Behavior Data Collection Elementary Level

1. Behavior Data CollectionElementary Level Cathy McKenzie, Ed.S.

2. Why collect data? • Identify if the behavior / problem is student specific, class specific, grade level or school specific • Determine current frequency, intensity, duration and if this is different from behavior of other students • Track changes over time (response to intervention) • Identify antecedents / triggers to assist with functional behavior assessment • Georgia regulations

3. Pyramid of Interventions Tier I

4. Classroom Management Checklist • See form in appendix – This can be used as a self-evaluation by teachers but also used by administrators / others when observing the class • Things to look for: • Physical setting • Posting of rules and routines • Students actively engaged (limit downtime) • Commands / directions specific • Rate of positives to negatives • Consistency

5. Direct Whole Classroom Observation • See the form used in the appendix • Alpha Commands (also known as effective commands or precision requests) – concise instructions that elicit a distinct outcome, are precise, specific, direct, given one at a time, stated positively and in a calm tone of voice (e.g. “Please sit down” or “Turn to page 22”) • Beta Commands – commands that are NOT Alpha commands, such as using a questioning format, multiple steps, negatively stated or not specific (e.g. “Will you sit down?” or “Behave yourself.”)

6. Compliance Percentage • Each time a command / direction is given the command is categorized as either Alpha or Beta • Next, begin timing to see if student complies within 10 second. If so, tally mark is made in the compliance box. • If the command was given to the whole class then look to see if 75% of the students comply with the direction within 10 seconds

7. Whole Classroom Observation • Positives for Behavior – any praise or reinforcement for appropriate behavior (e.g. “Thanks you Sally for raising your hand” or “Timmy is doing a good job standing in line.”) This includes giving tokens, check marks, stickers, candy, etc. • Positives for Academics – any praise or reinforcement for correct responses to academics, praise or reinforcement for attempting to answer an academic task (e.g. “Great answer!” or “Good thinking.”) • Negatives for Behavior – any correction, consequence or feedback indicating a behavior was inappropriate (e.g. “Move your clip” or “Tina is not being responsible.” This includes taking away points or other items that result in loss of privileges, placement in time-out, or removal from the class. • Negatives for Academics – any feedback indicating the response to academics was incorrect (e.g. “No that’s wrong” or “No you are not listening”).

8. Data on Compliance • Based on 75 Classroom Observations from Pre-K through High School • Average 78% compliance with Alpha Commands • Average of 40% compliance with Beta Commands • Teachers that averaged over 80% compliance used Alpha commands an average of 87% of the time • Teachers that had at least 80% of commands being Alpha Commands AND had at least 3 positives for every negative (ratio of 3:1 positives to negative) had an average of 93% compliance (range 88% to 100%)

9. So what does this mean? • Teaching staff to use Alpha (effective commands) and to provide ratio of 4 positives to every negative sets a good foundation for classroom management. • This involves a change in communication style of the adults (change in their behavior). • This does not cost anything and involves no additional time (no loss of instructional time).

10. Pyramid of Interventions Tier 2 & 3

11. Types of Behavior Data • Frequency – How often it happens • Use for things like hitting, getting out of seat, blurting out, swearing, turning in homework • Duration – How long does the behavior last? • Use for things like remaining in seat, crying, tantruming, sleeping in class • Interval – Is it occurring at a certain interval? • Use for very high frequency behaviors such as blurting out, sitting in seat, working on a task, drumming on the desk • Latency – How much time elapses before the behavior is exhibited? • Use for things such as beginning a task / following a direction after a command is given, turning in completed work, stopping a misbehavior when redirected

12. Forms for Individual Student Data Collection (Forms in Appendix) • Behavior Calendar – used for frequency data collection (not for long term data collection) • ABC Checklist – use for behaviors that are not high frequency • Behavior Report Card Generator (from Intervention Central) – gets student involved and also used as part of the intervention • Classroom observation by someone else – gets a time sampling and is better for high frequency behaviors

13. Behavior Doctor – FBA Tool • A free excel download to be used for collection and analysis of behavior for Functional Behavior Assessment. • This instrument / tool is a bit more complicated and time intensive but useful for more difficult cases • www.behaviordoctor.org

14. Resources • Intervention Central www.interventioncentral.org • Behavior Advisor http://www.behavioradvisor.com/ • Discipline Help http://www.disciplinehelp.com/ • Behavior Doctor http://www.behaviordoctor.org/

15. THANK YOU • Cathy McKenzie, Ed.S. • cathy.mckenzie@cherokee.k12.ga.us • Or • cathyrmac@yahoo.com