EDUC 4454 – Class 4 Bell Work: Bookmark & Explore this site: Interventions & Being Proactive!

In order to Be Proactive …… Plan ahead (behaviour plan, classroom environment….) Know your preferred power base – See Chap.4 of Principles of Classroom Management Behaviour Plan: Use -  Non-verbal Interventions  Verbal Interventions  Logical Consequences * establish a bottom-line – when you involve the office

Step 1 : In August - Have an Entry Plan An Entry Plan is an Action Plan. In August think ahead of all the ‘little’ things you need to know and do and set about meeting these needs. It is called an Entry Plan because it aids you in entering the school, classroom, your teaching assignment, and the community.

The Environment (Part of an Entry Plan) Conditions – heating, light, noise, ventilation Use of space Seating Arrangements – teacher proximity to all students; reflects primary teaching strategy; all students can see; not interfere with high usage areas Bulletin boards and Displays – recognize students, celebrate work Classroom Guidelines: Routines & Rules

- The rest of an Entry Plan - Consider Get a Class List …. Medications? Previous year’s teachers Location of necessities (i.e., paper towels, fire exits, procedures….) Other necessities (What do you do if a child gets sick?) Emergency Codes School Handbook School Rules Morning Announcements School-wide routines Mentor The Community First Newsletter Siblings Yard duty, Entrance and Exit procedures Buses OSR – Allergies, Medical, IEP, Custody …. Anything else? Be Proactive!

Step 2: Proactive Intervention Skills (Once school has begun) Change the pace of classroom activities Remove temptations Boost a student’s interest when he or she shows signs of off-task behaviours Redirect off-task behaviours Use Non-punitive time-out Encourage the appropriate behaviours of other students Give cues for expected behaviours Students more readily accept responsibilities when it is clear that the teacher is fulfilling his or her responsibilities When the teacher is enthusiastic, is prepared and has bonded with students (shows that he / she cares) the teacher has less discipline problems Fact:

Our Responsibility: When the teacher is enthusiastic, is prepared and has bonded with students, it shows that he / she cares AND the teacher has less discipline problems Students more readily accept responsibilities when it is clear that the teacher is fulfilling his or her responsibilities Surface behaviours usually are not the result of any deep-seated problem but rather are normal developmental behaviours of children but be aware… What we have to Remember:

Guidelines for designing interventions A problem occurs! How do you handle it? When the teacher handles a problem the ‘tool’ they use is called an Intervention.

Step 3: Guidelines for designing interventions The intervention provides the student with opportunities for self-control of the disruptive behaviours. The intervention does not cause more disruption to the teaching and learning environment than the disruptive behaviour itself. The intervention lessens the probability that the student will become more disruptive or confrontational The intervention protects students from physical and psychological harm and does not cause physical or psychological harm. The choice of the specific intervention maximizes the number of alternatives left for the teacher to use if it becomes necessary. Identifying your Interventions is Step 3 (and the part a principal may want to see)

Intervention Order Consequences Verbal Non-Verbal Interventions Office (last resort) The Law of Least Intervention I almost always come first I come after the verbal in most cases. I am handling the problem in the classroom. I usually don’t happen at all, though when I do I almost always come last I almost always come second. I can happen twice but after 3 times there is a consequence. If the steps could talk, they would say…

Non-Verbal Interventions – Step 1 Consequences Verbal Non-Verbal Interventions Step One Four Benefits of using Non- Verbal Interventions: Disruption to the learning process is less likely to occur Hostile confrontation is less likely to happen The student is given the opportunity to correct his / her own behaviour, before more public intervention needs to be employed A maximum number of remaining alternative interventions is preserved

Four Frequently Used Non-Verbal Remedial Intervention Skills for Surface Behaviours Planned ignoring Signal interference Proximity interference Touch interference

Verbal Interventions – Step 2 Consequences Verbal Non-Verbal Interventions Step One Step Two Nonverbal is not always possible When misbehaviour is potentially harmful, or disruptive to a large number of students, it needs to be stopped quickly and Verbal interventions are the quickest way to do so. Overusing a Verbal intervention, decreases the effect of the intervention.

Rules for Verbal Interventions Whenever possible use non-verbal first Keep as private as possible Keep as brief as possible Speak to the situation, not the person ( e.g., “Interrupting is rude.” not “You interrupted. You are rude.”) Set limits on behaviour, not on feelings ( e.g., “It’s OK to be angry but it’s not OK to show it that way.”) Avoid sarcasm or anything that belittles Fit the student, situation, and be closer to a student-control than a teacher-influence When considering where to start on the hierarchy, teacher- centered works better with younger, developmentally immature children while student-centered works better with older, more mature students If the first verbal control does not work, then use a different control which is closer to the teacher-influence end of hierarchy If more then one, or on occasion two, verbal intervention(s) has been unsuccessful, move to Logical Consequences

Verbal Intervention Hierarchy Hints Adjacent (Peer) Reinforcement Calling on Student / Name Dropping Humour Questions Questioning Awareness of Effect Requests/Demands “I Message” Direct Appeal Positive Phrasing “Are Not Fors” messages Reminder of the Rules Glasser’s Triplets (3 connected questions or statemetns) Explicit Redirection Canter’s “Broken Record” (Student-Centered) (Teacher-Centered) (Less Confrontational) (Less Disruptive) (More Disruptive) (More Confrontational) Page 179 See Levin, Nolan, Kerr & Elliot (2008) pp. 186 – 192 for descriptions

In Text – p. 187, Case 8.1 Follow along while we read At your table discuss questions #1-4. Question #5: “What can be done to avoid future clashes?”

Intervention Hierarchy – For Your Plan… Level 1: Nonverbal Intervention Planned Ignoring Signal Interference Proximity Interference Touch Interference Level 2: Verbal Intervention Hints Adjacent (Peer) Reinforcement Calling on Student / Name Dropping Humour Questions Questioning Awareness of Effect Requests/Demands “I Message” Direct Appeal Positive Phrasing “Are Not For’s” Reminder of the Rules Glasser’s Triplets Explicit Redirection Canter’s “Broken Record” Level 3: Use of Logical Consequences (Student-Centered) (Teacher-Centered) 1. Start here – what works for you? Give brief description of your choices or an example. Move this way when using. 2. Pick a few which work for you. Leave your options open. Example: I will first use…then I will… If necessary, I may use… Explain the intervention. Give an example. Remember the Order! 3. Define and give an example 4. Qualifying Statement re: Office (Note: After any of the last three verbal – Must go directly to Logical Consequence.)

Read Chapter 8, Chapter 9, & Chapter 6 pp