Factors Influencing Behavior

In order for a student to find something meaningful, they need to have an interest in it. If they find an incentive meaningful, it is because the incentive is something they want or like. If a student finds a consequence meaningful, it is because it will affect negatively them in some way. If they don’t care about a determined set of incentives or consequences, and they do not possess internal motivation, then it is likely that any challenging behavior they have will most likely continue. 

With  motivational deficits, one way to guide the student in the right direction is with incentives. These incentives can be physical or as simple as a nice compliment. The rewards need to be agreed upon between the students and the teacher. Having this open communication deems the incentives meaningful and gives the student a sense of buy-in. It is important to remember the balance when implementing an incentive program in your classroom. As the children get better at using their appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the year, the rewards should become harder to obtain. “This allows students to grow and mature and to not have to receive a reward every time they do a positive behavior. This personal growth allows you to develop different incentives that continue you to challenge students” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 1). On the flip side, if a student is still not responding, even after meaningful incentives have been put in place, then consequences should occur. These consequences need to affect the student. For example, sending a student to another room to read instead of participating in Friday Free Time games will not be a good consequence if the student loves to read. This is why it is crucial to really get to know your students and their interests. By removing something form the day that the child loves, or could be used as an incentive to get back to the good behavior, is the key to a successful consequence plan.

When approaching the development of a behavior intervention plan (BIP), certain issues may arise which need to be factored in to the finalized plan. For example, if you are consistently reinforcing the appropriate behavior of a student, and at the same time, a peer group is reinforcing the negative behavior of a student, then an intervention on the part of the group needs to be made. The group should be taught the appropriate responses to the peer who is in need of the targeted intervention. If the groups behavior can be easily directed toward reinforcing the positive behaviors of the target student, then the problem will be on its way to being solved, or at least better. This task can be accomplished through role play. A scenario can be created in a script where the class acts out a similar situation to the current problem in class. This way, everyone can learn how to reinforce positive behaviors as opposed to negative ones. As Hamlett (2018) stated, “Using peers in a behavior intervention plan can be a successful way to help a student master a targeted behavior” (p. 1). By having the right balance of teacher and peers reinforcing positive behaviors, the classroom can function as a whole community, working together, to help the target student. 

 

References

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 4: Incentives, peers, and the educative time-out process, Part 1 transcript: Incentives [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071763?module_item_id=22985953&fd_cookie_set=1

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 4: Incentives, peers, and the educative time-out process, Part 2 transcript: Peer Support [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071763?module_item_id=22985953&fd_cookie_set=1

Addressing Specific Behavioral Concerns

In a perfect world, a teacher could walk into her classroom at the start of a new school year and begin teaching the many academic lessons the children need to learn before they leave her care. In addition, she would teach them how to become safe, respectful, and responsible citizens who flawlessly contribute in a positive way to the class and act appropriately in the common areas outside of the classroom. However, that is not reality. Reality is a class of nearly 30 fourth graders who come from drastically different backgrounds and who may have deficits in academics and/or behavior. Sometimes, challenging behaviors may be due to medical conditions beyond their control, presenting yet another challenge. I have several students like this in my fourth grade class.

Bob is a nine-year-old, fourth grade boy who was diagnosed with ADHD at the end of third grade. Previous teachers had labeled him as a troublemaker and said he did not care if he got in trouble. He also did not respond to sticker sheets for good behavior and would rip them up. His third grade teacher suggested that they speak with their doctor and the result, after paperwork and several meetings, was ADHD. The year ended and when the teacher found out I would be getting him, she said, “Good luck. He’s trouble”. I was so happy to be getting him so I could work with him and give him the school life he deserves! I understand that you have to reach outside the norm of your social skills training for a case like this. “A common trigger for students is not feeling respected” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 2). If people view him and treat him like he is nothing but trouble, then that is what he will be! We, the teachers, need to lead by example. Bob is now thriving, as I enacted something as simple as, “take a lap” for when he feels too energetic. You see, even with this diagnosis, mother did not want to medicate. So, we have come up with many accommodations to help him and he is continuing to improve his social and behavioral skills. This is why we need to investigate the problem, so we can address it specifically.

