Interventions for Classroom Disruption:Addressing Emotional and Behavioral Problems in the Classroom Russ Skiba The Equity Project at Indiana University Presented at the 2008 Regional Returning Teams’ Training Havre de Grace, MDJune 26, 2008

Who are the students who disrupt classrooms?...

“In order for changes in [contingencies] to affect behavior substantially, the person must recognize them.” - Mischel (1973)

Masters of Coercion  Children from abusive/coercive families: Participate in coercive cycle Escalating aversive behavior Advantage goes to whoever gets nastiest u What We Say: u “Take responsibility for your behavior!” u What They Hear: u “They’re picking on me again!”

“I figure if I’m going to get in trouble, I’m going to annoy him as much as I can. I’m already going to get in trouble, he deserves it, if he’s gonna keep singling me out, so I get on his nerves!...If you know you’re already in trouble, why shut up?” --Student in detention

Implications of What We Know  Avoid emotional reactions

Testing the Limits  Children from chaotic environments: Face a high level of anxiety from never knowing where they stand Act out to learn limits, even if it means punishment u What We Say: u “One strike and you’re out.” u Response: u “What? What did I do?”

Implications of What We Know  Avoid emotional reactions  Be consistent

Social Misunderstanding  Children from unsafe homes and communities: Attribute hostile intentions to neutral interactions Strike first, ask questions later u We Say: u “Why can’t you just get along?” u Response: u “In my neighborhood, this is how I get along”

Implications of What We Know  Avoid emotional reactions  Be consistent  “Fair pair”: Use positives to teach new behavior

Academic Avoidance  Children with conduct problems: Have academic problems, especially reading/language May learn helplessness Escape as the best alternative u We Say: u “Why can’t you just do your work?” u They Hear: u “Go ahead. Admit you’re dumb!”

Implications of What We Know  Avoid emotional reactions  Be consistent  “Fair pair”: Use positives to teach new behavior  What is the “big picture”?

Q: What do you do if a student throws a chair? A: Duck

Expanding Our Options  Accentuate the positive  Understand the behavior in context  Find effective strategies  Develop a plan  Evaluate and start again

Expanding Our Options  Accentuate the positive

Accentuate the Positive:Are Disordered Kids Always Disordered?  Patterson: What percentage of time do the most disruptive children misbehave?  Stages of disruptive behavior: Calm Triggers Agitation Acceleration Peak De-escalation Recovery

Increase Positive Reinforcement  Successive approximations and shaping  Increased rate of positives  Curriculum of Caring Warm Demanders

How Do We Expand Our Options?  Accentuate the positive  Understand the behavior in context

WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?!...The technology of functional assessment

Understanding the Behavior: Functional Behavior Assessment  Description  Develop Hypotheses: What is this behavior telling us?  Identify Replacement Behavior(s)  Design the Plan

“The ‘maladaptive’ individual is behaving in accord with expectancies that do not adequately represent the actual behavior outcome rules in his current life situation.” - Mischel (1973)

FA Phase I: Define the behavior  Understand behavior and its context Interview, Observation, Checklist  Characteristics Frequency, duration, intensity Where does it occur? When? Predictable sequence? Bad days?

Identify strengths and resources  Importance of a strength-based approach Identifying resources Increasing the likelihood of collaboration  What are the reinforcers?  What has been tried?

FA Phase II: Develop Hypotheses  What is this behavior telling us about student’s understanding of the world? Setting events Need or function behavior communicates What skills is the student lacking?

Setting Events  Immediate Setting Events Time or period of day Subject or task Group arrangements Type or pace of instruction  External Setting Events No breakfast? Fighting at home? Bus stop?

Functions/Needs: What is He/She Getting Out of This? (Neel & Cessna)  Escape/Avoidance  Attention  Power/Control  Acceptance/Affirmation  Expression of Self

Skill Deficits  Academic deficits  Attention deficits  Establishing Operations: Something that alters normal patterns of reinforcement Home situation? ADD? ASD?

FA Phase III: Identify Replacement Behavior(s)  A new more adaptive behavior that meets the goals of the student, and/or reduces the need for the old behavior  Replacement must work for both student and teacher Must address issues raised in FA Must be suitable in the classroom

How Do We Expand Our Options?  Accentuate the positive  Understand the behavior in context  Find effective strategies

Match the Intervention to the Hypothesis!  Setting Events  Functions Attention Escape/Avoidance Power/Control Acceptance/Affirmation Expression of Self  Skill Deficit/Establishing Operation

Setting Events: Change the Instructional Arrangements  Change the task Break instructions down Break the task into subtasks Make the task more interesting  Change the physical arrangements (e.g. grouping or seating)  Dealing with setting events we can’t change (External setting events)

Behavioral Momentum: Dealing with the Chip on the Shoulder  Helping a child deal with a less desired or more frustrating task by starting with a much “easier” task  Building a “momentum of compliance”

Teacher or Peer Attention:...He Can Do It, But He Won’t  Develop a reinforcer menu

Mark’s Rewards (Reinforcer Survey) Directions: Draw a star next to the things you would like. Academic Activities Play academic computer games Select a class learning activity from a list of choices Spend time on the Internet at academic sites Select a friend as a “study buddy” on an in-class work assignment Go to the library to select a book to read Helping Roles Make a delivery to the office Help the teacher set up an activity Help the teacher organize things around the room Help the teacher design a class or hall bulletin board Praise Be praised privately by the teacher Be praised on class-wide announcements for good behavior Receive a “good job” note or thumbs-up from the teacher Have the teacher call your parent to tell them how well you’re doing at school

