The Responsible Thinking Process (RTP)

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The Responsible Thinking Process (RTP)

• By Sara Sowerwine

April 12, 2011
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You need to

• Using a writing utensil, write your name in the
  blank, and follow the instructions on your
  handout.
• Please continue to fill out the handout
  throughout the presentation.

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Which is it?

• HINT What do you see in this image? What color
  jumps out at you black or white?

http//people.csail.mit.edu/fredo/ArtAndScienceOfD
epiction/figGroundVasa.gif
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What way do the lines move?Do theyeven move?
http//guybingley.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/rain
.gif?w480h428
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What is this?

• HINT What color do you choose to see?

http//i1.peperonity.info/c/EBAF4C/654550/ssc3/hom
e/051/subhankarkarmakar/geslat.jpg_320_320_0_92233
72036854775000_0_1_0.jpg
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WHY DID I JUST DO THAT?

• The Responsible Thinking Process is based on
  Perceptual Control Theory (PCT), developed by
  William T. Powers, which holds that our behavior
  is best understood in terms of how we control our
  perceptions.
• Picture Ed Ford - president of Responsible
  Thinking Process Inc.

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Workshop Overview

• Today we will be training on the Responsible
  Thinking Process.
• We will touch on 3 major areas
• What RTP is at a glance
• Who is involved
• How is works (student and teacher approach) in
  detail

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Responsible Thinking Process (RTP)

• Developed by Ed Ford in the1990s
• Purpose To encourage students to respect the
  rights of others through responsible thinking.
• Teachers have the right to teach and students
  have the right to learn without being disrupted
  by another.
• MUST BE A school-wide program.

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Student Disrupts
Student is asked questions What are you doing?
What are the rules? What do you want to do now?
Student accepts responsibility for behavior and
remains in class.
Student does not work with teacher or does not
accept responsibility for behavior.
Student is sent to responsible thinking
classroom to work on behavior plan.
Student disrupts again.
Student writes a plan that works for him/her.
Student Is Successful!!!
Student negotiates plan with the teacher (or
adult who sent him/her to RTC) and is allowed to
return to class.
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Who needs to be involved in order for RTP to work?
Teachers
Students
Administration
All School Staff
Parents
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Responsibilities of Those Involved

• Administration
• Must be trained in RTP
• Must support all school staff
• Must find the funds
• Must make sure he/she maintains the integrity
• Teachers
• Must be trained in the process
• Must follow the process
• Must be involved
• Must be supported by the administration.
• Staff (RTP Classroom Teacher, Counselor,
  Custodians, Classroom Aides, Kitchen Staff,
  etc.)-
• Must be trained in the process
• Must be supported by administration.
• Parents/Students
• Must be informed of process and the reasons why
  RTP is being used.

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Responsibilities

• Administration
• Parents
• Students
• All Staff

• Can you tell me who gets what responsibility?
• What responsibility as a teacher will you have?

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About the Questioning Phase

• Ask a teacher, you need to decide when a student
  with bad behavior needs to be asked the
  question. But there is more to it than that!
• When Should The Questions Be Asked?
  Anytime
• Where Should The Questions Be Asked?
  Anywhere
• Who Should Ask The Questions?
  Anyone
• Remember the 3 As to questioning!

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Questioning Process

• The 3 As are?
• Think about this How will you as a teacher ask
  discipline questions to have the best results
  with your students?

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Example Referral To RTC
Referred By____________ Place of
Disruption____________ Date_____ Name of
Student Being Referred __________________________
___ Describe The First Disruption in
Detail Were the RTP Questions
Asked? Describe The Second Disruption in
Detail Best Time To Negotiate Plan
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Lets get the teachers perspective

• Sit. 1 Little Suzy Q has been crying for
  attention. Now it is distracting, to you and all
  of your students. You ask her to stop with 2
  warnings, and she wont quit whining. You
  question her and she throws a fit. You ask her to
  go to the RTC to write her plan.
• Sit. 2 Jake has been sleeping in class again.
  You ask him to wake up several times, and now
  its becoming a distraction to the other
  students. You question him, and he calls your
  class boring and stupid. You send him to the
  RTC to write his plan.

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Discussion on Teacher Perspective
Did you feel respected as a teacher? Did you
feel in control of your students? Was it easier
to discipline without feeling bad?
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Student Disrupts
Student is asked questions What are you doing?
What are the rules? What do you want to do now?
Student accepts responsibility for behavior and
remains in class.
Student does not work with teacher or does not
accept responsibility for behavior.
Student is sent to responsible thinking
classroom to work on behavior plan.
Student disrupts again.
Student writes a plan that works for him/her.
Student Is Successful!!!
Student negotiates plan with the teacher (or
adult who sent him/her to RTC) and is allowed to
return to class.
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Review

• What is the word we repeated in class? Why is it
  important?
• Can someone tell me the process in their owns
  words?
• Teachers Perspective?

