Promoting Appropriate Student Behavior

Ensuring children know what is expected. Increasing child compliance to class rules. Enriching Time Out

Ensuring children know what is expected: Adding Structure Through Rules What you expect is what you get…

Evaluating current classroom rules: Are they simple, specific, and easily-understood? Are they positively-worded? Are class rules posted and at eye level of the children? Do the rules have pictures? Have more than 80% of the students… Tell you what is expected of them? Practiced the rule? Given you behavioral examples?

Example of Class Rules Follow teacher directions. Talk friendly. Keep hands and feet to self. Walk quietly in the hallway.

Rules are only effective if… Children are aware of them and are taught frequently. Teach rules like other skills: Read them and model examples. Guide practice. Monitor children’s usage of rules. Give frequent feedback.

Ensuring children know what is expected: Settling kids down quickly during transitions Teach routine like rules  Review rules—check for existing understanding of rules/schedule  Do children know expectations/responsibilities of transitions?  Do they know rewards or privileges for being successful during transitions? Limit time required for transition Engage students immediately in the next activity. Provide specific information about what happens next. Use helpers to indicate transitions.

Settling kids down quickly during transitions: Examples used by other teachers Lining up example: Teacher, “1, 2, 3, eyes on me”; Children, “1, 2, eyes on you”. Combination of snaps and claps that they have to echo after teacher. Whispering, “If you can hear my voice, ______” (touch your nose, raise your hand, etc.) Using non-verbals or posters. Stop-light poster. Clean Up song Ringing a bell. Timers.

Personalizing your behavior modification system Goals: To be stress-free for you and your students Does not take time out of teaching To increase positive behaviors (adherence to your rules)

The Key to Successful Behavior Management is… Praise Less stressful than negative attention for both you and the child. Most attention-giving only requires a few moments Can prevent classroom disruption by providing large doses of positive attention before misbehavior

How Praise Can Work for You

Using Praise to Prevent Misbehavior Positively interact with students during lessons or center times Vary type of contact (physical, verbal, visual) Vary by individual or group Mix instructional and social interactions Turning bad behaviors good Reinforce behaviors that will prevent the display of undesirable behaviors Positive comments throughout the day “I love the way the kids at the kitchen center are cleaning up!” “I like the way Sammy and Cassie are sitting on their circles!” o Focus on the deed—attach praise to the behavior we wish to see continued (thank you for helping collect the papers). The student knows exactly what she/he has done to gain appreciation… increases the chance that student will repeat the same or similar behavior!

Preventing Misbehavior: Examples used by other teachers “Freeze” “Rule fairy” “I am watching someone” “Quiet Lights” Greet students

Tough Kids: Think about your most difficult child…. How often do you re-direct and discipline him/her? How does it work? How often do you praise him/her? How does it work?

Often those who need the most encouragement are those we feel least like encouraging

Working with Tough Kids Many misbehaving students are seeking extra attention We almost always reward misbehavior with attention. Young children learn… negative attention is better than none at all. Hefty doses of encouragement and appropriate discipline techniques can win over many “tough kids”

Common Problems & What to do ProblemWhat to do…Why Only focusing on misbehaving students Praise youngsters near them who are doing the correct thing. Misbehaving students will see a model for appropriate behavior. All students will see that they receive teacher attention for following rules. Ignore minor inappropriate behaviors. (Break eye contact, show no emotion, pay attention to another child, don’t give in) Attention increases the behavior it follows. Distract the student.Reduces number of reprimands (and attention for irritating behavior)

Common Problems & What to do ProblemWhat to do…Why Nagging Precision Requests: Issue a command only twice, then follow through with a consequence. Giving lengthy rationales or focusing upon what children aren’t doing provides attention. Make 1 request at a time Increases the likelihood that the child will comply Make “start” (“do”) requests instead of “stop” requests. This is a disguised way of repeating your rules so all students know what to do.

* see p. 62 of Rhode et al. (1992) Precision Requests

Common Problems & What to do ProblemWhat to do…Why When a child does not comply with a task, you do it yourself. Have a pre-planned consequence If you do the task, the child learns that s/he can escape doing the task by ignoring the teacher or tantrumming. Reward Compliance*The more often the child is reinforced for following a rule, the more likely they are to do it again.

What is Time Out? Time out is the removal of attention, tangibles, or anything interesting to the child for a brief amount of time.

Time Out Make children aware of the rules of time out. The child must be quiet before getting out of time- out. The child must stay in the chair until a teachers says they must leave (1 to 3 minutes with at least 10 seconds of quiet time).

When to use time-out Time-out should be used whenever an unacceptable behavior is exhibited. Time-out has been found to be an effective technique for reducing tantrums, hitting, biting, noncompliance, and rule infractions.

When using time-out for noncompliance 1) Give the command "John, put the book on the shelf" 2) Wait 5 seconds 3) If no compliance, then state "John, put the book on the shelf or you will go to time-out" 4) If still no compliance after 5 additional seconds, state "Time-out for not listening". 5) You might have to physically take the child to time-out if they do not go on their own. If so, remember not to respond to any comments or behaviors that your child is exhibiting. 6) While your child is in time-out, it is critical that you not attend to any behavior that they are exhibiting. 7) After a couple of minutes has passed, state "John time-out is over. Now, put the book on the shelf". If John complies, then life goes on as usual. If John doesn't comply, then he will go back to time-out. ** The same procedure is used for aggressive behavior, however no warning is given. Once the aggressive behavior has occurred, the child should be sent immediately to time-out.

Remember… If the child leaves (or scoots) the chair, do not say a word and put him/her back in the chair quickly. Only put a child in time out for 1 to 3 minutes. Child may leave time out after seconds of quiet.

What Happens In Time Out? The child’s behavior improves child is being ignored in time-out and getting lots of positive attention outside of time-out No change Either:  Child is receiving lots of positive attention outside of time-out, but also lots of attention inside of time out (the child is getting up and the teacher continuously tells him/her to go back)  There is limited positive attention outside of time-out and no attention inside of time out. The child’s behavior is worse! There is attention during time out and no attention outside of time out.

If no change in behavior… … because of limited attention outside of time out, then: Increase praise, tokens or special privileges for good behavior (make sure to deliver praise contingent upon desired behavior) OR … because of too much attention inside of time out, then: Provide no verbal interaction during time-out. Keep the time out short. Separate student from reinforcement – physical, visual, and auditory separation

If the child’s behavior gets worse … Decrease attention to the child when s/he is in time out Increase attention to the child when s/he is not in time out (positives when following the rules).

Tips for Success Time Out only works when the regular environment is very positive and rewarding. Make sure children know the classroom rules, your incentive/reinforcement system rules, and time out rules.