Reinforcer Survey (Cont’d) Fun Stuff to Do Listen to music Play a game with a friend Play non-academic computer games Going to lunch first with a friend Prizes/Rewards Get an IOU redeemable for credit on one wrong item on a future in-class quiz or homework Candy (What kind?________________) Food (What kind?________________) Sports things (e.g. mini football, sports cards sports stickers) Pencils, markers, folders or other school supplies TattoMagnets Key chains Cars or trucks Games or puzzles Crazy straws

Teacher or Peer Attention:...He Can Do It, But He Won’t  Develop a reinforcer menu  Mystery Motivator

Mystery Motivator

Teacher or Peer Attention:...He Can Do It, But He Won’t  Develop a reinforcer menu  Mystery Motivator  Behavioral Contract

Sample Behavior Contract Mrs. Jones, the teacher, will give Ricky a sticker to put on his 'Classroom Hero' chart each time he does one of the following: * turns in completed homework assignment on time * turns in morning seatwork assignments on time and completed * works quietly through the morning seatwork period (from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.) without needing to be approached or redirected by the teacher for being off-task or distracting others When Ricky has collected 12 stickers from Mrs. Jones, he may choose one of the following rewards: * 10 minutes of free time at the end of the day in the classroom * 10 minutes of extra playground time (with Mr. Jenkins' class) * choice of a prize from the 'Surprise Prize Box' Bonus: If Ricky has a perfect week (5 days, Monday through Friday) by earning all 3 possible stickers each day, he will be able to draw one additional prize from the 'Surprise Prize Box'. Penalty: If Ricky has to be approached by the teacher more than 5 times during a morning period because he is showing distracting behavior, he will lose a chance to earn a 'Classroom Hero' sticker the following day. The student, Ricky, helped to create this agreement. He understands and agrees to the terms of this behavior contract. Student Signature: _ ___________________ _______________ The teacher, Mrs. Jones, agrees to carry out her part of this agreement. Ricky will receive stickers when be fulfills his daily behavioral goals of completing homework and classwork, and will also be allowed to collect his reward when he has earned enough stickers for it. The teacher will also be sure that Ricky gets his bonus prize if he earns it.. Teacher Signature: __ __________________ _______________ The parent(s) of Ricky agree to check over his homework assignments each evening to make sure that he completes them. They will also ask Ricky daily about his work completion and behavior at school. The parent(s) will provide Ricky with daily encouragement to achieve his behavior contract goals. In addition, the parent(s) will sign Ricky's 'Classroom Hero' chart each time that he brings it home with 12 stickers on it. Parent Signature: ____ _________________ ______________ From Intervention Central:

Escape: The Two Problems of Negative Reinforcement  Provide a more appropriate way to escape Request an alternative activity Request a break  Change the ratio of work to reward  Pair the dreaded with the desired

Power and Control  Do we confuse attention and control functions?  Provide some control to the child who may lack it Positive vs. negative leadership Choice-making

Establishing Operations: Dealing with What the Child Brings  Home-School Notes (Home-School Contract)  Social stories (or video self modelling)  Short or long-term counseling

More Challenging Scenarios  Precision Commands

Precision Commands/Requests  A precise verbal statement made by staff to enhance student compliance Give a polite, effective command “Danny, please bring me the toy.” Give a second command using signal words “Danny, you need to bring me the toy right now.” Use a preplanned unpleasant consequence “Danny, you’ve lost five minutes of free time.” Restate the second command From Utah State Department of Education:

More Challenging Scenarios  Precision Commands  Preplanned responses to behavior  In-school alternatives  Collaboration with other professionals

How Do We Expand Our Options?  Accentuate the positive  Understand the behavior in context  Find effective strategies  Develop a plan

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Stop the Old Behavior Start a New Behavior What is Reliable Behavior Change?

FA Phase IV: Designing the Plan  Includes, but not limited to, definition of consequences  What instructional strategies will be used to teach replacement behavior?

Principles of Effective Instruction  Define Learning Objectives/Orient Students to Lesson  Present New Material  Provide Opportunity to Learn  Feedback & Corrections  Conduct Learning Probes

Q: What is the One Best Thing to Do? A: A Whole Bunch of Things  Referred for crying, tantruming, kicking and throwing objects Few if any friends  FBA: High anxiety about work completion  Multi-component intervention Kleenex and self monitoring Coping strategy list plus reinforcement Allowed four minute cooldown Behavioral momentum: Easier work when upset Second semester: Still off task, so functional communication system

How Do We Expand Our Options?  Accentuate the positive  Understand the behavior in context  Find effective strategies  Develop a plan  Evaluate and start again

Reasons to Collect Data  Nothing always works for everyone The Problem of Superstitious Behavior  Even if does work, will we know?  Kids with challenging behavior are like onions

Websites:  Intervention Central  Lehigh University Project Reach  Utah Students At Risk On-Line Academy  Wayne County, MI Behavioral Intervention Guidelines  Safe and Responsive Schools

Russ Skiba Director, The Equity Project Center for Evaluation and Education Policy 509 E. Third St. Bloomington, IN