Responding to Student Behavior: Chapter 12

Responding to Student Behavior

In an ideal world, we would not experience behavior that undermines instruction and, thereby, negatively impacts student learning. However, the unfortunate reality is that a small number of our students exhibit disruptive behavior in classrooms, lab areas, offices, field sites and other educational settings, or via electronic means such as email, discussion boards, online meeting spaces, and audio video conferencing. This manual is intended to offer guidance and support should you need to respond to disruptive or threatening student behavior. (http://www.dos.vt.edu/documents/DisruptiveStudents-faculty.pdf)

           

PBIS:

PBIS is a team based, systematic approach in teaching behavioral expectations throughout the school. It is based on a proactive model which teaches the behaviors, reinforces and recognizes students who are able to model these behaviors and has systems in place to support students who have a difficult time or may present with more challenging behaviors.

Implementation Plan:

They are as follows:

1. Behavioral Expectations are Defined. A small number of clearly defined behavioral expectations are simply stated in positive terms. Each building identifies their expectations. For example: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Cooperative.
2. Behavioral Expectations are Taught: Behavioral expectations are identified for various settings in each school. The behaviors are taught to all of the students in the school through direct teaching with the help of staff.
3. Appropriate Behaviors are Acknowledged: Once appropriate behaviors have been defined and taught, they are acknowledged in various ways on a regular basis. Examples of reinforcements used are: Gold & Platinum Cards, Cheers for Peers, Kudos for Kids, Perfect Attendance Awards, Positive Office Referrals, Good Citizen Postcards, and Praise Hats.
4. Data Collection: Office Discipline data is collected on school-wide behavior and a team reviews the data regularly to determine when and where the problems are occurring. The committee then brainstorms ways to proactively address the problems and to re-teach and reinforce positive behaviors. All staff and parents are represented on the team.
5. Individual Support is Provided for Students not Responding to the School- Wide System: Each school has a system for developing plans for individual students who may have a difficult time and need more support in a school setting.
   Teams meet regularly and involve parents as active partners in helping students to succeed.
6. Active Support by All Stakeholders: The entire school community is needed to be actively involved in order to make the system successful. PBIS is a district wide system for establishing a positive culture in each building.

Benefits of PBIS

1. Increases attendance.
2. Student self-reports of a more positive and calm environment.
3. Teacher reports of a more positive and calm environment.
4. Reduction in the proportion of students who engage in behavioral disruptions.
5. Reduction in the number of behavioral disruptions.
6. For more information about PBIS, please visit our individual school websites or go to

Rules for Learning-Based Environment Should

Be specific

Use positive wording

Be posted

Be discussed with students early in the year

Be rehearsed while students learn them

Be enforced consistently

Functional Behavior Assessment:

A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is intended to be a document that guides educators into making data-based decisions about how to help a youngster become more socially and academically successful in school. However, too frequently the intent of a Functional Behavior Assessment and the reality of a Functional Behavior Assessment are miles apart. Way too often, an FBA consists of a paperwork formality and does not serve any real purpose when it comes to helping a child.

The primary outcome of a Functional Behavior Assessment is:

1. Creating a clear description of the problem behaviors
2. Identifying times, contexts, and situations that predict when a behavior problem will or will not occur
3. Identifying what is gained or avoided when problem behaviors occur
4. Developing functional hypotheses for behavior problems
5. Creating a multi-element behavior intervention plan based upon the results of the Functional Behavior Assessment

A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) takes the observations made in a Functional Behavioral Assessment and turns them into a concrete plan of action for managing a student's behavior. A BIP may include ways to change the environment to keep behavior from starting in the first place, provide positive reinforcement to promote good behavior, employ planned ignoring to avoid reinforcing bad behavior, and provide supports needed so that the student will not be driven to act out due to frustration or fatigue. When a behavior plan is agreed to, the school and staff are legally obligated to follow it, and consequences of not following it should not be inflicted on the student. However, as with so many provisions of IDEA, this may take a lot of vigilance, advocacy, and battling by parents to make sure that everyone who is to take these interventions into account does so in a complete and informed way.

Behavior Reduction Interventions

Choice statements

“When you_____________, then you can____________”

“If you________________, then I will/you can_____________”

Corrective Teaching

Approach student individually with an empathetic comment

Briefly describe this misbehavior

Briefly describe desired behavior

Deliver feedback, praise, or points.

Effective Communication in the Classroom

Communicate Respectfully

• Respect is the foundation of effective communication, especially in the classroom. Teachers and students demonstrate respectful communication in the following ways.Use a tone that is honest and tactful, choosing words that are appropriate to the situation and no inflammatory.

Repeat Your Message in Different Ways

Check for Understanding

Nonverbal Communication

In cognitive behavior management CBM students are taught to monitor their own behavior, make judgments about it appropriateness, and change it as needed.

