0. Managing Escalating BehaviorIndividual Tier II*

1. Enhance understanding & ways of escalating behavior sequences
PURPOSE
Enhance understanding & ways of escalating behavior sequences
Understanding the Escalation Cycle
Best practice Considerations
Your action planning how to share with staff back home *

2. OUTCOMES Identification of how to intervene early in an escalation.
Identification of environmental factors that can be manipulated.
Identification of replacement behaviors that can be taught (& serve same function as problem).

3. ALL SOME FEW Tertiary Prevention: Specialized CONTINUUM OF
Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
CONTINUUM OF
SCHOOL-WIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL &
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT
FEW
~5%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
~15%
SOME
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings
SWPBIS organizes its behavioral interventions along a continuum of behavior support.
Using a multi-tiered system of support SWPBIS starts by providing the most appropriate and effective behavioral interventions for all students (Primary), and then provides more specialized and intensive interventions for those students whose behaviors do not respond (secondary/tertiary).
ALL
~80% of Students *

4. ASSUMPTIONS Behavior is learned (function)
Behavior is escalated through successive interactions (practice)
Behavior can be changed through an instructional approach
Lawful – Experimentally Studied! *

5. Reasons Students Commonly Misbehave
Unsure of expectations
Unsure how to exhibit expected behavior
Unaware he/she is engaged in the misbehavior
Misbehavior is providing student with desired outcome:
Gain something
Escape something *

6. Teacher Jason Jason, please turn in your assignment. What assignment?
The assignment you didn’t finish during class.
I finished it.
Great, please turn it in now.
I don’t have it with me now.
You have a choice: turn it in or do it again.
You never believe me.
I guess you’ve made the choice to do it again.
Make me.
That’s disrespect…go to the office.
F_____ you!
Moves closer…& puts hand on J. shoulder.
Pulls away, glares, & raises fist as if to strike.

7. The MODEL What we know is that people follow a predictable pattern.
We know from this pattern how to minimize safety risks for students and staff
We know how to support the person going through the cycle best by knowing when and how to respond
The MODEL
High
Low
Calm
Peak
De-escalation
Recovery
Acceleration
Agitation
Trigger *

8. The MODEL
High
The model considers these factors. These will vary from person to person.
Low

9. The MODEL
High
Low

10. The MODEL
High
Low

11. The MODEL
High
Low

12. The MODEL
High
Low
CALM
✱✱✱✱ *

13. Calm – Student is Cooperative
This is where positive and valuing relationships are built and where you teach skills needed to function successfully in challenging situations.
Accepts corrective feedback
Follows directives
Sets personal goals
Ignores distractions
Accepts praise *

14. Calm – Intervention is prevention
Arrange for high rates of successful academic & social engagements
Teach social skills
Problem solving
Relaxation strategy
Self-management
Communicate positive expectations
Assess problem behavior
**Use positive reinforcement
**Praise has been shown to increase on task behavior and decrease problem behavior (Gootman, 2001) *

15. Teaching Procedures
Remember telling isn't teaching and being told is not the same as being taught. We have to take all our procedures and TIPP them.
T- Teach it
I- Imprint it by modeling
P- Practice it with them
P- Praise it when you see it with behavior specific praise

16. The MODEL
High
Low
TRIGGER ✱✱ *

17. Trigger – Series of Unresolved Conflicts
Repeated failures
Frequent corrections
Interpersonal conflicts
Low rates of positive reinforcement
Recognize – Refocus - Reassure
This is where signs of early stress need to be recognized. This is the best time to refocus the person’s attention away from the stress. *

18. Trigger – Prevention & Redirection
Consider function of problem behavior
Remove from or modify problem context
Increase opportunities for success
Reinforce what has been taught *

19. When I respond what do I say?
Stay Calm – Quiet, Breath, Count, Depersonalize, Take a second
Be empathic
Don’t judge or discount feelings
Clarify messages
Ask reflective questions, use silence and restatements
Refocus/redirect/reassure
Avoid power struggle
Sand box power struggle – Cadence vs. Rhythm: Power struggle “I don’t want to do that” hmmmmm – why don’t you tell me about that *

20. That didn’t work: Setting Limits
Limits are not the same as issuing an ultimatum
Limits are not threats
Limits offer choices with consequences
The purpose of limits is to teach, not to punish
Students begin to understand their actions, positive or negative, have consequences
Provides structure for good decision making
Setting limits is more about listening than talking
Simple/clear, reasonable, enforceable

