Behavior Intervention Strategies For Paraprofessionals Presented by: Steven Gilroy CFN #207 June 6, 2012

2 Welcome … Come in and introduce yourself to the other people at your table. Take a post-it and write down one thing that you hope to take away from the morning/afternoon. Introduce Norms. “Find someone who….”

Agenda: Behavior Intervention Strategies Reasons for Misbehavior Behavior Intervention Strategies Application to Practice—Now What? Closure

Warm-up: What Are Some Reasons for Student Misbehavior? Jot down two reasons why you think students misbehave. Share responses with Table Group Talk. Write the top 2-3 reasons for student misbehavior on a post and place on the chart paper.

If a child doesn’t know how to read …we teach If a child doesn’t know how to swim …we teach If a child doesn’t know how to tie his shoes …we teach If a child doesn’t know how to multiply …we teach If a child doesn’t know how to behave... we? 5

Most Common Responses to Disciplinary Issues… Removal Increased supervision and monitoring Exclusion Counseling Suspension Referrals Placement… Lecturette …. Name strategies 2X10, 6

ABC's of Behavior If You Can Predict it…You Can Prevent it! Antecedent: what was going on just before the behavior, what is the trigger? Behavior: what happened? Consequence: what happens as a result of the behavior? Teach kids to self monitor, i.e. breathe, drink water, walk no talk 7

COMMON LANGUAGE  5-Point Scale  What is Expected/Unexpected  Give Me 5  Body Bubble  Big Problem/Little Problem  Turn it Around  Me vs. We  Put your voice in your pocket  Expected vs. Unexpected  Good Enough

5Sc Screaming/Emergency Only 4 Presentation Voice/Recess 3 Classroom Voice/ Normal Voice 2 Soft Voice/Partnership Voice 1 Quiet Mouth/ Whisper CLASSROOM VOICE SCALE

Give Me 5 Visual rubric for whole body listening  Eyes on the Speaker  Ears listening  Mouth quiet Hands down  Body calm

Bullying Scale 5 Hurting someone and laughing about it (for fun) 4 Hurting someone 3 Threaten or scaring Someone 2 Yelling at Someone 1 Making fun of Someone 11

Common Language  “Give Me Five”  This phrase is used to encourage children to “listen with their whole body”. The “five” is: eyes on the speaker, ears listening, mouth quiet, hands down, and body calm. Usually before the start of a lesson, the teacher will say, “Let’s see who’s giving me five”, or “I like the way so-and-so is giving me five/listening with their whole body”.  “We are using a # ____ voice”  The “Incredible 5-point scale” is used in the classrooms to help children regulate their voice according to the context. It is a visual rubric for voice volume. The scale is: #1 - “No talking/quiet mouth”; #2 - “Soft voice/whisper”; #3 - “classroom voice/talking”; #4 - “outside voice/recess”; #5 - “screaming/emergency only”. Children can be reminded i.e., “In the hallway we use a #2 or #1 voice”, or instructed before a lesson i.e., “We will be using a #3 voice for this activity”.

Common Language  “Body bubble” This term is used to define “personal space”. Children are instructed to “stay in their own body bubble” (keeping body, hands, feet to self). When a child enters your body bubble, it can be pointed out, “You’re in my body bubble”, describe how it makes you feel (“That makes me uncomfortable”) and given the chance to “fix it” on their own.  “Big problem/little problem” When a child seems to be “getting stuck” on a “little problem”, they can be prompted by saying, “Is that a big problem, or a little problem?”, or “That may feel like a #5, but it’s really a #1 problem”. Possible solutions can be generated. An example of a #5 problem might be a broken leg, or a fire. A #1 problem might be not getting to go first for an activity, or if someone takes a child’s seat.  “A part of the group/Out of the group” This term is used to inform children of whether their bodies or brains are being a part of the group. Before a lesson, children can be reinforced, “I notice that so-and-so is a part of the group”. Attention and praise are given when children are being a part of the group, or return to the group. If a child is mentally not with the group, then can be cued with “Put your brain on the group”.

Common Language Just me” vs. “We” This language can be used when helping a child to be a part of the group. There are times when it’s okay to be a “thinking only about me” or “just me” kid. There are times when one needs to be a “we” kid, and to be thinking about others in the group (i.e., how is the child’s behavior affecting the group?) “Put your voice in your pocket” This phrase is used when the children should refrain from speaking, like in the hallway, for example. Children should be cued to “put their voice in their pocket” before stepping out into the hallway. Other times, this phrase is used in SDI. When nonverbal games are played, the children will be instructed to “put their voices in their pocket” during the game.

Common Language “Turn it around” If a child is continually engaging in unexpected behavior, or having difficulty following directives, they can be encouraged with this term, as in, “I know you can turn it around”, or reinforced for doing the expected thing, as in, “I like how you turned it around”. “Expected vs. Unexpected” This term refers to the behaviors in which children should engage in a particular context. Expected behaviors are considered socially appropriate. Unexpected behaviors are not appropriate for the situation, and may confuse or upset teachers/peers. For example, it is “unexpected” when a child is lying in the middle of the carpet during a whole group lesson. When a child is engaging in an unexpected behavior, it can be pointed out to them, as in, “Hmmm…that’s unexpected”! This cues a child to know that they are engaging in a behavior that is not appropriate for the given situation, and can make the choice to “fix” themselves. The language can cue them into awareness that they might be standing out from their peers.

Sample Behavior Interventions Remember behavior interventions are individual! What works for some may not work for others! The Common Denominator across interventions is the need for Consistency! Peruse these interventions…Have you tried any of them? What has your experience been? Of the ones mentioned think of why they may not have been effective. Are there any that you might try? 16

Mail & Deliver Responding to Classroom Behavior Scenarios Each group receives an envelope with a unique scenario Read the scenario Team members brainstorm possible strategies, list them on one sheet of blank paper Repeat the brainstorming procedure with the new envelope without looking at the suggestions from the previous group After several rounds teams evaluate the response cards in the original envelope 17

Problem Posed: Problem Solved Think about a concern, problem or professional issue. (It could be dealing with a particular student’s behavior or anything related to school) Form Groups of 3, “A, B &C” A tells B & C the issue for 2 minutes, For 3 minutes B&C respond to the issue Switch Roles 18

Next Steps  What will you try with students who misbehave?  How might you work with teachers on the grade to strengthen this practice?  How will you assess its’ effectiveness?  What support will you need to be effective  Exit Ticket…