Sarah had a rough first day in my class. When we started off with introductions and it was her turn to speak, she started crying. Even though I said we could do her turn later or another day, she still did not look happy. It was clear she was struggling with social-emotional skills. According to her paperwork from previous years, it was stated that she was quiet and shy. We are now five months into the school year, and she still struggles to participate. I have spoken to my intervention team and her parents and we have discussed ways to help her with participation. Nothing has been too effective. When we meet again in a week, the school counselor and psychologist plan to bring up the possibility of anxiety as an underlying cause of her reluctance to speak in front of others. “Anxiety-related responding and skill deficits have historically been associated with performance-based anxiety disorders such as social phobia” (Hopko, McNeil, Zvolensky, & Eifert, 2001, p. 185). As such, typical behavior skills training may need to be modified and to help this student reach mastery in social situations.

Amelia is a girl who has Autism. She is working with an aid and is performing at a much lower grade level, academically. She is sweet and loves to participate. However, she behaves inappropriately when it comes to boys. She verbally tells them that she loves them and that they are her boyfriend. The children in my class do not react negatively, as we have talked about how to respond to Amelia. However, in the common areas, for those who are not used to this, it becomes an issue. Her aid is there for her academic time in class, but not with her in the common areas. We have practiced appropriate versus non appropriate conversation topics, but she sometimes forgets. Learning appropriate social skills for Amelia takes a lot of repetition. “When introducing a new skill, teachers should give students the opportunity to practice until they feel they understand why that skill is important to their everyday success” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 2). As she grows and changes, the intervention plan may need to be altered. However, knowing the underlying factor of Autism can guide us in developing a research-based plan to meet her social and behavioral needs. 

 

References

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 3: Interventions for increasing appropriate student behavior, Part 1 transcript: Emotional control [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071761?module_item_id=22985945&fd_cookie_set=1

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 3: Interventions for increasing appropriate student behavior, Part 2 transcript: Skill instruction [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071761?module_item_id=22985945&fd_cookie_set=1

Hopko, D. R., McNeil, D. W., Zvolensky, M. J., & Eifert, G. H. (2001). The relation between anxiety and skill in performance-based anxiety disorders: A behavioral formulation of social phobia. Behavior Therapy, 32(1), 185-207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(01)80052-6

Behavioral Intervention Planning

Last year, I had a student with anger issues who was quick to react negatively to situations where he felt frustrated. For example, he was working with a small group to create an informational poster for a social studies project. He wanted to color the drawing that someone else had sketched, but the original artist wanted to do it. He stood up, balled up his fists, stepped on the paper and stormed out of the room. After this first incident, we talked and discussed some calming techniques and other ways to handle situations that he expressed were frustrating or unfair. In my opinion, this case classified as a challenging behavior because it was about ten weeks into the school year and social, emotional, and behavioral skills had been discussed and reviewed heavily prior to that. “According to Cullinan (2007), most behaviors are learned, and students’ unwanted behaviors can be modified with positive reinforcement and consequences” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 1). I decided to reach out to the family with little success of communication. That day, I came to learn, surprisingly from the child, that his mother was an alcoholic who was very sick with liver issues and currently in the hospital. Now that I knew a probable cause for the behavior, I immediately contacted the school counselor to devise a plan to help this student. 

To prioritize intervention steps, not knowing if there was an additional reason for his behavior, I gathered all relevant data: incidents, dates, times, and descriptions of events. Even though this behavior was probably due to circumstances outside of the school setting, the effects seemed to make their way into the educational and common area environments. I knew that I didn’t have control of the circumstances with his mother, but that I could work with him to help him function to the best of his ability, skills that I hope would also be used outside of school. Our counselor worked with me to apply a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to determine the best approach to this situation. “FBA consists of a variety of behavior assessment procedures and is characterized by the systematic process of identifying and defining challenging behavior; determining the antecedents that predict the behavior; and, determining the consequences that reinforce behavior” (Young & Martinez, 2016, p. 40). 

