Behavior Modification Shasta Cole AmeriCorps Member Sept 08-09

Observations: The kids were very unkind to each other. They teased and made fun of each other constantly They also could be very disrespectful to their peers as well as adults.

Observations cont: Found that for many children, social and emotional instruction was not being taught at home and/or school Therefore, many of our students had very low “emotional intelligence” which led to them not being able to properly respond in difficult situations

Emotional Intelligence What is emotional intelligence?  a term that describes the ability, capacity, skill or a self-perceived ability, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self.

It doesn’t add up! Breakthrough Urban Ministries wants to create a safe (physically and emotionally) and supportive learning environment. Helping improve “emotional intelligence” is proven to reduce violence and aggression as well as improve academic achievement and ability to function in different environments

Keys to Behavior Modification working: Structure Starting “hard” and easing up Reviewing often Modeling good behavior Teaching different techniques/strategies/words to use in situations Building relationships outside the classroom My own professional and personal development!

Focus: 3 Key Focus Areas:  Cooperative learning  Social development  Emotional development Mainly used: I’m Committed To… statements

Technique: Every T,W,TH my students have “homework time” In the beginning, I took 5-10 minutes to talk about the idea, commitment, or quote of the day with them Reinforced it, plus our rules throughout the allotted homework time and throughout the day.

Example Lesson Plan: This Week:  I’m Committed to: CHARACTER Wednesday:  Frank Outlaw Quote (Discuss)  What’s more important, your reputation or your character? Tuesday:  What is character?  Diff between character and reputation? (moment vs. lifetime) Thursday:  How can I live a life of Character?  What behaviors do I have that aren’t reflecting whom I want to be?

At first… The students were very resistant They had to move to different “zones” a lot Said they could NEVER stop saying certain words

Results: Although it wasn’t easy, students began to learn how to respect each other and use other more positive words when speaking to each other. Over the course of the year, I learned the two most important things that helped CHANGE the kids was 1. CONSISTENCY 2. RELATIONSHIPS

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