Getting to Best Behavior- Using Response to Intervention for Behavioral Concern s

Getting to Best Behavior- Using Response to Intervention for Behavioral Concerns Presented by: Betty White, Former President, TSCA kidtools@academicplanet.com www.kidtools.net

What is RtI? • RtI, or response to intervention, is a system of providing just as much research based academic or behavioral support as is needed to help a student be successful academically and behaviorally-it originally began in the behavioral arena and has been carried over into academics

Positive Behavioral Support • PBS is the underlying premise behind behavioral RtI-based on the fact that: • Behavior is learned and purposeful • Behavior can be changed • Positive approaches work better than punitive approaches • All people deserve respect and dignity • Meeting the need fulfilled by the behavior in a positive way will help to change that behavior

Positive Behavioral Support PBS integrates 4 elements: • Operationally defined outcomes • Behavioral science • Research validated practices • Systems change to both reduce problem behaviors and enhance learning

PBS is: • Research based • Mandated in some cases • A way to teach expected behaviors • A way to recognize students who make good choices • A district wide system to increase academic success • A positive way to enjoy teaching and students again

PBS is not: • A passing fad • Giving free rein to behaviors • An overnight success • Effective if only a few utilize it • Possible without supporting each other • Without consequences for inappropriate behaviors

Critical Attributes of PBS • Focuses on all systems within school • A tiered model (usually three tiers) • Commitment to improving school climate and student performance • Intervention strategies to meet campus needs • Team based • Emphasizes an instructional approach to behavior management • Data-based • Long term commitment to systems change • Continual evaluation and adjustment of interventions

Focus on All Systemswithin School Wide System

Three Tiers • Tier 1- Primary Prevention -School/Classroom systems for all students, staff, and settings-80% • Tier 2- Secondary Prevention - Specialized Group Systems for students with At-Risk Behaviors-15% • Tier 3- Tertiary Prevention - Specialized Individualized Systems for students with At-Risk Behaviors-5%

Three-Tiered Model 5% of students-Specialized Individual Plans for Students with High Risk Behaviors Tier 3 15% of students-Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behaviors Tier 2 80% of students-Primary Prevention-School/Classroom Systems for all students, staff, and settings Tier 1

Commitment to Improving School Climate and Student Performance • 80% of faculty agree that discipline is a priority • Long term outlook • Commitment of necessary resources • District Level commitment (best) at LEAST Campus Level

Team Based Planning • 4-8 team members • Administrative Representation • Grade Level Representation • Staff Representation • Parent? Student? Para? Team Meets Regularly-Based on Needs- Usually Starts Weekly and moves to Bi-weekly and Monthly Data is used to guide decision making Team shares plan and gets input from faculty and staff

Intervention Strategies Designed for Unique Needs of Each Campus • Assess attitudes and needs of faculty and staff about student behavior and school climate • Gather objective data about areas of need • Appoint team to receive intensive training and lead efforts • Team trains staff • Team develops plans, present to faculty and staff for approval and input • Team meets regularly to review data, assess needs, modify plans, develop new interventions • End-of-Year evaluation and revision

Instructional Approach • Students are actively taught the expectations for all areas of the school • Expectations are re-taught as needed • Consequences for disciplinary infractions are tied to school expectations (Assumption: Students misbehave in large part because they do not know/remember the rules or the expectations or they cannot perform the expected action-20+ repetitions needed for mastery.)

Data-Driven Decisions • All decisions are driven by data • Common data used: • Surveys • Office discipline referrals • Attendance • Test Scores • Parent/Student/Teacher satisfaction surveys • Classroom discipline data • Suspensions/Expulsions/Detention/ISS data

Continuous Evaluation • Needs Change • Demographics Change • Students Master Skills • Expectations Become a Part of School Culture • Data Suggests New Target Areas

TIER 1 • Tier 1 is the classroom and school-wide rules and expectations • Tier 1 interventions should meet the needs of 80% of students with no further intervention • Tier 1 effectiveness is based on pre-planning and anticipation of problems, as well as repetitive, direct teaching of expectations

TIER 1, continued • Classroom procedures/consequences should be spelled out in advance (see form 1 & 2) • Classroom procedures should be similar between classes at a given grade level • Expectations and procedures in common areas should be delineated and constant throughout the school

Common Procedures • Expectations, procedures, and consequences should be spelled out for: entering the school, waiting for class to start, transitioning in the hall, restroom behavior, lunchroom behavior, playground behavior, exiting behavior, and bus behavior, to name a few-team meetings are used to determine these guidelines (Form 3) . The 80% staff rule applies here.