Two of the most important elements of an effective behavioral plan is organization and communication. After all, it is a plan! “Research indicates that when FBA is used in the schools, positive behavior change is the result” (Young & Martinez, 2016, p. 40). By using data-based research methods to obtain information on the student, a proper plan can be created and tailored to the specific cause of the behavior. In addition, effective communication needs to take place between all parties involved with the plan. Meetings to check progress, counseling sessions, parent communication, and appropriate reinforcement and consequences need to be established and written down, so all parties involved can be held accountable. Creating a plan and formally implementing it should be a process each school should have a blueprint for. As previously mentioned, administering an FBA, meeting with a team, writing a plan, and creating an accountability report are important steps to take to address to a challenging behavior situation.

 

References

Hamlett, T. (2018). Interventions For Students With Challenging Behaviors. Module 2: Primary Reasons for Challenging Student Behavior. Part 1: Primary Reasons for Challenging Student Behavior.

Hamlett, T. (2018). Interventions For Students With Challenging Behaviors. Module 2: Primary Reasons for Challenging Student Behavior. Part 2: Consistency.

Young, A., & Martinez, R. (2016). Teachers' explanations for challenging behavior in the classroom: What do teachers know about Functional Behavior Assessment? National Teacher Educational Journal, 9(1), 39-46.

Inconsistencies with Implementation

Inconsistencies with an implementation plan usually stem from either poor planning or poor communication. When approaching a behavior intervention plan for a student, everyone on the team, meaning everyone that will have a hand in helping this student resolve his or her discipline issues, needs to communicate so each person knows what they are responsible for. They will know their role and responsibilities through proper planning. Creating a plan is a structured process and each school needs to have predetermined steps to follow if they want to have the greatest impact possible. There needs to be communication, a timeline, and regularly schedules meetings so these teachers can check in and compare their successes, failures, and whether or not the plan that was created is actually working and providing a benefit to the student. Collaboration is the key to success!

Parental involvement is a puzzle piece in the implementation process. Everyone in this child’s life needs to be involved and on-board with the intervention. “Because parents probably have the most information regarding the extent and history of their child’s difficulties and the most knowledge of their child’s home environment, it is essential for parents to be actively involved in planning and implementing behavioral interventions” (Park, Alber-Morgan, & Fleming, 2011, p. 22). The behavioral interventions and tactics that we employ at school should also be practiced at home. Training for the parents is an option, if needed. This cohesiveness in addressing behaviors, say, for example, with positive reinforcement techniques, lets the child know that the appropriate behaviors are expected at all times, not only at school, but also at home.

Having a meeting with all parties involved in the intervention process would be ideal. However, if outside services are not able to attend, a detailed record of the intervention plan can be shared and everyone can hopefully agree to implement the strategies that were decided by the people that were present at the meeting. Everyone needs to be on board, so if someone does not agree to a piece of the plan, then the team should communicate and find a point to mutually agree upon. Sometimes, when there are a lot of hands in the pot, information can be lost, so it is vital that copies of all information, including changes and updates, be disseminated to everyone. Inconsistencies in the intervention process can lead to a failed attempt to get the child back on track. To combat this, signed acknowledgement of received information needs to be gathered. Finally, designating a main contact person on the team will make it easier to ask/answer questions or set up future meetings regarding the student. 

References

Park, J. H., Alber-Morgan, S. R., & Fleming, C. (2011). Collaborating with parents to implement behavioral interventions for children with challenging behaviors . Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(3), 22-30.

School-wide Positive Behavioral Supports

School-wide Positive Behavioral Supports are instrumental to a well-run school. “Because approximately 20% of children in the U.S. have significant emotional and behavioral difficulties, and most of these children do not receive mental health services, utilizing RtI to better serve children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders presents an extremely important option for school psychologists” (Froiland, 2011, p. 35). Being able to claim that you have such a system in place, backed by evidence that it works, shows that you are part of a school that is a well-oiled machine. Machines, however, don’t run with only one gear. It takes many pieces for a machine to function, and a school is no different. Having a specialized problem-solving team made up of teachers, administrators, psychologists, and counselors, who meet regularly, can be the difference between having a chaotic and messy environment or a stable and nurturing place where students thrive.