• What are the 3 As to the questions process?
  HINT Its about where, when, and how we ask
  questions!
• Lets get some practice with the questioning
  process!

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Writing a Plan- An Important Task

• You must have a trained Responsible Thinking
  Classroom teacher who is able to help the student
  make a sound plan that includes
• Acknowledgement of the misbehavior- The student
  must take responsibility for their misbehavior in
  order to change it.
• Why the misbehavior was disruptive- The student
  must realize why his/her actions are disturbing
  the learning process in order to see the need to
  change it.
• A specified area for improvement- The student
  needs to be able to work on one area of
  improvement at a time. Too much at once can be
  overwhelming.
• A measurable goal within the area for
  improvement-A goal is useless unless it can be
  measured. This way a child knows when he/she is
  successfully reaching the goal.
• A detailed outline of how they may accomplish
  their goal- This should be a specific plan that
  discusses exactly what they need to do to reach
  their goal.
• A way to record the progress-A chart or graph
  that can easily present the difference between
  the goal and how close the student is to reaching
  his/her goal.

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Example Plan Form

• Name________________________
  Date____
• Who referred you to RTC? ________________________
• 1. Describe, in detail, what you did in order to
  be sent to RTC.
• 2. What rule did this break?
• 3.. Who was affected by your disruption and how?
• 4. What is your behavior goal going to be?
• 5. What steps do you need to take in order to
  change your behavior and reach you goal?
• 6. Who do you need support from and what do they
  need to do to support you?
• 7. Please make a chart or graph that will record
  your behavior and how close you are to reaching
  your goal.
• Student Signature________________________
  Teacher Signature____________________________
• By signing this we verify that we are committed
  to this plan and will take the necessary steps to
  make sure it is successful. .

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Lets get the students perspective

• Sit. 1 You are Little Suzy Q, and you been
  crying for attention. Now it is distracting all
  of your classmates and the teacher. You wont
  stop. Two warnings, and you keep whining. The
  teacher questions you, and you throws a fit. You
  are sent to the RTC to write a plan.
• Sit. 2 You are Jake and have been sleeping in
  class again. You are asked to wake up several
  times, and now its becoming a distraction to
  your classmates. Youre questioned, and you call
  the teachers class boring and stupid. Youre
  sent to the RTC to write a plan.

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Discussion on Student Perspective
Did you feel respected as a student? Did you
feel you had some choice and say? Was it easier
to see where you went wrong? Were your
perceptions smashed or kept intact?
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Negotiations

• Negotiations are vital.
• Before, not after!
• A plan must never be ignored or refused.
• Be calm.
• Signed it!
• Review it!

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Lets Practice!

• In your groups, role play 2 people being a
  student with the plan you wrote, and 2 people
  being the teacher who is negotiating. Work
  together and everyone participate!

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Intervention Meetings- When Plans Are Not Working

• Interventions become necessary when students are
  not being successful with their written plan(s).
• Often necessary with chronically disruptive
  students who have visited RTC a number of times.
  
• An intervention team includes counselor,
  teachers, principal, vice principal, social
  worker, psychologist, or any other staff that has
  a positive relationship with the student.
• The purpose To review current data and make
  recommendations to help the student succeed.

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Lets Practice some more!Example Intervention
QuestionsUse these questions to become a member
of a intervention team and evaluate the plan for
Suzy Q or Jake.

• How many times has the student written a plan?
• What parts have worked/not worked?
• Does the student spend quality time with anyone?
• If yes, describe. What seems to work?
• Does the student participate in classroom
  discussions?
• Why, why not?
• What is the student controlling for (function of
  behavior)?
• How can the student get what he/she needs without
  disrupting the leaning process?
• What should be the main focus (goal) for the
  student?
• This should be focused on the most disruptive
  behavior, but should include a high probability
  of success.
• What is the student successful at?
• How can this be incorporated into his/her goal
  area?

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RTP- Questioning, Planning, Negotiating,
Intervening
An Intervention Team Gets Involved
The Student Is Questioned
Student Disrupts
The Student Is Sent To RTC
The Student Negotiates The Plan With The Teacher
and Returns To Class
The Student Writes A Plan With RTC teacher
Levels Where Success Can Occur
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What should I know now about RTP?

• RTP is all about teaching children to respect the
  rights of others through responsible thinking
  based on the perceptual control theory.
• RTP is a school-wide system of discipline that
  involves a questioning process, goal writing and
  negotiating by misbehaving students.
• Communication is key!

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References

• Bourbon, W. T. (1997). Perceptual control theory,
  reinforcement theory, countercontrol, and the
  responsible thinking process. Retrieved from
  http//www.responsiblethi nking.com/rtpvrft.html
• Ford, E. (1994) Discipline For Home and School
  Book One. Scottsdale, AR Brandt Publishing.
• Ford, E. (1999) Discipline For Home and School
  Book Two. Scottsdale, AR Brandt Publishing.
• Responsible Thinking Process A School Discipline
  Program. Retrieved from www.responsiblethinking
  .com