Teaching Cognitive Behavior Management Strategies

Discuss the strategy with the student and present a rationale for its use.

Model for the students what you expect.

Provide practice and feedback.

Token Economy:

A token economy is a system of behavior modification based on the systematic positive reinforcement of target behavior. The reinforces are symbols or tokens that can be exchanged for other reinforces.

Websites

http://www.greensborocollege.edu/faculty/upload/Difficult-20Student-20Behavior-8-20-08-1.pdf

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ757095&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ757095

http://www.isacs.org/misc_files/More%20Time%20EM%20%20ISACS.pdf

Evaluating Student Learning: Chapter 11

Evaluating Student Learning

Making Accommodations for Classroom Tests:

Before, During, and After

Before:

Per-pare a study guide

Give a practice test

Offer tutoring

Teach test-taking skills

Demonstrate memorization techniques

During:

Use alternative forms of questions

Accept alternative forms of responses

Use alternative ways to administer tests

Use alternative test sites

After:

Change letter or number grades

Change grading criteria

Using alternatives to letter or number grades (such as a competency checklist)

IEP Objectives Grading:

Focuses on how goals are addressed in classroom

Informs students, parents, and teachers

Identifies important objectives and supports

Reflects progress on skills important to student

Eliminates redundancy of separate reporting

Improves communication about grades

Carries risk that criteria will be unrelated to general ed expectations

Two Kinds of Assessments

Formative evaluation is a process of ongoing feedback on performance. The purposes are to identify aspects of performance that need to improve and to offer corrective suggestions. The formative version of learning assessment, deals with the different ways teachers can evaluate students based on the material presented in class. The students themselves get to see where they need to concentrate more efforts on then use the information collected from this type of assessment. The teachers can also use the results to focus in on the areas where extra time should be spent on instruction.

Summative evaluation is a process of identifying larger patterns and trends in performance and judging these summary statements against criteria to obtain performance ratings. You must rely upon your evidence and perceptions to justify ratings. The summative version of assessment of learning gives teachers the opportunity to grade work that evaluates the quality of the student’s work through different assignments. Not only is this data graded for accuracy but also how well the student translates their knowledge of the subject matter at hand. 

The primary purpose of evaluating student learning is to assign grades. However, well-designed and well-executed evaluation can also incentive students and support self-regulated learning strategies. Research shows that properly used evaluation strategies can encourage students to keep up with the material and enhance students' academic engagement and achievement in college. Therefore, evaluation of student learning is a very important component in course design and requires a lot of careful thought in planning.

Websites

https://tlt.stonybrook.edu/FacultyServices/CDD/Evaluation/Pages/default.aspx

http://cstl.syr.edu/msache_resources/S3.htm

http://ed.fnal.gov/lincon/el_assessment.shtml

"Differentiating Instruction" Chapter 9

Differentiating Instruction

Making Accommodations for Students with Special Needs in Basic Skills Instruction

Teaching Pre-skills

• Basic skills necessary for performing more complex tasks
• Assess students on relevant pre-skills
• Teach pre-skills to entire class
• Teach pre-skills to individual students

Achieving the goal of differentiating instruction involves the use of a multitude of tools and strategies.

Each lesson: Is based on existing academic and professional standards and is adjusted to be in line with updated versions of those standards as they are written Has a definite aim for all students Includes a variety of teacher strategies aimed at reaching students at all levels Considers student learning styles in the presentation of a lesson Involves all students in the lesson through the use of questioning aimed at different levels of thinking (Bloom's Taxonomy) Allows that some students will require adjusted expectations Provides choice in the method students will use to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts Accepts that different methods are of equal value Evaluates students based on their individual differences

Differentiated instruction: Encourages inclusion of all students Provides instruction across all levels of student achievement and ability Addresses different learning styles Allows teachers to reach all of the students some of the time Allows for diversity among students Fosters relationships and self-worth Meets social, emotional, and academic needs Increases self-efficacy

Principles of a Differentiated Classroom: Learning Experiences are based on diagnosis of student readiness, interest, and/or learning profile Content, Activities (Process), and Products are developed in response to varying needs of varied learners Teaching and Learning are focused on key concepts, understandings, and skills All students participate in work that is engaging and "respectful" (appropriate to student readiness, interest, and/or learning profile) Teacher and students work together to ensure continual engagement and challenge for each learner The teacher coordinates use of time, space, and activities Flexible grouping ensures consistently fluid working arrangements including whole class learning, pairs, triads and quads, student-selected groups, teacher-selected groups, and random groups Time use is flexible in response to student needs A variety of management strategies (such as learning centers, interest centers, compacting, contracts, independent study, tiered assignments, learning buddies, etc.) is used to help target instruction to student needs Clearly established individual and group criteria provide guidance toward success Students are assessed in a variety of appropriate ways to demonstrate their own thought and growth Websites http://www.lcandler.web.aplus.net/index.html Teacher resources; awesome site for elementary teachers http://www.k8accesscenter.org/ What’s New > Effective Classroom Strategies Discussion http://www.learnerslink.com/curriculum.htm Differentiating Instruction ... Effective Strategies to Improve Student Performance http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiatingstrategies.html Enhance learning with technology... strategies for differentiating

Students With Special Needs Other Than Disabilities: Chapter 8

Students with Special Needs Other Than Disabilities

Understanding Section 504:

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 guarantees that a child with a disability receives an education that is comparable to an education provided to those who do not have a disability.