21. Tips to Setting Limits
Be positive. Setting limits is healthy. It does not have to be done in a rude or hostile way. Firmness does not mean intimidation.
Give reasonable choices with consequences (not delivered in a threatening manner)
Allow time for the student to make a choice
Be prepared to enforce your consequences
Keep power struggles to a minimum. Set limits by using impersonal, measurable criteria (this is where routines and procedures come in to play). It is also helpful to post schedules, daily independent work assignments, and lists of rules and consequences on walls and bulletin boards for students to refer to. Having things in writing helps us “Be the director not the bad guy”
Request behavior that is incompatible with the undesirable behavior. Many times it will be far more effective to say "Hands at your sides!" instead of "Don't hit!“

22. The MODEL
High
Low
AGITATION ✱ *

23. Agitation – Unfocused Behavior
Off-task
Frequent start/stop on tasks
Out of seat
Talking with others
Social withdrawal *

24. Agitation – Reduce Anxiety
Consider function of problem behavior
Make structural/ environmental modifications
Provide reasonable options & choices
Involve in successful engagements
Move Student Away
Now is the time to have the student leave the anxiety producing event if possible *

25. Ongoing Confrontation
Remember:
Escalated students are not rational!
The more escalated they are the calmer you have to be, the less you say
Escalation is not the time to establish your authority
If you need to or are able to move student away from peers or peers away from students
Allow release if you are able
Distraction is allowed
Do not go deal with consequences until the situation is over and the student is rational again
Physical response only at a last resort

26. The MODEL
High
Low
ACCELERATION *

27. Acceleration – Displays Focused Behavior
Deliberate
High intensity
Threatening
Personal
Minimize Talking-Model Calm
This is not a time to ask the person to make choices. Model calming strategies. *

28. The Paradoxical response
When students engage in confrontation they expect what they usually get: anger, ultimatums and more confrontation
The paradoxical response: The calmer you get the more difficult it will be for the student to escalate the situation
Be aware of your body and your nonverbals

29. Nonverbals
Body
Posture
Stance
Location
Facial expression
Easiest
Voice
Tone
Volume
speed
Most difficult
Eyes
Where I am looking
Breathing
How I am breathing
Cross cultural
Nonverbals: we need to make our nonverbal expectations meet our verbal expectations
The single most powerful nonverbal skill is the PAUSE

30. Nonverbals
Body:
Posture
Stance
Location
Arms to side or,
Arms parallel to floor or,
One arm up and one down, and
Weight Even
The message
-Confident
-Believe
-Expect
CPI supportive stance
Gestures: Palms up vs. Palms down
When giving a request: Stop moving!
When you pause hold your gestures
Voice/Paraverbal:
-Tone
-Volume
-Speed (cadence)
The more agitated the student is the less you say
-Low and slow
-Flat voice
-Accompany brief request with a nonverbal when you can (language, processing, etc)
-NO Sarcasm “Are you ready to work now?”
Face/Eyes
-Make sure the message on your face matches your intent
-Look where you gesture
Power struggle “I don’t want to do that” hmmmmm – why don’t you tell me about that *

31. Acceleration Intervention is focused on safety
Remember:
Escalations & self-control are inversely related
Escalation is likely to run its course *

32. Acceleration Remove all triggering & competing maintaining factors
Follow crisis prevention procedures
Disengage from student *

33. The MODEL
High
Low
PEAK *

34. PeakStudent is out of control & displays most severe problem behavior
Physical aggression
Property destruction
Self-injury
Escape/social withdrawal
Hyperventilation *

35. PeakIntervention is focused on safety
This is not a time to talk, direct, or problem solve. The main concern is safety. Follow the school or student crisis plan.
Focus is on crisis intervention *

36. The MODEL
High
Low
DECELERATION *

37. De-escalation Student displays confusion but with decreases in severe behavior
Focus is on calming
At this point the person should be encouraged to relax rather than make any decisions. Do not try to process here.
Social withdrawal
Denial
Blaming others
Minimization of problem *

38. De-escalation Intervention is focused on removing excess attention
Avoid nagging
Avoid blaming
Don’t force apology
Consider function
Emphasize starting anew *

39. Approaches to Calming by Function
Obtain Attention
Avoidance
Obtain materials/activities
•Sit with student
•Allow venting and be an active listener
•Go through calming strategies with the student
•Have student take your hands, look you in the eye, breath in, count to 5, and breath out
•You actively approach student at regular intervals to check in
•Walk and talk
•Sensory with attention
•Little to no talking, no touching, more visual than verbal
•Provide a visual of calming strategies
•Have a calming bag that has independent calming tasks
•Provide student the power to let you know when he or she is ready
•Sensory without attention
•Have student part of developing the plan
•Provide choices in calming
-Where to sit
-What to do

