Behavior Management: Working with Students with Social and Emotional Challenges

1. Dr. Susan R. Rose, Ph.D. University of the Cumberlands January 13, 2011 Behavior Management: Working with Students with Social and Emotional Challenges

2. No matter how well a teacher knows the subject matter or how well he or she can teach, a teacher who cannot manage a class is finished!

3. So, what can we do to make sure that ALL students within our reach learn (and save our sanity)?

4. REACH! • Relationship • Enthusiasm • Activity – Multiple!! • Collaboration • Human

5. Relationship People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!

6. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs So, where do you think education/school fits in?

8. People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking they can do things. When they believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success. - Norman Vincent Peale

9. Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is; treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

10. Enthusiasm Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

11. Activity • Over Plan • Multiple Intelligences • Attention Span • Three things you’ve learned so far

12. Collaboration • Parents • Previous Teachers • Students themselves • Community • Grants • Fund-raising • Many others

13. Human • Learn from your mistakes • There was only one perfect man • Take Care of Yourself

14. Teacher Reflection • Could this problem be a result of inappropriate curriculum or teaching strategies? • What do I demand and prohibit? • Why do certain behaviors bother me? • Is this behavior developmentally appropriate? • Do I focus on a behavioral excess or a deficiency? • Will resolution of the problem solve anything else?

15. Rewards and Punishments (Behaviorist Theory) Lead by Example (Social Learning Theory) Work with the child’s level of development (Cognitive Theory) Behavior Management Approaches

16. Behaviorist Theory • Based on Theories of Watson, Pavlov, and Skinner. • Use rewards and punishments to get desired results and behaviors. • Most frequently used behavior management strategies for the primary and elementary classroom are based on the Behaviorist model.

17. Positive Reinforcement • A positive reinforcement is a stimulus that follows an event and increases the chance of this event reoccurring. • Examples: • tangible object (candy, treasure chest, sticker charts, marble jars) • an activity (computer time) • something social (playing a game with a friend)

18. Negative Reinforcement • Negative reinforcement is taking something negative away in order to increase a response . • Examples: • Taking away an assignment • Lessening an assignment • Telling a student they will not have to work on an assignment during free time if they finish it in time.

19. Punishment • Punishment refers to adding something aversive in order to decrease a behavior. • Examples: • Detention • Loss of Privilege • Time off of recess • Taking money away (in a token economy) • Time Out

20. Extinction • Extinction occurs when one plans to withhold any reinforcement for a specific behavior. • The teacher must be consistent with this method. • Examples: • When a child yells out to gain attention, the teacher (and students) have planned to ignore this behavior.

21. What Research Tells Us • Research has found positive reinforcement is the most powerful of any of these. Adding a positive to increase a response not only works better, but allows both parties to focus on the positive aspects of the situation. • Punishment, when applied immediately following the negative behavior can be effective, but results in extinction when it is not applied consistently. • Punishment can also invoke other negative responses such as anger and resentment.

22. Social Learning Theory • Albert Bandura is most famous for development of this theory (Bobo the Clown Experiment) • Children learn by observing others and the modeling of a given behavior

23. Applying Social Learning Theory in the Classroom • Set Expectations • Model these expectations at all times in the classroom • Be consistent with praise, and redirection • Monitor what types of behaviors you choose to ignore and acknowledge. • Have motivators and follow through with these • Provide time for children to reproduce expectations

24. Cognitive Theory • Based on Theories of Piaget, Erikson, and Kohlberg • There are stages of intellectual development that children go through • Children will only be able to comprehend and function at the level of their cognitive development.

25. Applying Cognitive Theory to the Classroom • Avoid language that focuses on others (“I am so disappointed in that choice”; “How do you think that made Sally feel?”) • Provide plenty of praise and enough support to create a successful experience for all. • Need immediate feedback • Use long term rewards for class goals and still keep the time frame to earn the celebration to just a few days.

26. Children with disabilities in the public school system are educated in accordance with an individualized education plan (IEP). It is imperative for all staff involved with a child with disabilities to understand the unique cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional needs of that child. In addition, behavior management strategies/implementation will be specified in the IEP, and must be followed by law. Special Considerations for Children with Disabilities

27. Special Considerations, continued: • Make sure student cognitively understands what is expected of him. • Is there the ability to understand cause and effect (Time-Out legal issues). • Known fears of child must be avoided. (Child may have been abused) • Remember to reflect on regular education peer group---don’t be too strict. • Communicate with parents---behavior management must be agreed upon. Family may have had negative prior experiences. • Positives 1st---Catch kids “being good” • Engage other adults in the school---communicate student social skill needs. • TEACH appropriate behaviors and consequences.

28. Oh Boy!!! Since boys tend to make up a disproportionate number of the students in special education, it is important to understand gender differences when implementing behavior management strategies.

29. According to Leonard Sax, director of the National Association of Single Sex Public Education(NASSPE), boys need: • A highly structured learning environment to achieve maximum academic success. • Allotted time for organized breaks---boys are very physical and competitive, and physical movement helps to relieve stress/ enhances the thinking process. • More use of manipulatives and hands-on instruction. • Paraphrased instructions on class work. • Opportunities for verbalization of feelings.

