Behavior Challenges Me Why are we Inclusive? Inclusion TIDBIT Behavior Challenges Me Created by Pam Maat and Becci Timmer Teacher Consultants, CLC Network Created March 2017

INCLUSION TIDBIT The Inclusion Tidbit series was developed by CLC Network to support professional development within CLC Network Member Schools. This series is available exclusively for Members. Permission is required for any other uses. Copyright © 2018 CLC Network. 

“The school discipline program isn’t working for the kids who aren’t doing well and it isn’t needed for the kids who are.” “Our kids with behavioral challenges are falling through the cracks” Have a staff discussion around these two question before you click for the first statement: How do teachers in your school address behavior problems? How does your school address discipline? Click once for quotes from Dr. Ross W. Greene Consider this statement: “Traditional school discipline is broken.” Agree? Disagree? Give your rationale Click for the second statement. Where is this true in your school or with whom is this true? “Consequences are the #1 intervention commonly utilized. Consequences are wonderful when they work. The are less wonderful when they don’t’ work. And they often don’t work for the kids to whom they are most frequently applied.” -Dr. Ross W. Greene Greene goes on to say that we need a new understanding of challenging kids and a new response.

Behavior is Communication "Beyond Special Education: the Power of Inclusive Education in the Christian School" Behavior is Communication It shows how one feels… It shows what one is thinking… One will communicate through behavior when unable to verbalize what one is feeling or thinking Ask: Why do you think kids misbehave? Make a list on the board or large chart paper. How many of the common 10 reasons for misbehavior were mentioned? Attention, copying others, testing limits, lack skills, want independence, can’t control emotions, unmet needs, power or control, misbehavior gets them what they want, underlying mental health (ADHD, anxiety, depression…) Most, if not all kids will misbehave. We know this and even expect this. The concern or challenge comes not from the segment of students that respond to natural consequences, but from the students that do not respond to consequences. We will focus now on this group of chronic, challenging students. Presented by CLC Network

New Lens Children do well if they can Doing well is preferable to not doing well According to Dr. Ross W. Greene in Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Challenging Behaviors are Falling through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them, the above two themes give us both a new understanding of and a new response to kids with challenging behaviors. Both are a departure from the view that kids are only challenging because they are attention-seeking, manipulative, coercive, limit-testing and poorly motivated. These themes require a completely different set of lenses and are supported by research in the neurosciences.

Why are challenging kids challenging? Flexibility/Adaptability Frustration Tolerance Problem Solving Ross Greene answers this question by stating that these kids lack the skills to NOT be challenging...if they had the skills, they wouldn’t be challenging. Remember, kids do well if they can. They are challenging when the demands or expectations being placed upon them exceed the skills that they have to respond adaptively. Challenging kids have difficulties in the domains of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance and problem solving. Why does a kid have a difficult time with flexibility?

Two guiding tenets to CPS (Collaborative & Proactive Solutions) Lagging cognitive skills Collaborate to solve the problems setting them in motion Challenging behavior in kids is best understood as the result of lagging cognitive skills – generally in the domains of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance and problem solving – rather than blaming parents. Second tenet – the best way to reduce challenging episodes is by working together with the child – collaborating- to solve the problems setting them in motion in the first place, rather than imposing adult will and intensive use of reward and punishment procedures. Rather, work with the child to determine what the child does to gain from the misbehavior. CPS – Collaborative and Proactive Solutions is Greene’s framework for identifying the lagging skills and unsolved problems that set the stage for challenging behavior.

What do I do? Identify the skill that is missing or lagging Identify the specific expectations a kid is having difficulty meeting – the unsolved problems Help the kid solve those problems When you have a challenging kid, begin by identifying the skill or skills that are missing or lagging. Then consider the specific expectations a kid is having a difficult time meeting – this is the unsolved problem. Most unsolved problems are highly predictable; the problem-solving should be proactive most of the time. This is done with a tool called the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems (ALSUP) available for download at www.livesinthebalance.org (http://www.livesinthebalance.org/sites/default/files/ALSUP%20Rev%2011-12-12%20pdf%20(2).pdf).

Here’s a partial look at the tool. There are 24 lagging skill Here’s a partial look at the tool. There are 24 lagging skill. Read a few to your group. (Again, you can find a PDF of this same form at https://www.livesinthebalance.org/sites/default/files/ALSUP%20Rev%2011-12-12%20pdf%20(2).pdf)

Website: Lives in the Balance "Beyond Special Education: the Power of Inclusive Education in the Christian School" Website: Lives in the Balance Visit Ross Greene’s website, www.livesinthebalance.org where you will find the CPS framework, access the ALSUP tool, and find several video clips to inform and learn from. www.livesinthebalance.org Presented by CLC Network

How do I begin? Spend a minimum of 30 minutes exploring the website; "Beyond Special Education: the Power of Inclusive Education in the Christian School" How do I begin? Spend a minimum of 30 minutes exploring the website; Select one student on which to focus; Take the “Walking Tour” found on the Lives in the Balance website within the “Educators and Schools” section; Narrow the focus to one specific behavior or lagging skill. The Walking Tour is available at this link: http://livesinthebalance.org/walking-tour-educators Presented by CLC Network

Guiding Question Would you rather be effective or be right? "Beyond Special Education: the Power of Inclusive Education in the Christian School" Guiding Question Would you rather be effective or be right? We at CLC Network leave you with this question: Would you rather be effective or be right? As you work on the lagging skills of your student, there will be times when you need to focus on being “effective”. Avoid the power struggle that comes from the need or desire to “be right”. Working with kids is hard work. Working with challenging behaviors is hard work. Making progress and helping kids “do well” behaviorally is rewarding work. Presented by CLC Network

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