Since it is a civil rights law, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an educational law, a child who receives services under Section 504 does not benefit from the same mandates as a child who receives special education services under IDEA.

Modifications and accommodations under 504 usually refer to improving building accessibility, classroom accommodations and curriculum modifications.

Section 504 reads:

“No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall solely, by reason of his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance (this would include public schools).”

A child with a disability is one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities. Major life activities include: Caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

Examples of Disabilities that Fall Under Section 504 Instead of IDEA:

• Children with a normal ability to learn academically, but who have mobility impairment, use a wheelchair, have a neurological disorder, or are missing a limb.
• Children with a normal ability to learn academically but who have a medical condition such as epilepsy, hemophilia, diabetes, AIDS, arthritis, allergies, asthma, tuberculosis, ADHD, cancer, spinal bifida and cerebral palsy.
• A child who has frequent referrals for behavioral problems or is under a doctor’s care for a psychological condition such as anxiety or depression.

What About ADHD.........

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A condition defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. ADHD is diagnosed when an individual has chronic and serious inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity that is more severe and occurs more frequently than in peers.

“Behavior Characteristics of students with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder”

Tips for Teachers

• Learn more about ADHD. The resources and organizations at the end of this publication will help you identify behavior support strategies and effective ways to support the student educationally. We’ve listed some strategies below.
• Figure out what specific things are hard for the student. For example, one student with ADHD may have trouble starting a task, while another may have trouble ending one task and starting the next. Each student needs different help.
• Post rules, schedules, and assignments. Clear rules and routines will help a student with ADHD. Have set times for specific tasks. Call attention to changes in the schedule.
• Show the student how to use an assignment book and a daily schedule. Also teach study skills and learning strategies, and reinforce these regularly.
• Help the student channel his or her physical activity (e.g., let the student do some work standing up or at the board). Provide regularly scheduled breaks.
• Make sure directions are given step by step, and that the student is following the directions. Give directions both verbally and in writing. Many students with ADHD also benefit from doing the steps as separate tasks.
• Let the student do work on a computer.
• Work together with the student’s parents to create and implement an educational plan tailored to meet the student’s needs. Regularly share information about how the student is doing at home and at school.
• Have high expectations for the student, but be willing to try new ways of doing things. Be patient. Maximize the student’s chances for success.

Three Types of ADHD

1. Predominantly Inattentive
2. Predominantly Hyperactive- impulsive
3. Combined Type

Characteristics and Needs of Students Who Are Gifted and Talented:

Gifted children's behavior differs from that of their age-mates in the following ways: 

Many gifted children learn to read early, with better comprehension of the nuances of language. As much as half the gifted and talented population has learned to read before entering school.

 

• Gifted children often read widely, quickly, and intensely and have large vocabularies. 
• Gifted children commonly learn basic skills better, more quickly, and with less practice. 
• They are better able to construct and handle abstractions. 
• They often pick up and interpret nonverbal cues and can draw inferences that other children need to have spelled out for them. 
• They take less for granted, seeking the "how’s" and "whys." 
• They can work independently at an earlier age and can concentrate for longer periods.

“Learning Characteristics”
Gifted children are natural learners who often show many of these characteristics. 

• They may show keen powers of observation and a sense of the significant; they have an eye for important details. 
• They may read a great deal on their own, preferring books and magazines written for children older than they are. 
• They often take great pleasure in intellectual activity. 
• They have well-developed powers of abstraction, conceptualization, and synthesis. 
• They readily see cause-effect relationships. 

 Interventions for Students Who Are Gifted and Talented

1. Curriculum Compacting
2. Acceleration and Enrichment
3. Differentiation
4. Individualized Interventions

What about Diverse Students??????????????????????

Diverse Students Have…….

Lack of role models

High Failure Rates

Textbooks with cultural biases

Insensitive school policies and programs

Diverse Students at Risk……..

Living in poverty

Living with abuse or neglect

Living with substance abusers

Websites

http://www.ethnoconnect.com/html/articles_23.html

http://www.cmu.edu/cmites/giftedstudents.html

www.chadd.org

 

Building Relationships.....

Building Relationships…

Building Relationships… What is it??

