to deal with great unpleasantness and rejection • Not becoming angry with student or countering their own aggressiveness • Must be sure of their own skills as teachers • Be able to make choices for those who do not make wise ones

39. Laying the smack down • Is it appropriate? • Some rules apply, others don’t • IDEA – “provisions…for students with disabilities are intended to maintain a safe school environment without violating the rights of students with disabilities to fair discipline, taking the effects of their disability into consideration.” (Quote from Hallahan 291) • Also allows suspension or expulsion under certain circumstances • ESEA – allows for local school officials to suspend or expel students or discipline them just as they would students without disabilities. Does ALLOW this even though such discipline is not required under ESEA

40. Early intervention • Can be possible to develop kids with difficult temperaments unless parents can handle them well • Is able to be shaped by adults • Primary prevention versus Secondary prevention • PP – preventing serious behavior problems from occurring in the first place – doable if parents or teachers are taught proper ways to manage child skills • SP – Preventing EB disorders from getting worse through the same methods before

41. Early intervention • Behavioral intervention: finding the child’s basis for their emotions and changing the environment around them • Most of these children have: high aggression, severely withdrawn, etc. • Best to identify early, but most often does not get diagnosed for several years

42. Resources for adulthood • Regular Public high school classes • Consultant teachers who work with GE teachers • Resource rooms and special self-contained classes • Work-study programs • Special private or public schools • Alternative schools • Private or public residential schools

43. Transitioning • Mostly hit hard are incarcerated youths • Do not have the access to the same educations, even special educations • Lacking of basic skills • - unable to get employment • Most likely to drop out of school and most difficult to train in transition programs • Life after formal education

44. How might pinpointing the nature of the problem behavior in your class help? • How might identifying the needs of the most vulnerable children help?

45. Additional Information • GTC • LASSI • Oregon Social Learning Center