MANAGING BEHAVIOR Oliver Winston Iberia Parish School System Session 4A & 4B

Managing Behavior MANAGE OUR: SELVES STUDENTS ENVIRONMENT

Managing Behavior What is Discipline? The term “discipline” is intended to mean “teaching, guiding, or in some way helping a child to learn positive values, rules, and patterns of behavior.”

Managing Behavior PLANNING AND TIME MANAGEMENT

Managing Behavior “Schools need to be ready to meet the needs of all children. School time must be allocated not only to meeting intellectual needs of our students but to meeting their social, emotional, and physical needs as well.”

APPROACHES

Authoritarian Approaches The “boss” Directive Rule-oriented Inflexible Care is conditional – “I will like you if you...” “Do as I say”

Laissez-faire Approach Hands off approach – “live and let live” Opposite of authoritarian Lack of structure and limit setting Lack of supervision – “do what you want” “Boys will be boys” attitude Lackadaisical – indifference or lack of interest in progressing.

Dependent Approach “You need me” approach Grandmotherly and warm “Let me do that for you” Overly protective Treats child like a victim

Mechanistic Approach Focus on doing things “by the book” Must follow and complete schedule  Focus on completing requirements rather than on learning Lack flexibility and warmth Treats child as part of a system, not as an individual

Growth-Oriented Approach Best approach Warm and connected Concerned with overall well-being of child Sets clear rules and expectations  Often includes student input in setting rules so student is invested in the rule

Growth-Oriented Approach Learning is mutually beneficial  We both learned something here  Learning is a part of our relationship Mutually rewarding Independence is valued, promoted and reinforced through fading and praise  Fading: gradual removal of help  Reinforcement: increasing behavior through rewards or praise after the desired behavior

Growth-Oriented Approach The student gains  a greater desire to learn and cooperate  a desire to show off skills and knowledge  better ability to work with others  better relationships  better behavior  self confidence in own abilities  faster learning

Growth-Oriented Approach Staff gains an understanding of …  why a child behaves the way they do  what situation will lead to the child doing well and succeeding  the child’s viewpoint  what leads to poor work and negative behavior  staff gain a closer, more meaningful relationship with the child  staff experience a more rewarding job

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that make the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt of heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” Dr. Haim G. Ginott

Our Needs We must recognize our own needs and take care of ourselves to have our best selves available to meet the needs of our students

“All children come to school with unmet needs. Most have the ability to delay these needs. Troubled children focus on nothing else until these needs are met. Meet the needs early or consume your time fighting them. The choice is yours, not theirs.”

How To Know the Child »Listen »Observe »Relate

Relating Connect Communicate  Verbal  Nonverbal  Pars-verbal Interact The relationship is the best tool you have to effect change in the student.

Interacting Builds relationships Should be done with dignity and respect Provides unconditional support and caring Gives the student opportunities to express interests, likes and dislikes Gives us the opportunity to try solutions

Your Response Can Cause the Situation to Escalate or De-Escalate. The Choice Is Yours.

Remember Children lose the ability to think rationally and regress to more primitive behaviors (defense mechanisms) when emotions are intense. When feelings are intense, thinking is impaired. Take a moment to maintain or regain y our balance. To change the feeling behind the misbehavior, meet the core need.

CHANGE THE THOUGHT TO CHANGE THE FEELING TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR

Guiding Thoughts for Facilitators on Discouraging Behaviors Active adult supervision will discourage most problem behaviors starting with simple physical proximity and simple verbal interactions. Emotionally laden adult responses (e.g. sarcasm, bullying) to misbehavior does not usually discourage problem behavior, and in fact, may encourage or reinforce problem behavior. Brain research makes it clear that students require regular physical movement in order to optimize learning potential.

Monitoring The key to this principle is to circulate. Get up and get around the room. While you students are working, make the rounds. Check on their progress. An effective teacher will make a pass through the whole room about two minutes after the students have started a written assignment. She checks that each student has started, that the children are on the correct page, and that everyone has put their names on their papers. The delay is important. She wants her students to have a problem or two finished so she can check that answers are correctly labeled or in complete sentences. She provides individualized instruction as needed.

For More Information Presenter: Oliver Winston, Social Skills Trainer, IPSB (337) Ext