Working Hard vs. Working Effectively What Is Your Behavioral Support Game Plan? Specifically: What are you trying to accomplish? Specifically: What does your behavioral support look like? Are behavioral supports and strategies consistent with school and classroom cultures?

What Are The Essentials?

#1 Collective Agreement The process of learning involves teaching both academic and social-emotional skills

#2 Proactive vs. Reactive Supports Reducing Crisis Orientation Staying ahead of the game When to seek staff support

What strategies have already been tried prior to referral? Proactive strategies 0/13 Reactive strategies 12/13 Privilege loss, reprimands, parent contact, suspension, sent to office Scott et al 2005

Why did you refer the student for FBA at this particular point in time? Problems less than 1 year 1/13 Disrupting class for 6 months Problems over more than 1 year 1/13 “inappropriate” behavior for over 2 years   Student in crisis 11/13 “danger” or “dangerous” (4), “very disruptive,” “unmanageable,” “cannot tolerate,” “spends most of time in office,” “intense aggression,” “aggression,” “disruptive” Scott et al 2005

FOR ALL, FOR SOME AND FOR FEW Shifting off Reactive FOR ALL, FOR SOME AND FOR FEW School Wide and Classroom Management Anticipate and have a direction / Eyes on the target Specifically target and reinforce “non-problem” or success behavior Reinforce absence of specific problem behavior Emotions in check?

#3 How Do You “See” Behavior? BEHAVIOR IS SKILL-BASED AND INSTRUCTIONAL BEHAVIOR OCCURS IN CONTEXT BEHAVIOR IS RELATIONAL

Kind of error Procedures for Academic Problem Procedures for Social Problem Infrequent Assume student is trying to make correct response   Assume error was accidental Provide assistance (model-lead-test) Provide more practice Assume student has learned skill and will perform correctly in future Assume student is not trying to make the correct response Assume error was deliberate Provide negative consequence Practice not required Assume student will make the right choice and behavior in future

Kind of error Procedures for Academic Problem Procedures for Social Problem Frequent (Chronic) Assume the student has learned the wrong way Assume student has been taught (inadvertently) the wrong way Diagnose the problem Identify misrule or determine more effective manner in which to present Adjust presentation. Provide feedback. Provide Practice and review Assume student refuses to cooperate Assume student knows what is right and has been told often Provide more negative consequences Withdraw student from normal context Maintain student removal from normal consequence

Behavior Occurs in Context

Behavior is Relational Student Adults and Peers Behavior

Thinking /Assumptions Behavior Language / Self Talk Decisions / Choices Personal History Thinking /Assumptions

Teacher Factors Negatively Affecting Discipline and Learning INCONSISTENCY IN MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES REINFORCEMENT OF THE WRONG BEHAVIOR FORMATION OF INAPPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS   NON-FUNCTIONAL OR IRRELEVEANT INSTRUCTION

Teacher Factors Negatively Affecting Discipline and Learning INSENSITIVITY TO LEGITIMATE INDIVIDUALITY   ENCOURAGEMENT OF UNDESIRABLE MODELS IRRITABILITY AND OVER-RELIANCE ON PUNISHMENT UNWILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW STRATEGIES OR TO SEEK SUGGESTIONS FROM OTHER PROFESSIONALS

#4 Changing Behavior Is More Than Changing Behavior

Effectively Supporting Behavior Change More than “stop” Consider Environmental (context) changes Demand sets Adult approach and response behavior Targeting student perceptual changes

Effectively Supporting Behavior Change What Does A Behaviorally Supportive Community Look Like? Common Language High Reliance on “Group” vs. “Individual” School Culture No Islands High Reliance on Sequential Procedures and Plans Avoiding Spontaneous High Reliance on Instruction and Practice Learning Expectations

TEAM TASKS WHAT PROACTIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE (SCHOOLWIDE AND CLASSROOM)? WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS ARE NEEDED? WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO BUILD A SHARED VISION ON HOW WE SEE BEHAVIOR? WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO IDENTIFY EMERGING STUDENTS?

WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

What contributes to student behavioral success? #1 What Do We Teach? What contributes to student behavioral success?

