Chapter 9: Students with behaviour disorders

1. Chapter 9: Students with behaviour disorders • Misconceptions about B.D. (pp. 109-110) • What is B.D.? (pp. 111) • View from mental health (p. 111-112) • Causes of B.D. and Assessment (pp. 113-115) • Issues in the field (pp. 115-118) • Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) • Strategies for B.D. students (p. 126) • Classroom Management Strategies (pp. 127-130)

2. Misconceptions about B.D. (pp. 109-110) • Youth violence has increased significantly since the mid to late 20th century. (56.4 vs. 28.1%, not according to administrators) • Easier to get services for ID students with emotional/behaviour disorder . (not guarantee) • Development in mental health science has made the identification and classification of BD simpler and easier for educators (DMS, APA). It is much more subtle in the classroom. • Bullying is natural and students learn to deal with it. It has long term consequences (my study)

3. Misconceptions about B.D. (pp. 109-110) • Neither age- nor gender-related. Males outnumber females by ratio 5:1. • BD manifested in aggression and frustration. Symptoms such as withdrawal may be present. • BD students are bright but frustrated. Correlation between BD and average and low IQ. • Difficult behaviour is seen external but is deep rooted. Often spontaneous and temporary. • Permissive atmosphere is most effective.Highly structure, ordered, and predictable environment brings the greatest change for BD students.

4. What is B.D.? (pp. 111) • It is behaviour that varies markedly and chronically from accepted norm. • Social and cultural conditions are influencing factors • Different perspectives in school, same behaviour may be seen as disruptive by one teacher but normal by another • Behaviour patterns vary and change over time

5. View from mental health (p. 111-112) • Environmental: factors in the environment (diet, air, pollution, metals) • Psychodynamic: experiencing deep-rooted inner turmoil • Psychosocial: relationship with family and peers • Psychoeducational: brought about in school • Behaviourist- taught the wrong things/bad role models • Biophysical – deficiencies in genetics, neurology, biochemistry, disease, malnutrition. • Combinations of the above.

6. Causes of B.D. and Assessment (pp. 113-115) Biophysical • FAS (Ch.11), autism (Ch.12), Schizophrenia, is biological makeup, heredity Allergies • allergic reactions can generate LD and BD • an individual has a capacity to tolerate only so much substance in the environment (combination of stale air, chalk dust, moulds, perfume on the teacher, may exceed that students tolerance (total load) and cause an allergic reaction

7. Causes of B.D. and Assessment (pp. 113-115) • Speech and Language a higher incidence of behaviour disorders among students with speech and language impairments. They have difficulty expressing his/her needs or frustrations may choose to act them out in class. • Psychological A child’s behaviour is influenced by the home and school. A child’s relationship with parents is crucial in early years. If discipline is inconsistent or there is little reinforcement for affection, the child will often learn to be aggressive. Vice-versa?

8. Assessment of BD (p.115) • Step 1: By classroom teacher using common sense and experience • Step 2: Board procedure: formal assessments (availability of experts) • Step 3: Observation forms by teachers, TA, parents, social worker. • Step 4: IPRC by school team/special ed teachers • Best by team work

9. Issues in the field (pp. 115-118) • Hard to find acceptable term and definition for BD • Not all children with BD needs are being met • Students behaviour is often seen as unacceptable because school’s standards are to high • Students from a lower social class are more likely to be labeled with a disorder • Stigma of being identified as BD is lasting • Legally if they are involved in a crime, they are removed from education • Administering of drugs (Ritalin) could lead to drug addictions

10. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) Psychodynamic Approach • Views behaviour as being within the individual • Teacher seeks warm supportive atmosphere • Emphasis is placed on acceptance and toleration • One reason for decline of psychodynamic approach is it doesn’t improve academic achievement and there is limited evidence that it helps to improve behaviour

11. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) Behaviour Modification Approach • dominant intervention style • behaviour modified through reinforcement (Skinner) • behaviour is controlled by impinging stimuli to: (i) create behaviours that presently do not exist (ii) maintain behaviours already established (iii) eliminates inappropriate behaviours • Step 1: establish desirable behaviour (s) • Step 2: using a potent reinforcement, teachers and TAs intervene when these behaviours appear

12. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) Drug Therapy Approach • a BD student is administered psychotropic drugs (Ritalin) to control his/her behaviour • evidence shows the medication to be successful • classroom professionals: (1)administer medication and (2) monitoring its positive and negative effects • a challenge for teachers and TA is that it is under the control of parents and medical professionals. • Teachers cannot administer medication

13. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) Biophysical Approach • direct relationship between behaviour and diet and illness • diet control, diet therapy, environment modification etc. Environmental Approach • must involve everyone - coordination • modify the school’s environment • social and interpersonal environmental skills • may be very time consuming

14. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) The Classroom Approach(flexible common sense approach) • most teachers combine all the approaches and use them on a case by case basis • teachers value warm and sensitive atmospheres • teachers recognize interplay between environmental stimuli • teachers modify behaviour in their students • do what is effective and makes sense at the time

15. Intervention Models/Approaches (pp.118-122) The Classroom Approach(flexible common sense approach) • most teachers combine all the approaches and use them on a case by case basis • teachers value warm and sensitive atmospheres • teachers recognize interplay between environmental stimuli • teachers modify behaviour in their students • do what is effective and makes sense at the time

16. Strategies for B.D. students (p. 126) • Manage the environment – seat BD student away from distractions, near peer models, use study carrel (parents) • Instructions – Be simple and concise, single instruction, “proximity control”. • Organization of the day - prepare for transitions, help get started on work,help student organize output, frequent checks. • Other Support - Enforce a few routines consistently. Few rules. Plan for the students and provide extra time. Do not argue. Reinforce “good” behaviours. Use “antiseptic bouncing” and other tasks that “needs doing now • Think Momentum, not motivation : build sense personal responsibility. • Note improvement to students and parents,no matter how small

17. Classroom Management Strategies (pp. 127-130) 1. Recognize where students are “at” • use student’s views • “at” the student’s level, yet continue to mentor • do not become friends • be open, understanding and listen 2. Realizing the importance of personal conduct • be role models of adulthood, be present and visible • be realistic, consistent and fair, don’t react defensively • use realistic and fair consequences in a consistent way • Model and communicate the possibility that the world makes sense

18. Classroom Management Strategies (pp. 127-130) 3. Establishing a realistic, consistent and predictable environment • make clear expectations in the beginning • few general rules are best to avoid opportunity for them to be broken, followed by appropriate consequences • keep things structured and organized and predictable • model consistency and attitude that you expect to see 4. Catching a kid doing something good • look for positives, discretely praise students (sincere) • BD students recognize reinforcement programs

19. Classroom Management Strategies (pp. 127-130) 5. Treating democracy as a very fine line • offering choices, opportunity to be responsible • creating atmosphere of respect, realistic expectations 6. Establishing momentum is more important than motivating • plan, organize and teach with aim to get BD students to work on own, get them to set own achievable goals • essential to plan then motivate and teach • teach at students level (where they are at),set achievable goals and have them feel successful when goals are met • teacher motivation is not as good as self-motivation

20. Classroom Management Strategies (pp. 127-130) 7. Keeping academic front and centre • Focus on academic learning • Social skills – may be vital part of plan,but keep focus on education • being aware that school is beneficial to them 8. Working hard is better than sitting around • BD students enjoy the challenge • making their own goals and self-motivation • Sensitive to student’s own expectations