The Pyramid Model Recharge for Resilience 2017 Sue Bainter, MA Special Education Rooted in Relationships Coach & Coordinator

What is The Pyramid Model? Evidence-based model which: - supports social skill development and - preventing challenging behavior Addresses children’s behavior challenges through: Building relationships High quality, supportive environments Teaching and supporting social skills

Nurturing and Responsive Relationships Effective Workforce better-trained and supported caregivers are the foundation Nurturing and Responsive Relationships positive relationships with children, families, and other providers High Quality Supportive Environments setting up an environment to prevent problems before they start: arranging materials & toys, predictable schedules, and routines Targeted Social Emotional Supports planning for how to respond to children's behaviors Intensive Intervention planning with others for how to support individual children that need additional help beyond steps 1-4 Color-coded to represent pyramid Effective workforce is foundation

Old Way – New Way Old Way General intervention for all behavior challenges Intervention is reactive Focus on behavior reduction Quick fix New Way Intervention matched to purpose of the behavior Intervention is proactive Focus on teaching new skills Long-term interventions

Reaction vs. Response BEHAVIOR Reaction Message Response

The Message Behind Behavior Often Fits into One of These Three Categories: Unmet need for attention Skill deficit Language expression or understanding Managing anger Social and emotional development Lack of fit What the child brings What the family routines and everyday activities present

Why Look at the Message Behind the Behavior? Challenging behavior communicates – usually escape or attention/connect Challenging behavior works – child quickly learns the sequence

Our Role: Help Family Gain Competence Changing Caregiver’s View Focus on the function (purpose or reason), not the form (behavior) Support Engagement between child and caregiver - Where is the mismatch Facilitate replacement skills and behaviors How can the child get the desired outcome in a better way?

The Results Children learn how to seek attention in effective ways Children learn how to express and manage their feelings and actions Children develop positive relationships with family

Perspective Taking Its time for dinner and Renae is trying to get 2 ½ year old Jack to come to the table to join Dad and 7 year old sister Emma, and herself. Jack wants to keep playing with his cars. Renae finally grabs Jack’s arm to walk and he falls to the floor screaming. The family starts dinner with Jack in the background crying and screaming.

Nurturing and Responsive Relationships Establish the context for the parent and child to: Engaging in back/forth turn-taking and eventually conversations Making sure children stay engaged Providing positive attention and directions

Positive Descriptive Praise Thanks for sitting on your chair! You are working so hard to make that car go on the track! You cleaned up your toys, I am proud of you!

Clear and Positive Directions Stop running! Use your walking feet in the house.

High Quality Supportive Environments What is the “fit” between the child and: Routines and everyday activities Transitions Family and home “rules”

Establish a Routine – Use Visuals

Targeted Social-Emotional Supports Supporting and teaching: Social skills Emotional literacy Problem solving skills

Teach Social Emotional Skills Share, Trade, and Tap

Teaching Replacement Skills What is the FORM? What is the FUNCTION or purpose? Alternative behavior chosen must match function. Consider skills that child already has. Make sure the reinforcement for the desired skill or behavior is consistent and planned for.

Teach First-Then FIRST THEN

Competing Behavior Equation Child cries, kicks, throws. Adult delays the washing or rushes through it. Child is told its time to wash hands. Child is engaged with washing hands routine. Adult is able to have the child wash and have it be enjoyable.

Application Identify a Problem Behavior a family you work with is currently struggling with….. Identify the form, and then the function of that challenging behavior – remember the 3 common “messages” behind behavior

CHILD First - Identify a possible replacement skill or behavior that matches the function, consider: Is the child engaged? What is reinforcing the behavior? What is it about the routine or activity can be used? What skills does the child already have?

CAREGIVER Next, how will the caregiver support the child to learn the new skill? Prompting Visuals Modeling Social stories Opportunities for natural practice

YOU Then, how will YOU support the caregiver to support the child’s learning? Discussion - Reflection Observation with Feedback Brainstorming Modeling Finally, co-create a plan

2 things I learned today….. 1 thing I will implement immediately The FINAL Countdown 2 things I learned today….. 1 thing I will implement immediately

Current Sites

TACSEI http://www.challengingbehavior.org The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) takes the research that shows which practices improve the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities and creates FREE products and resources to help decision-makers, caregivers, and service providers apply these best practices in the work they do every day. Most of these free products are available on the website for you to immediately view, download and use. TACSEI is a five-year grant made possible by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education

CSEFEL http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of Head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country.

Group Debrief afterwards: How was this different than what you’ve experienced before? What was surprising to you? What would you do different next time? How did the outcomes you got today compare the outcomes you would “typically” get? Anyone have tears? How did you handle that? Thoughts on the ecomap? What did you notice for non verbal behaviors for the parents? Team meetings: How do we want to move forward is the question or do we want to move forward?? Who will do what by when from Mary.

For More Information: Rooted in Relationships www.rootedinrelationships.org Pyramid Model – NDE www.education.ne.gov/OEC/teaching_pyramid/index.html Pyramid Model – Nebraska Extension www.child.unl.edu/teachingpyramidresources

Thank You! Sue Bainter, Rooted in Relationships Coordinator sbainter@nebraskachildren.org