What Is Important? Follows Directions Attends to your instructions Lane 2003: (Assertion / Self Control / Cooperation) Follows Directions Attends to your instructions Controls temper in conflict situations with peers Controls conflict situation with adults Responds appropriately to physical aggression from peers

What Is Important? Merrell 1997: Pro-social behaviors Self Management (controls temper, compromises, cooperates with others) Academic (completes tasks, carries out directions, uses free time appropriately Compliance (follows directions and rules, shares with others) Assertion (initiates conversations, joins activities) Peer Relations (compliments others, offers help)

Social-Emotional Learning SELF AWARENESS (Understanding Self) SELF MANAGEMENT (Regulating) SOCIAL AWARENESS (Understanding Others) RELATIONSHIP SKILLS (Cooperation, Conflict Resolution) RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING (Capacity to make choices and decisions)

Some Foundational Personal Skills Self Management Emotion (managing arousal / frustration) Behavior (managing impulses) Problem Solving Task Problem Solving Social Problem Solving

Best Practice FBA / BIP Process Self Monitoring Problem Solving Goal Setting Social Skills

#2 Accurate Understanding of Student Behavior ACHIEVEMENT GAP VS OPPORTUNITY GAP

Accurate Understanding of Student Behavior Characteristics Information from neurosciences Executive Function Neural learning (bookmarks) Excitability (arousal) Reactivity Cognitive / perceptual misinterpretations or distortions

Accurate Understanding of Student Behavior Capacity Concept of Working Memory The relationship between capacity and demand

Accurate Understanding of Student Behavior CHRONICITY FOR “SOME” AND FOR “FEW” THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

Intervention Strategies for Green Zone / Early Yellow Zone Students Rewards and consequences Reprimand Punishers Consider student behavior as a product of a “choice” Trackers 31

Intervention Strategies for Yellow and Red Zone Students Changes in environment Changes in approach to behavior Changes in response to behavior Consider behavior as reflecting a maladaptive attempt to get needs met Consider behavior to reflect a skill deficit 32

TEAM TASKS WHAT DO TEACHERS FEEL ARE IMPORTANT SUCCESS BEHAVIORS IN YOUR SCHOOL? WHAT ARE MECHANISM TO IDENTIFY THESE BEHAVIORS? HOW IS STUDENT BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL SELF MANAGEMENT BEING ADDRESSED SCHOOLWIDE AND IN THE CLASSROOM?

Effective Support Plans

Effective Support Plans Developed within a context Context of community Accompanying philosophy (shared vision / language) Team Approach Lower Reliance on “Experts” Reflects a sequential system Increasing levels of precision and organization Decreasing level of complexity

Effective Support Plans Focus On Making Changes in the Environment Teaching New Skill Providing New and Different Ways to do Things

Effective Support Plans Student on Board? Getting Students Involved In Their Own Behavior Who’s in charge? The Importance of Students Feeling Successful and Involved Hope and optimism The Need to Work Towards Increasing the Student’s Sense of Belonging Alienation of Diverse Groups

TEAM TASKS WHAT ARE YOU AS A TEAM DOING TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON “EXPERTS”? WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO GET STUDENTS INVOLVED / PARTICIPATING IN BEHAVIOR PLANS? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN A STUDENT IS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN BEHAVIOR CHANGE?

When Plans Don’t Work What do you want your plan to accomplish? Containing Disruptive Behavior ? Building Student Capacity

When Plans Don’t Work What to do when a BSP doesn’t work PENT: (www.pent.ca.gov) What to do when a BSP doesn’t work

IDEAS TO PLAN AND PROBLEM SOLVE BE THOUGHTFUL IMPULSIVE OR ATTENTION SEEKING? SEE THROUGH THE BEHAVIOR USE A PROBLEM SOLVING FORMAT SEEK PARTNERSHIP / COLLABORATION IDENTIFY PROBLEM IN RELATION TO CLASSROOM AND STUDENT GOALS BE EFFICIENT ADDRESS BEHAVIOR AT THE RIGHT TIME USE TIME

TEAM TASKS IDENTIFY 2 IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED IN PLACE TO INCREASE YOUR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT? WHAT SUPPORTS WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THE COMING YEAR?