40. Calming Strategies Five point scale Counting Visualization
Breathing
Breath in to count of 5, hold for count of 5, exhale for count of 5
Smell the soup
Yoga Breathing
Put tongue behind your two front teeth
Close your mouth an breathe in through your nose to the count of four slowly
Breathe out for the count of four
Repeat 10 times
Five point scale
Counting
Visualization
Calming tools

41. Calming Tools

42. The MODEL
High
Low
RECOVERY ✱ *

43. Recovery Engage in Non-engagement Activities
Attempts to correct problem
Unwillingness to participate in group activities
Social withdrawal & sleep *

44. Recovery Follow through with consequences
Positively reinforce any appropriate behavior
Intervention is focused on re- establishing routine activities *

45. Recovery - Debrief
Purpose of debrief is to facilitate transition back to program…not a further negative consequence
Debrief follows consequences for problem behavior
Goal is to increase more appropriate behavior *

46. Recovery Processing & Problem Solving
Why do we process?
Teaches students to
Accurately identify the problem
Allows students to practice problem solving skills
Provides an opportunity to practice and re-teach behavioral skills
Allows us to make a plan and get students back into class where they belong *

47. Problem Solving Conferences: why?
Teach, model, and practice problem solving skills
Looks for the underlying cause of the problem
Position the teacher and student as collaborators:
Instead of a one-way process, it is a 2-way conversation that involves asking the child what to do
Avoid one-size fits all
This is NOT A PUNISHMENT

48. Teacher Language During Conferencing
Don’t assume you know what happened
Most kids need support through this process
Non-judgmental
Use a matter-of-fact tone
Keep teacher talk to a minimum
Use words and phrases that empower the child to reflect: Do more asking than telling
Use positive language that helps the child see a new way – help child reflect on what we WANT to see

49. Problem Solving Conference
1. Define the problem
What the student noticed, what the teacher noticed
What were you doing? What did it look like?
2. Evaluate the consequences of the students choice:
How did it affect the classroom? How did it affect you?
3. Define and re-teach the social or behavioral expectations related to the context or situation
Define, Model, practice (role-play)
“What is the expectation when….”, “How can we appropriately…”
Show me what that would look like…
4. Help student set a goal or make a plan
Brainstorm some alternate solutions to the problem
“Next time ____ happens I will….”
5. Implement the plan
Contract, re-entry to classroom, discussion with teacher
6. Check back or have the teacher check back

50. Consequences vs. Punishment
Logical Consequences:
“the three Rs”
Related to the misbehavior
Respectful of the child
Reasonable for the child to do as well an in proportion to the misbehavior
Punishment
Punishment may make behavior worse
Punishment only addresses the symptoms of the problem, not the reason behind it
Punishment is often about the adult not the student
There is a place for punishment, but it has to be part of an overall plan and should be logical

51. Considerations for selecting responses to problem behavior
Will the response decrease the problem behavior?
Will the response teach appropriate behavior?
Will the response have unwanted side effects?
Can the response be applied across settings?
Is the response age-appropriate and respectful?
Does the response offer a good contextual fit?
It the response matched to the cognitive understanding of the student?

52. The MODEL High Peak Acceleration De-escalation Agitation Trigger Calm
Low
Calm
Peak
De-escalation
Recovery
Acceleration
Agitation
Trigger *

53. THREE KEY STRATEGIES Intervene early
Identify environmental factors that can be manipulated
Identify replacement behaviors that can be taught (& serve same function as problem).

54. Teaching Compliance Students must Be fluent at expected behavior.
Be taught conditions under which the expected behavior is required.
Have multiple opportunities for high rates of successful academic & social engagement.
Receive or experience frequent & positive acknowledgments when expected behavior is exhibited.

55. Prevention means Teachers must…
Have student’s attention, before presenting the directive or making a request.
Give clear, specific, positively stated directives.
Provide frequent & positive acknowledgments when expected behavior is exhibited.
Have established & taught consequence procedures for repeated noncompliance.

56. Website that may be helpful… www.pbisworld.com*

57. Escalating Behavior - Action Planning
Review features & steps of “Escalating Behavior” model
Discuss extent to which escalating behavior is or could be issue in your school
Identify how you will teach staff back home about addressing escalating behavior
Write down 3 “big ideas” from your team discussion to share in the “give one get one” networking activity.