ACTIVITY • Identify 3 strategies your school uses to recognize rule-following behavior • List one procedure for each area of your school: • Halls • Restroom • Playground • Lunchroom • PE • Music • Bus Line

Test • Do 80-90% of your students follow these rules and procedures? • Are rules consistently enforced by all staff? • Would a visitor to your school be able to detect the rules and procedures? • Would 5 randomly selected students be able to describe the rules and procedures?

Classroom Procedures • Explicitly teach expectations before an activity begins (looks like-sounds like) • Monitor students during the activity • Provide feedback both during and after the activity • Make changes as necessary

Classroom Procedures • Monitoring of student misbehavior(s) on a simple grid (by hour) with a code for various behaviors (Form 4) • At 85% level or higher-keep procedures the same-make individual or small group plans for the few who are misbehaving • At 60-84% level-review structure and consider structural changes or motivational changes • Below 60% level-Review classroom structure implement changes

Hierarchy of Consequences • Timeout from a favored object (bumpy bunny from Tough Kid), from a small group, from a favored activity (recess) • Timeout at desk, in isolation in class, in another classroom, at another lunch table • Logical consequences-you made a mess, you clean it up (increase amount for repeat offenses) • Positive practice (go back and walk) • Point system with fines • Response cost (lose tickets) • Detention • Demerits (allows time to change) • Office referral

Planned Responses • Brainstorm with others at your grade level an EXHAUSTIVE list of probable misbehaviors and, either as a team or on your own, decide if a behavior will be ignored, corrected or consequated • If there is to be a consequence, decide upon whether is will be an in class or an out of class consequence-make a list and stick to it! • Once you have your list, review your day and look at when these behaviors are occurring. Make any structural or procedural changes needed

Secondary Level Interventions • Must have a systemic procedure for deciding which students need these services • A certain number of referrals within a certain time period • Nature of referrals • Academic failure • Teacher recommendation

When to Move to Level 2 • Student has many referrals • A few students display patterns of inappropriate behaviors • Certain situations seem difficult for certain students • Certain students seem to lack behavioral/social/emotional skills

Secondary Interventions • Small group instruction for skills • Check in-check out • Mentors • One-on-one time • Behavioral Contracting

Secondary Interventions • Interview and intervention • Academic Assistance • Targeting Behaviors • Data Collection/Review • Accentuating the Positive

Small Group Instruction for Skills • Typically, small groups will be led by counselor • May deal with a variety of topics: Communication Skills, Self-Esteem, Goal Setting, Anger Management, Impulse Control, Study Skills • Help students gain needed skills to be successful in classroom

Check-in-Check-out • Best for behaviors motivated by attention • Daily check in with one staff member • Teachers provide verbal and written feedback throughout the day • Form is sent home daily • Reinforcers provided for pre-set totals • Monitor and adjust as needed • (See form 5)

Morning Check-in • Praise student for bringing back signed form • Check student’s preparedness for class (materials, breakfast, emotional state) • Review rules, expectations, reinforcers-get verbal commitment • Complete student record keeping

End of Day Check-out • Review report card with student • Focus on positive reports • Problem solve if needed • Listen to student if he is frustrated • Student earns small treat if compliant with program • Complete home report if used • Record points earned

Reinforcers for CICO • At least once per week, student spends points earned • Provide a reinforcement menu • Items available for: • Low cost (<70% of points) • Medium cost (80% of points) • High Cost (90% of points) • Have students help with preparing reinforcement menu from choices you provide • Consider function of behaviors and tailor reinforcers to meet those functions

Home Reports • Consider having student take report home-give points for return of signed report • Be sure parents know to expect form • Provide guidance to parents about how to discuss form with student

Monitor Effects of CICO • General rule-80% of points • Assess points • Is there a pattern? • Evaluate program implementation • Are all teachers using it correctly? • Adjust program if needed • More frequent check-in • Different reinforcers • Does program address function of behavior?

