1. Managing the Cycle of Escalating Behavior
presented by
Sylvia Martinez, NCSP
District Behavior Specialist
Division of Special Education
Los Angeles Unified School District
California Association of School Psychologists
2007 Convention
Los Angeles, California
March 10, 2007

2. Outcomes Participants will:
Identify the seven phases of escalating behavior
Identify proactive, preventative strategies that may decrease the occurrence of escalating behavior
Identify ways to intervene during each phase of the cycle
Develop a plan for maintaining self control

3. Carousel Activity How can you prevent acting-out behavior?
How can you tell when a student’s behavior is escalating?
What do you do when a student is acting out?
How do you deal with a student who is fully escalated?

4. Video Clip Think/Pair/Share
What can the teacher do now that she is in this situation?
What could the teacher have done to avoid being in this situation?

5. Analysis Task involvement Signs of agitation
Presence of successive interactions

6. Signs of Escalating Behavior
Arguing
Non-compliance/defiance
Verbal abuse
Disruption
Bothering others
Off-task behavior
Destruction of property
Whining/crying
Limit testing
Threats and intimidation
Escape/avoidance

7. Strategies for Managing Escalating Behavior
Teacher empathy
Assisting the student to focus on the task
Providing space
Providing assurances and additional time
Permit preferred activities
Teacher proximity
Independent activities
Passive activities
Movement activities
Student self-management when appropriate

8. Presence of an Escalating Chain of Behavior

9. Successive Interactions
Series of interactions involving both teacher and student behavior
“My turn-your turn” events
Teacher behavior sets the stage for the next student behavior
What if the teacher didn’t take a turn?
Escalating behavior chains –
Lets interrupt the chain of events!

10. Model for Escalating Behavior Chain

11. Two Components for Managing Escalating Behavior
1. Understand the Model
Patterns
Specific behaviors for each phase
Know where the student is in the cycle
2. Develop Strategies for Each Phase
Implement strategies based on where the student is in the cycle

12. Understand the Model

13. Phase One- Calm Student is cooperative. Accepts corrective feedback
Follows directives
Sets personal goals
Ignores distractions
Accepts praise
On-task

14. Phase Two- Trigger Student experiences a series of unresolved problems
Conflicts/Failure
Changes in routine
Pressure
Ineffective problem solving
Facing correction procedures
Non-school based triggers

15. Phase Three: Agitation
Overall behavior is unfocused and distracted.
Off-task
Questioning/Arguing
Out of seat
Bothering others
Social withdrawal

16. Phase Four- Acceleration
Overall behavior is staff-engaging leading to further negative interactions.
Questioning/Arguing/Threats
Noncompliance and defiance
Provocation of others
Rule violations

17. Phase Five- Peak
Overall behavior is out of control creating safety concerns
Physical aggression
Severe tantrums
Property destruction
Self-injury
Running, screaming

18. Phase Six- De-escalation
Overall behavior shows confusion and
lack of focus.
Confusion
Withdrawal
Denial
Blaming others
May respond to concrete directions

19. Phase Seven- Recovery Overall behavior shows an eagerness for
busy work and a reluctance to interact.
Eagerness for independent work
Subdued behavior
Defensive behavior
Sleep

20. Strategies

21. Intervention is focused on proactive
Strategies 1. Calm
Intervention is focused on proactive
interventions. Focus on instruction and
positive behavior support.
Arrange for high rates of successful academic & social engagements
Use positive reinforcement
Teach social skills
Communicate positive expectations

22. Four Strategies: Classroom Structure Quality Instruction
Strategies 1. Calm
Four Strategies:
Classroom Structure
Quality Instruction
Managing Attention
Teaching Behavior

23. Intervention is focused on prevention and redirection.
Strategies 2. Trigger
Intervention is focused on prevention and redirection.
Increase opportunities for success
Respond to students exhibiting expected behavior
Reinforce the student’s first on task response
Intermittently reinforce on-task behavior

24. Strategies 2. Trigger
Three major areas:
Formal programs or services: curriculum interventions, counseling, community services, medical assistance
Pre-Correction: anticipating the problem behavior and intervening beforehand
Addressing non-school based triggers: parent conferences-partnerships, school support services, wrap-around services

25. Intervention is focused on reducing anxiety.
Strategies 3. Agitation
Intervention is focused on reducing anxiety.
If not addressed student may escalate or remain distracted making instruction difficult
Strategies are accommodations
Implement before onset of escalation

26. Make structural/environmental modifications
Strategies 3. Agitation
Make structural/environmental modifications
Provide reasonable options & choices
Involve in successful engagement

27. Strategies 3. Agitation
What to do before a behavior escalates
Achieve eye contact.
Use the student’s name.
Use a non-verbal signal.
Proximity/praise.
Silent communication.
Do the unexpected.
Get them to think – give them time to decide.
Reduce distance – use proximity.
Give more “start” requests instead of “stop” requests.
Make non-emotional instead of emotional requests.
Use the “broken record” technique.