Social Skills: Appropriate social behaviors and development of friendships

Note that academics are important, but so are interactions with others

Teach social skills as part of curriculum

Make social relationships an integral part of your classroom expectations

Be aware of social skills that are goals on students IEPs

Strategies for Fostering Interaction are:

Creating opportunities for interaction

Nurturing support and friendship

Providing positive role models

Nurturing Support and Friendship:

Circle of Friends

Friendship-building activities

Resolving support/friendship problems

Parents and friendship

Providing Positive Role Models:

You may be most influential role model

Be appropriate, positive, and respectful-students will respond

Speak to students in age appropriate way

Indicate your expectations

Interact in a direct and open way

Point out contributions and talents

A Book about Disability Should??

Have well developed structural elements

Appeal to children or older students

Portray characters realistically

Have a positive emotional tone

Present accurate information about special education

Cooperative Learning Strategies are:

Cooperative learning- Structured student interactions not controlled by teachers but sanctioned by schools.

Roots in civil rights/desegregation

Understanding the rationale for cooperative learning

Situations free of academic pressures, fostering equal status for all students

Students with Disabilities and Social Skills

Social skills include:

Recognizing and responding to emotions

Identifying and solving problems and disagreements

Expressing preferences in socially acceptable ways

Initiating kind and helpful acts

Using INCLUDE strategies for Inclusion for students with disabilities:

To make decisions about student needs and interventions

To know characteristics of students with disabilities and special needs

To help students succeed academically

To respond to student behavior

To remember that students are children and young people first

"Planning Instruction by Analyzing Classroom and Students Needs" (Chapter Five)

Using INCLUDE strategy in making accommodations

All teachers work with students with disabilities!!!!

IDEA and NCLB allow all students access, participation, and progress in general education curriculum.

INCLUDE Strategy Assumes that:

Performance results from interaction between student and instructional environment, which minimizes or magnifies needs.

Teachers can reasonably accommodate most students with special needs.

Seven Steps of I INCLUDE strategy:

Identify classroom demands

Note student strengths and needs

Check for problem areas

Use information to brainstorm

Differentiate instruction

Evaluate Progress

Classroom Management Consists of:

Physical organization

Classroom routines

Classroom climate

Behavior Management

Use of time

Classroom Grouping is:

Flexible grouping uses a variety of arrangements

Whole class or large group

Small groups

One to One instruction

Managing and Inclusive Classroom

Physical organization

Routines for classrooms business

Classroom climate

Behavior Management

Use of time (Academic Learning time and transition time)

Tips on Behavior Management

Set rules

Brief and specific

Positively worded

Clearly understood

Spell out consequences for actions

Monitor behaviors regularly

“Assessing Students Needs” (Chapter 4)

“Assessing Students Needs”

Assessments Affects Decision Making

Six Areas of Decision Making

• Screening
• Diagnosis
• Program placement
• Curriculum placement
• Instructional evaluation
• Program evaluation

Screening: Decision about whether a student’s performance differs enough from peers to merit further testing.

Diagnosis: Decision about eligibility for special education services

Program Placement: Decision involving the setting in which a student’s special education services will take place. (Today’s student remain in general education classrooms much as possible)

Curriculum Placement: Decision involving that level at which to begin instruction for the student.

Instructional Evaluation: Decision involving whether to continue or change instructional procedures.

Program Evaluation: Decision involving whether a student’s special education program should be terminated, continued as is, or modified.

Information Sources Used for Programming:

Five information sources…

High-stakes achievement tests

Standardize achievement tests

Group-administered

Individually administered

Psychological tests

Alternate assessments

Curriculum-based assessments

Types of Test…

High-Stakes-

Designed to ensure all students have maximum access to general education curriculum (IDEA) Reflect standards, set by states, indicating what students should be able to know or do.

Response to rise in standards and accountability in recent decades are criterion Referenced tests that measure student attainment of standards.

Standardized Achievement Tests-

Measure academic progress, or what students have retained

Are norm-referenced

Group-administered standardized achievement tests

Individually administered diagnostic tests

Psychological Tests-

Help determine whether a student has cognitive or learning disabilities

Measure abilities that affect how well a student learns in certain settings

Can clarify why student is not learning

Alternate Assessments-

Small percentage of students are entitled to use these

Usually those who do not have to meet requirements for standard diploma

Reflect district eligibility requirements

Focus on authentic skills and experiences

Aligned with state standards

Open to ongoing instruction and data

Closely linked to IEP

Skills integrated across many areas

Clear scoring guidelines and trained staff

Scores used for continual monitoring

Curriculum- Based Assessments-

Effective alternative to standardized tests

Measure based on what is taught in class

Match between what is taught and what is tested

Measure performance over time

Compare students be class, school, or district

Allow teachers to adjust instruction