Most school districts have the resources to address student behavior needs and are comprised of different professionals, including psychologists, counselors, behavior specialists, administrators, social workers, nurses, and teachers. The teacher, properly trained, can be an asset to the team only if they have the right foundation in the behavioral and mental health field and have the support of the others. “There is a growing appreciation of the need to teach and help the development of the whole person as opposed to merely focusing on academic achievement and test scores” (Slade & Griffith, 2013, p. 24). If a school does not have access to these types of professionals, in the worst case possible, they can train themselves by utilizing current research and studies on the effectiveness of behavior management and the focus on the whole child. Since we, the teachers, are with he children the majority of the day, it only makes sense that we are trained and involved with their social and emotional well-being.

When approaching a behavior issue, it is important to use a data-based problem-solving approach. “Problem-solving involves the application fo the scientific method through clear problem identification, in-depth problem analysis, intervention development, ongoing measurement of students’ intervention response, and refinement of the intervention based on data” (Froiland, 2011, p. 36). This may take more time, but the overall result is worth the wait. It might actually take more time and energy to ignore or dismiss the problematic behavior as opposed to dealing with it in a data-based collective manner. Having an organized approach helps to ensure that the proper interventions are identified. For example, “behavioral RtI emphasizes a continuum of services that can be provided to students by school counselors and integrated into comprehensive school counseling programs” (Ziomek-Daigle, Goodman-Scott, Cavin, & Donohue, 2016, p. 222). Overall, the RtI system makes the approach to behavior consistent and organized, thereby creating an environment that helps those involved to follow through and stay on top of the problem and its anticipated improvement.

 

References

Froiland, J. M. (2011). Response to interventions as a vehicle for powerful mental health interventions in the schools. Contemporary School Psychology, 15, 35-42.

Slade, S., & Griffith, D. (2013). A whole child approach to student success. KEDI Journal of Educational Policy, 2103 Special Issue, 21-35.

Ziomek-Daigle, J., Goodman-Scott, E., Cavin, J., & Donohue, P. (2016). Integrating a multi-tiered system of supports with comprehensive school counseling programs. The Professional Counselor, 6(3), 220-232.

Implementing an Incentive Program

When a school is dealing with challenging students and they are finding that the tactics they are using, such as social skills training, friendship groups, or behavior plans are not working, then it may be time to implement an incentive program. We have to be careful though, as obtaining incentives too easily or frequently may cause children to only perform a function for a reward. On the flip side, not being consistent when delivering the incentives may result in the student maintaining the same lack of motivation that may have been the root cause in the first place. So, it is important that the student have a role in creating the plan, helping to choose meaningful incentives and creating a sense of buy-in. As the children get better at using their appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the year, the rewards should become harder to obtain and self-management should increase. “This allows students to grow and mature and to not have to receive a reward every time they do a positive behavior. This personal growth allows you to develop different incentives that continue you to challenge students” (Hamlett, 2018, p.1). 

References

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 4: Incentives, peers, and the educative time-out process, Part 1 transcript: Incentives [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071763?module_item_id=22985953&fd_cookie_set=1

The Interview Process

Think for a minute about a child you have encountered who displayed challenging behavior(s). Did this child seem happy? Did the people around him/her enjoy the way this person displayed misbehavior? In my opinion, children want to be liked by their peers and loved by their caretakers and teachers. We, as parents and teachers, need to investigate the reasons for the behavior. Once we do, “we will be better equipped to plan ways a child can meet his need(s) in more positive ways, as well as altering aspects of the environment to help the child be more successful” (Cairone, 2016, p. 34). One way to achieve this is through an interview process where we can ask questions to determine if the behavior has an underlying cause. For example, if a child is quick to react with inappropriate amounts of anger to classroom situations, we might look for recent changes in their life. We could converse with them through questioning or conversation:

1. Has anything new or different been happening at home?

2. Tell me about this past weekend.

3. What is your favorite and least favorite part about you day?

Inquiring about the aspects of their life might lead us to discover ways in which we could help them and hopefully lead to developing an appropriate intervention plan.

References

Cairone, K. (2016). Helping teachers take the challenge out of behavior. Exchange, 229, 32-37.