Enhancing Educator Training and Support

1. Enhancing Educator Training and Support

2. Who’s the Expert? • Educators • Parents/Guardians • Students • Nurses/Doctors • Mental Health Practitioners

3. Getting Started • Administration °Identified areas of needs as a whole °Plan formal trainings • Teacher/Staff °Introduce program and staff as a resource °Identify team leaders and respected staff Be visible Be respectful Be professional Be prepared Be reliable

4. Services and Support Offered • Formal Trainings • Workshops • Observations • Modeling/ In-class support • Establish positive discipline program • Consultation • Information/Newsletters • Referrals/resources • Crisis support • Self-care and informational brown bag lunches

5. Key Factors For Success Building our Knowledge • Disability Codes 1 – 15 ° 06 - Emotional disturbance ° 08 - Other Health Impairment ° 09 - Specific Learning disability ° 10 - Multiple disabilities ° 01 - Mental retardation • DSM-IV-TR- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Addition; Text Revision ° Disruptive behavior disorders - ADHD, ODD, CD ° PTSD - Post traumatic stress disorder ° Mood disorders - Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder ° Learning Disabilities

6. Building our KnowledgeContinued • Identification • Manifestations of behavior °Skill deficits vs. Goals • Risk and protective factors ° Economic status ° Social Skills ° Cognitive functioning ° Sense of belonging ° Academic skills ° Stability /Consistency ° Family functioning ° Substance use ° Adaptability • Strategies for change

7. Gaining Understanding • “Getting it” ° Behavior is learned ° Negative behavior ≠ bad person • One’s Role ° Self-awareness - Mood / Setting events - Values / Expectations ° Power to defuse or escalate negative and positive behavior – What can you control? • Self - Care ° A necessity, not a luxury ° Reduces stress and burnout ° Improves coping ability and productivity

8. Strategies and Support • Fill up your “toolbox” and share with others • Share experiences and gain feedback • Ask for help • “Tell a friend” • Get rest • Do something you enjoy

9. ABCs of Behavior A = Activating EventB = Belief/ThoughtsC = Consequence

10. The Roots of Behavior • Control • Avoidance • Attention • Tangible reward • Sensory stimulation

11. Escalators • Yelling • Public confrontation • Sarcastic / judgmental tone of voice • “In your Face” • Humiliation/ Put downs • Asking why they can’t behave • Bringing in past negative behaviors • Making unrealistic threats • Negative thoughts

12. Diffusers • Model appropriate behaviors • Speak calmly • Speak privately • Acknowledge positive and negative behavior • Communicate immediate expectation • Empathic tone of voice • Breathing • Provide structure

13. Change your Thought – Change your feelings and Actions Thought -“John is going to ruin my class again.” Feel - Angry, powerless, resentful Action - Yell. Kick John out of class Thought-“Ok. John is having a hard time. Maybe I can help get things back on track.” Feel - Hopeful, calm, empathic Action - Speak calmly. Speak privately. Offer assistance. Feel Think Act

14. Positive Discipline • Teach a desired skill • Model desired skill • Reward when student exhibits desired skill °Give praise °Give token °Give tangible reward

15. Get Support • Who is on your team? • What resources do you need? • What kind of self - care may help? • Where can you refer this student for assistance? ° In the building ° Out of the building

16. “John” • The bell rang for first period. Ms. Frank stood up and said, “Another crazy day of dealing with these kids. I know we can’t even make it to class without John acting like a fool.” As the students approached the lockers, John began laughing loudly and making jokes about Ms. Frank. John started running up and down the hallway jumping up to “tap” the door frames as he went. The other students laughed as they opened their lockers and got their things. Ms. Frank chased John down the hallway yelling, “Get back here you rotten kid! You do this everyday and you will never be anything better than a clown. I know your mother did not raise you right! You just need a good kick in the pants is all!” Ms. Frank continued to complain about John as she went over and opened his locker and put John’s coat in his locker. Ms. Frank closed John’s locker and started leading the students down the hallway. John joined the line and Ms. Frank walked next to him and said, “Why do you have to act like a fool everyday? It is all fun and games until you go no where.” • Note: Ms. Frank is one of two teachers for this class. She used to walk the class alone every morning and this scenario played itself out almost everyday according to Ms. Frank and the class.

17. What’s Happened? • What strategies or supports did Ms. Frank use? • What “escalators” did Ms. Frank use? • What “diffusers” did Ms. Frank use? • Any identified possible skill deficits? • Any identified possible “roots” of negative behavior? • Ms. Frank’s possible thoughts: • Ms. Frank’s possible feelings: • Ms. Frank’s actions:

18. John’s ABCs

19. Let’s Assist Ms. Frank In the moment… • Other team members that could help? • What diffusers might have been helpful? • Changes in thoughts → Changes in feelings and actions Ms. Frank’s Helpful thought: Feelings: Actions:

20. Going Forward…. • Possible skill deficit? • Possible “roots” for behavior? • Where could she refer “John”? In and out of the school? • What self - care practices could she use? • What positive discipline practices could she use

21. Resources • CSMH: www.csmha.umaryland.edu • School Mental Health: www.schoolmentalhealth.org • National Association of School Psychologists: www.nasponline.org • Education World: www.educationworld.com • Iris Center: http://irispeabody.vanderbilt.edu