30. Tools

31. Best Practices • Make sure you have clear expectations. • Establish clear rules and procedures. • Teach and model your rules and procedures. • Enforce classroom rules promptly, consistently, and equitably from the very first day of school. • Provide frequent positive praise and reinforcement.

32. Best Practices Continued • Make smooth transitions between activities. • Give students feedback and reinforcement regarding their behavior. • Lastly…

33. Be Pro-Active! Have Set Procedures in Place: • A signal to get your students’ attention • Places for homework/notes from parents • Appropriate behavior for entry/exit to class • Acceptable noise levels • When can students leave their seats? • Quality of work expectations • Behavior expectations clearly posted and discussed/practiced • Give regular reminders and feedback • Select high-interest or functional learning activities • Offer frequent opportunities for choice

34. Ignore minor misbehaviors.

35. Documentation/Data IF it’s not written down, it didn’t happen! • Behavior Log (For entire class) • FBA • BIP

36. Behavior Log • Chart travels with class throughout week • Rewards distributed on specific day each week (Consistency!) • Course Related Movie for students who earned it; Study period for students who did not • Small rewards • Little Debbie Snack Cakes • Oriental Trading Prizes

37. Functional Behavior Analysis • Step 1: Identify and Define the Problem Behavior • ABC Chart • Scatterplot Chart • Indirect Assessment • Interview • Parent • Student

38. ABC’s of Behavior Management • Antecedent • events or conditions that immediately precede the problem behavior • Behavior • unwanted action by the student • Consequence • what the student gets from the behavior

39. Antecedent Factors • Teacher behavior • Outside influences (home life, peer relations) • Self-esteem • Learning disabilities/ lack of skills or knowledge • Environmental factors

40. Behavior Issues • Inattentiveness • Disruptiveness • Non-compliance/Refusal • Bullying • Outward aggression

41. Consequences • Avoidance of class work • Negative attention • Time out of class • Time away from peers • Drawing attention away from flaws/lack of knowledge • After school detention • When the behavior is followed by a pleasant consequence, it is more likely to reoccur. • When the behavior is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it is less likely to reoccur.

42. Example ABC Chart

43. Example Scatterplot Student:____Susie Smith____________________ Grade: ___4__ School: __Anywhere Elementary_ Date(s): ___10/06/10-10/10/10________ Observer: __Mrs. Rose, Counselor_____________________ Behavior of Concern: ___Verbal outbursts of anger followed by refusal to respond to directions by___ teacher/adult authority______________________ Additional relevant information: _Susie is with Ms. Doe in the a.m. for Reading and with Mr. Jones in the p.m. for Math/Sci./Social Studies______________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Code used (if any): ____Tally mark for each observed instance________________________________

44. Functional Behavior Analysis • Step 2: Collect Information and Determine Function • Times and Conditions when the behavior does/does not occur • Specific location of the behavior • Individuals present when the behavior is most/least likely to occur • Events or conditions that typically occur before and after the behavior • Common setting events

45. Functional Behavior Analysis • Step 3: Categorize Behavior; Form a Hypothesis’ (Triangulating the Data) • Three basic ways to categorize why a behavior is occurring: • Function—why the student is demonstrating the behavior, usually to get/seek something desired or to escape/avoid something painful or undesired. • Skill deficit—a behavioral or academic skill that the student does not know how to perform. • Performance deficit—a behavioral or academic skill the student does know, but does not consistently perform. Example: A student is chronically late for the classes she doesn’t “like.” In cases of performance deficit, the BIP may include strategies to increase motivation.

46. Behavior Intervention Plan • Give it time! • Note Strengths as well as weaknesses • Much more detailed than Behavior Contracts, but this is a good place to start.

47. Behavior Contracts • By Course, Y/N • By Course and Specific Goals • Weekly for Elementary • Self and Teacher Check • Time Interval • Weekly Percentages

48. Closing • www.counselingtoday.com • Questions

49. References • Kauffman, J. M. , Hallahan, D. P., Mostert, M.P., Trent, S.C., & Nuttycombe, D.G. (1993). Managing Classroom Behavior. Boston: Allyn & Bacon • www.interventioncentral.org • www.fpg.unc.edu • www.specialed.about.com/cs/behaviordisorders/a/rules/htm • Center for Adolescent Studies. (1996). What is your classroom management profile? Teacher Talk,1(2). Bloomington: Indiana University, Center for Adolescent and Family Studies. • Clark, Elaine, Farley, Megan, Jenson, William ,Olympia, Daniel. Positive psychology and externalizing students in a sea of negativity.Psychology in the Schools; Jan2004, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p67-79, 13p. • "Behaviorist Theory" by Richard H. Hall- Educational Psychology/ 2001/ v11b • Learning-Theories.com Knowledge Base and Webliography; www.learning-theories.com/social-lerning-theory-bandura.html; accessed 4/10/2009 • LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD- ROM • www.lsil.org/lingualinks/literacy/ImplementALiteracyProgram: accessed 4/10/2009 • Santrock, John, Child Development; 11th Edition