28. Strategies: Teacher empathy Movement activities Space (jobs)
Strategies 3. Agitation
Strategies:
Teacher empathy Movement activities
Space (jobs)
Options/Choices Student involvement
Preferred activities Relaxation techniques
Teacher proximity Pre-arranged signal
Independent activities

29. Techniques that backfire:
Strategies 3. Agitation
Techniques that backfire:
Raising your voice Drawing unrelated
Yelling persons into the conflict
Saying “I’m the boss Insisting you are right
Insisting on having the last word Preaching
Using sarcasm Making assumptions
Attacking the student’s character Bringing up unrelated
Making comparisons with siblings events
or other students Holding a grudge
Nagging

30. Strategies 4. Acceleration
Intervention is focused on safety.
Remove all triggering factors
Avoid escalating prompts
Maintain calmness, respect and detachment
Approach the student in a nonthreatening manner
Utilize nonconfrontational limit-setting procedures

31. What are Escalating Prompts?
Agitated behavior from staff (shouting)
Cornering the student
Engaging in power struggles
Moving into the student’s space
Touching or grabbing the student
Sudden or very quick responses
Making derogatory statements about the student
Arguing/becoming defensive
Body language that communicates anger or frustration

32. What is a Non-Threatening Manner?
Speak calmly
Speak privately
Minimize body language
Keep a reasonable distance
Speak respectfully and privately
Move slowly and deliberately toward the problem situation

33. What is a Non-Threatening Manner?
Establish eye level position
Be brief (KISS)
Stay with agenda
Avoid power struggles
Give student space
Don not communicate “urgency to gain control”
Acknowledge cooperation

34. Intervention is focused on safety Focus is on crisis management
Strategies 5. Peak
Intervention is focused on safety
Focus is on crisis management
- implement your plan (contact the office, clear the room, etc.)
Safe strategies
Behavioral Emergency
-Hughes Bill Assessment of Risk Factors
-Behavior Support Plan Mental Health/Other Assessment
-Functional Analysis Assessment -Behavior Intervention Plan

35. Short-term interventions: Isolation or removal of involved student
Strategies 5. Peak
Short-term interventions:
Isolation or removal of involved student
Allow time for student to “cool down”
Removal of other students

36. Definition of Behavioral Emergency Use of Restraint
Strategies 5. Peak
Legal Considerations
Definition of Behavioral Emergency
Use of Restraint
Notification/Documentation
Data Collection

37. Strategies 6. De-escalation
Intervention is focused on monitoring for re-escalation of behavior
Monitor for health/safety of all involved
Avoid blaming
Allow time and space
Engage in independent work
Cool-down time
Determine appropriate time to debrief

38. Intervention focuses on returning to normal activities
Strategies 7. Recovery
Intervention focuses on returning to normal activities
Follow through with consequences
Positively reinforce any displays of appropriate behavior
Debrief/rehearse problem solving routine

39. Effective consequences
Strategies 7. Recovery
Effective consequences
Does the consequence
Model, instruct or teach a more appropriate behavior?
Interfere with the flow of the lesson?
Give the learner the choice to redirect and receive instruction?
Is the consequence effective?

40. Debriefing Session
Facilitates transition back to program… not further negative consequence.
Goal is to increase appropriate behavior
Focus on problem solving
Pinpoint events that contributed to the incident
Teach replacement behaviors
Debriefing activities and forms

41. Proactive Strategies
Have a school-wide positive behavior support system in place
Emphasize quality instruction leading to increased academic achievement
Emphasize teaching and prevention techniques

42. Activity
Describe an event in which the student’s behavior escalated. Be sure to describe all seven phases of the Acting-Out Model.
Describe some responses that may
de-escalate the student’s escalating behavior
Handout

43. Share!

44. Self-Control Plan Maintaining calmness, respectfulness and detachment
What are your stressors or “behavioral buttons?”
What does it look like when you are stressed?
What can you do to regain self-control?
To manage stress, what can you do:
- immediately
- after work

45. Self-Control Plan Activity:
Develop your own self-control plan using the worksheet
Share your strategies and ideas about maintaining self-control
Handout

46. Defusing Anger and Aggression
Video clips

47. Defusing Anger and Aggression
Discussion
How was the situation escalated?
How did the teacher defuse the situation?

48. References
Video: Colvin, G. (2004). Defusing Anger and Aggression. Available from IRIS Media, (877) ,
Colvin, G (2004). Managing the cycle of acting-out behavior in the classroom. Eugene, Oregon: Behavior Associates.
Colvin, G. (2006). Understanding and Managing Angry-Aggressive Behavior presentation,
Colvin, G. & Sugai, G. (1989) Understanding & Managing Escalating Behavior presentation,
(cont.)

49. References (cont.)
Sprague, J. & Golly, A. (2005). Best behavior: Building positive behavior support in schools. Longmont, Colorado: Sopris West.
Sprick, R. Garrison, M. & Howard, L. (1998). CHAMPs: A proactive and positive approach to classroom management. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

50. Contact Information
Sylvia Martinez, District Behavior Specialist
LRE/Behavior Support Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
333 South Beaudry Avenue, 17th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213)