Load Your Toolbox: Behavioral Strategies for Everyone

T = Take care of your own needs
O = OK to borrow tools from others
O = Open your mind and ask questions
L = Listen to each other
S = Start and End on time

TO DO LIST!

  • Introduction
  • Rules of the Thumb
  • Whitewashing the fence
  • Don't Make Me Build It
  • Are you the Contractor?
  • Opening Up Your Toolbox
  • Measure Twice, Cut once
  • Project Completed

You are the contractor. Think about these things:

  • Are there other things happening which may make the behavior worse?
  • Does the student know and understand the what is expected?
  • Does the student have the ability/skill to do what is asked of him/her?
  • Does the student have enough time to do what is expected?
  • Did the adult use respect when dealing with the student?
    • The voice remains calm
    • The student's personal space is honored
    • The student is not embarrassed in front of peers
    • Nonverbal and verbals interactions are appropriate

Measure Twice – Cut Once Questions

  1. Is the tool socially acceptable?
    • Does it make sense?
    • Is it humane?
    • Can you afford it?
    • Is it legal?
    • Can you tell others about it?
  2. Does the tool have some way of helping the student manage their own behavior?
  3. Can the tool be implemented without causing too much distraction for the rest of the class?
  4. Will the tool work?
    • Will this tool reduce the need for "tougher" tools?
    • Will this tool work in other settings?
    • Will the behavior transfer to other settings?
  5. Will the tool solve the problem behavior without making a bigger behavior problem?

I've come to a 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 makes the weather. As a teacher (or a paraeducator), 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 or 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. --Haim Ginott

Trying
Our darnedest to
Overcome
Landmines
Successfully

We cannot make a kid behave.
It will drive us to our grave.
In olden days, the rules we knew,
"Do it and it will be done to you!"
If we slugged, then we got hit.
If we chomped down, we got bit.
Now policies and rules have changed:
"Hit a kid! Are you deranged?"
Now we work to give the clues
To reinforce behaviors that we choose
Misbehavior we redirec
Quirks and foibles to correct.
We fill our box with tools galore
Always trying not to bore.
We do the research, try our tricks,
To give the skills kids need to fix.
The final strategy, if you dare...
Just let your students know, "I care!"

Anyone can punish or control, but it takes the best, the brightest, the most skilled, and the most creative educators to inspire students through positive programming.

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 multiply... we teach.
If a child doesn't know how to behave... we punish.
John Herner

Behavior Tools

Removal or Introduction of Antecedents:

  1. Look at the behavior to decide what might be causing the behavior – what is happening just before the behavior shows up, it is a class, a certain time, a certain group of people? Also look for times when the behavior is not present.
  2. Change the situation (antecedent) and replace with an appropriate behavior situation (the good times).
  3. As the new behavior is learned and used, slowly reintroduce the antecedents which caused the inappropriate behavior.

Change the Task:

  1. Look at the task – it is too difficult, easy, or boring.
  2. Break the task into smaller chunks, give extra help, or plan for success.
  3. Increase the demands of the task as success happens.

Change the Position:

  1. Move the student to a new position in the room or at their desk to finish the task.
  2. Allow the student to do the problem on the whiteboard, stand at her desk, and sit on the floor.

Change the Schedule:

  1. Give breaks more often.
  2. Move difficult tasks to a different time of day.
  3. Break down the tasks between "seat" time and activity time.
  4. Time between activities or breaks can be lengthened a little at a time.

Redirect:

  1. Give a verbal/nonverbal cue/prompt which can lead to a more appropriate behavior.
  2. The cue/prompt redirects the student's attention.
  3. Be sure the cue doesn't call attention to the inappropriate behavior.

Choice Training:

  1. Teach students how to make choices. The choices need to have significance to the student.
  2. Give the student wait time to make the choice before giving prompts.
  3. The activities (choices) may be like doing math worksheet or writing a story now. It could be between two free time activities.

Verbal Cueing:

  1. Give a verbal cue that leads to the appropriate behavior.
  2. Example: I like the way Julie is sitting quietly.

Proximity:

  1. Make the student aware that you are close and aware of them.
  2. This could be eye contact, a tap on the desk, or walking past the student's desk.
  3. Teach self-management skills so proximity could be done from across the room.

Using Reinforcers:

  1. First decide what is reinforcing to the student(s).
  2. Use reinforcers when appropriate behavior is demonstrated or approximations toward completing the correct behavior.
  3. Use social reinforcers (praise, smiles) before primary reinforcers (food, drinks, stickers) if possible.
  4. Have a plan for fading out primary reinforcers.

Modeling and self-modeling with videotape feedback:

  1. Model the appropriate behavior for the student, talking about what is appropriate.
  2. This could possibly be done with videotaping the student and stopping the tape and discussing the behavior.
  3. Have the student practice the behavior or watch the video and talk about times the behavior is appropriate.

Functional communication training:

  1. Sometimes a student can not communicate their needs which lead to inappropriate behavior. An alternate communication system needs to be used.
  2. This could be sign language, Boardmaker pictures in a book, assistive technology devices, and pictures on a schedule.
  3. The student will need to be taught how to use the communication system using prompts and modeling.

Anger Control training:

  1. The adults need to determine what is happening just before the behavior happens.
  2. The student is taught self-statements like "Relax, stop, calm down, count to 10" to use before the behavior happens.
  3. Others things that could be used would be "pauses for the cause" like moving to a different spot in the room, asking to go get a drink or go to a different room.
  4. The student needs to reflect on the behavior and ways to handle it.

Directly teach a replacement behavior:

  1. The student is taught to replace an inappropriate behavior with an appropriate behavior through modeling, cueing, and prompting.
  2. For example, if a student touches/pushes other students when lining up, and they have been taught Body Basics for lining up, then every time the students line up, the teacher/para say, "Remember to use good Body Basics."

Preparation for Change:

  1. Some students don't deal well with a change to their routine or sudden, unexpected events.
  2. If at all possible, explain changes in the routine or activities in advance and why this is happening.

Explanation of Consequences:

  1. Discuss with the student the possible consequences of a behavior.
  2. This can be used before and/or after an inappropriate behavior – (if you doÉ, what will happen? Because you É., now what will happen?)

Verbal Command:

  1. Sometimes a student doesn't think about a behavior or can't stop it.
  2. Use a direct verbal command like "Stop running in the hall." Use a calm voice and do not shout.

Simple Restitution:

1. This is used to have a student undo the result of the behavior (wash

the tables after using marker on them).

2. Do not embarrass the student in front of their peers.

Blocking:

  1. The adult positions themselves between or removes others from the student. This would be if the student was hitting another student, throwing things, or running from the room.
  2. Be sure not to put yourself in danger.
  3. Don't raise your voice and remain calm.

Brief holding:

  1. A mild restraint (like holding a student's hands down momentarily, for less than 20 seconds) is used to stop a self-abusive behavior like biting, pinching, etc. Don't struggle with the student.
  2. 2. Remain neutral. Focus the attention on the activity.

Time Out:

  1. This is used for disruptive or aggressive behavior which is reinforced by peer attention.
  2. Take the student to a time-out area; tell the student what the inappropriate behavior is, and how long they will be in time-out. Set a timer.
  3. Calmly discuss the behavior that is appropriate and ask the student if they are ready to come back to the group. If not, the timer needs to be set again.
  4. The time-out period should be brief (3-5 minutes).
‹ Learning, Talking and Creating Change: Different Formats for Conversations About PracticeupParaeducator Training: Making the Decisions and Finding the Materials That Meet Your District's Needs ›