Mentors • Brainstorm list of students who might need mentors • Tell teachers they cannot choose more than 2 • Give brief information about student needs, but do not over-disclose • Provide mentors will feedback on student improvement

One-on-One Time • A hard sell for teachers, but very effective • Teachers set aside 20 minutes from conference 1-2 days per week • During that time, they bring in one student and allow them time to play with special toys (younger) or to talk or help (older) • Time together is non-directive, positive interaction without any discussion about classroom misbehavior

Behavior Contracting • Student and teacher or counselor design a contract for specified behavioral goals, time frame and rewards and consequences • Be sure initial contract is not too ambitious • First time a contract is broken, consider time frame, etc. and try again • If student repeatedly breaks contract, it is not working-try something else

Interview and Intervention • Appropriate for minor but irritating behaviors (tattling, immaturity, whining, disorganization) • Moderate misbehaviors in early stages (arguing, disruption, tardiness, poor quality work, poor compliance skills) • Chronic behaviors as part of another plan (tantrums, stealing, lying, cheating, fighting, destruction of property, scape-goating) • Can also be used with more than one student simultaneously with minor form modifications

Why it Works • It is quick and easy • Documentation is built in • It shows respect for student and allows input (empowers) • Much misbehavior results from a lack of information

How it Works • Identify your MAIN concern • Plan your discussion • Set an appointment with the student at a neutral time • Meet with the student • Keep a written record of the discussion (Form 6)

Academic Assistance • Often, students who misbehave are simply either expressing their frustration with academic tasks or avoiding tasks that are too hard (it is easier to say I won’t than I can’t) • Behaviors that often have an academic component are: incomplete or late work, class clown, attention getting or avoiding, cheating, lying, frequent visits to nurse or counselor, lack of energy, sleeping, anger, refusal to do work, tearing up work, withdrawal, attentional issues

Interventions • Refer student to Academic RtI team for assistance • Provide explicit teaching for academic skills such as graphic organizers, mnemonics, study guides, partitioned work, highlighted texts, pre-teaching, organizational strategies, assignment sheets, etc.

Targeting Behaviors • Students may want to do better but do not know how to target, plan, and reach a goal • Student may not have alternative strategies • This is appropriate for: minor repetitive misbehaviors like tattling, disorganization, sloppy work, disorganization, absenteeism, interruption • Habits such as pencil tapping, chair tipping, picking, tapping and drumming, • Disruptive behaviors, insubordination, rudeness, excessive movement, negativity, bossiness, arguing, talking back, disrespect, excessive shyness, lack of assertiveness, reluctance to ask for help

Intervention • Review the student’s history • Note previous interventions and success rates • Note the student’s strengths • Determine your desired outcome • Decide if consequences should be part of the plan • Decide if rewards should be part of the plan • Decide if you will be collaborative or authoritative in setting targets (goals) • Set up a conference with the student

Intervention, cont. • Meet with the student, and discuss the problem (behavior) that should change • Assist the student in setting a short range target • Determine consequences/rewards • Document and provide feedback (see form 7)

Data Collection and Review • This intervention is best for chronic misbehavior that is resistant to intervention • One reason for going to this model is that it allows you and the student to see incremental growth, gives the student feedback, and lets you know how your interventions are working

Data Collection and Review • There are many forms for data collection: (Form 8) • Student Behavioral Monitoring form • Basic Frequency count (hash-marks, counter) • Duration Recording (for infrequent but long lasting behaviors) • Interval Recording (shows pattern) • Rating scale (severity) • Running record-written log of behavior • Smile/Frown for younger students

Data Collection and Review • Meet with the student (group) and decide what data you are going to collect • Meet with the student (group) following collection to discuss results • Decide whether the student will participate in collection (for example, a time goes off, student records whether their behavior is appropriate at that time.) • Usually, simply recording and sharing the data will result in improvement

Getting to Best Behavior- Using Response to Intervention for Behavioral Concern s