BEHAVIORAL

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BEHAVIORAL
presented by Donna Riter 585-704-4343
(work/cell) 585-383-9017 (home) e mail
driter_at_rochester.rr.com
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WHAT IS BEHAVIORAL FIRST AID?

• Behavioral First Aid Techniques are planned
  interventions designed to manage behavior.
• The practitioner
• makes an initial diagnosis based on observation
  of the students behavior
• implements a technique
• evaluates its effectiveness makes adjustments
  if necessary

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Symptoms Students Need Help

• requests to leave the room (nurse, bathroom,
  drink)
• procrastination (pencil sharpening, getting
  stuck on writing heading)
• skipping class
• putting head down on desk
• not doing anything
• fidgeting, rocking in seat
• looking around the room
• saying, This is dumb, stupid, boring.
• outright refusal Im not doing it!
• clowning around (falling out of seat)
• writing illegibly or making wild guesses (looks
  like they arent taking assignment seriously)
• picking at cuticles or clothes
• minor property destruction (breaking pencil or
  pen, ripping paper, writing on desk)
• instigating
• covering up his/her paper when you walk by

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Behavioral First Aid Techniques

• Signal Interference
• Planned Ignoring
• Benign Verbal Confrontation
• Interpretation Positive Reframing

• Promises Rewards
• Punishments Threats
• Hurdle Help
• Involvement in an Interest Relationship
• Hypodermic Affection
• Limitation Manipulation of Space Tools
• Proximity

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OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this section, participants
should walk away

• 1.knowing 11 behavioral first aid intervention
  techniques
• 2. understanding how factors such as timing,
  student behavioral motivation, and student
  perceptions influence the choice and outcomes of
  interventions
• 3. being able to consciously plan an
  intervention using these techniques
• 4. having a shared vocabulary and understanding
  of interventions to help promote consistency

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Why Are They Acting Like This?Acting Up Vs.
Acting Out
Acting Up Some behaviors are a result of just
fooling around, forgetting the rules, or an
impulse break. In these cases the student is
being impulsive, gets carried away, or knows what
he/she is doing. He/she is in a RATIONAL state
of mind. When a student is in a RATIONAL state
of mind, he/she usually responds to reminders,
directives, and/or warnings and the
inappropriate behavior stops.

Acting Out Some behaviors are being DRIVEN by
feelings. When a student is under stress,
intense feelings develop. In this
case the student is in an EMOTIONAL state of
mind. Rather than express these feelings
verbally (i.e.. Im angry), students show their
feelings in behavior. If the feelings arent
recognized and interpreted, the student will
continue to express the feelings through
behavior. When a student is in an EMOTIONAL
state of mind, he/she does not respond to reason.
Therefore, reminders, directives, and warnings
often serve to escalate the behavior.
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ITEMS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING AN INTERVENTION

• What state is the student in--REASON or EMOTION?
• What is the students motivation (or what is the
  reason or goal of the misbehavior?)
• How does the student perceive the specific adult
  (or authority in general)?
• What is the adults relationship with the student
  at the time of the incident?
• Who are the available adults who can deal with
  the behavior?
• What are the anticipated potential costs and
  benefits of an intervention?

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REWARDS
PUNISHMENTS
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Promises Rewards
Definition The conscious application of
pleasurable incentives to influence a behavior
Uses

• With students who can make a connection between
  their present behavior and future events.

Student Motivation

• disinterested
• bored
• lacks intrinsic motivation

Timing most effective when given in close
proximity to the desired behavior.
Contraindications

• dont promise something that wont happen
• with students who cant sustain behavior long
  enough to get the reward

Side Effects

• may reduce internal motivation
• costly
• may lead to rivalry inability to accept
  perceived inequalities

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Punishments Threats
Definition The application of an unpleasant
situation in hopes the inappropriate behavior
will cease.
Uses

• With students who have a good understanding of
  time causation
• with students who correctly perceive adult
  intentions

Student Motivation

• disinterested
• bored
• lack of internal motivation

Timing most effective when given in close
proximity to the behavior youre trying to
influence

• when adult is irrational emotional

Contraindications
Side Effects may damage relationship
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Possible negative side effects of Behavior
Management Systems based solely on Rewards
Punishments

• Sometimes trigger emotional rather than rational
  responses
• from students and increase emotionally based
  defensive reactions.
• Often put the problem ownership, responsibility
  and control in the
• hands of the adults and not in the hands of
  the students.
• Expensive in terms of teacher time and energy
  and frequently
• disruptive to class.
• The need for maintaining CONSISTENCY sometimes
  results in
• a level of intervention that does not match
  the level of student need.

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EXAMPLE OF SUGGESTED BEHAVIOR SYSTEM

• ON TIME STUDENT IS IN SEAT AND READY TO WORK
  WHEN THE BELL RINGS/OR ACTIVITY BEGINS
• PREPARED STUDENT HAS MATERIALS NEEDED FOR CLASS
  OR ACTIVITY
• DIRECTIONS STUDENT FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS THE FIRST
  TIME THEY ARE GIVEN
• WORK STUDENT COMPLETES WORK AND MAKES
  CORRECTIONS WHEN NECESSARY
• TALKING STUDENT USES APPROPRIATE VOICE TONE,
  VOLUME, AND LANGUAGE AND FOLLOWS RULES FOR
  PARTICIPATION
• SAFETY STUDENT KEEPS HANDS, FEET AND OBJECTS TO
  SELF AND ENGAGES IN BEHAVIORS WHICH WILL NOT
  INJURE SELF OR OTHERS
• SEAT STUDENT STAYS IN ASSIGNED SEAT OR AREA
  UNLESS HE/SHE HAS PERMISSION TO DO OTHERWISE

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EXAMPLE OF BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• BMS- PREPARED
• ON TIME
• SEAT
• DIRECTIONS
• LANGUAGE

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EXAMPLE OF GUIDED SELF-EVALUATION

• 3. FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS INDEPENDENTLY
• 2. FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS WITH REMINDERS OR CUES
• 1. FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS SOMETIMES

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Examples Of Suggested Individual Behavior Goals
For Self-monitoring
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Ive given you a very easy reading passage.
Please read it and answer the questions at the
bottom on the page. It should take you about 5
minutes. DO YOUR OWN WORK!
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Modifying the Environment

• Is the material at the correct level of
  difficulty?
• Do I provide appropriate modifications to assist
  the student?
• Is the material of interest/have relevance?
• Am I teaching to the students learning style?

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Hurdle Help
Definition Help given to a student to help
him/her start on continue with an activity that
is frustrating or anxiety producing. Examples of
HH include breaking tasks into smaller parts
modeling/guided practice.

• With students who get easily frustrated
• with students who arent risk-takers
• with students who fear failure
• students with learned helplessness

Uses

• I cant
• I think its too hard
• Im afraid Ill fail

Student Motivation
Timing before the block overwhelms

• Students prone to over dependence too much HH
  leads to
• dependence and stifles problem solving ability.

Contraindications
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HOW WOULD YOU PROVIDE HURDLE HELP IN THESE
SITUATIONS?

• Joe cant find his pencil to start math. He is
  usually the last one to begin his assignments in
  class.
• Nicola refuses to open her book to begin the
  reading.
• Jake keeps erasing and redoing the heading on his
  paper.
• Mary cant get her locker open on a daily basis.
• Mica can never find his assignments even though
  his parents insist that they are completed.
• Jason regularly arrives to your class late.
• Tamisha relies heavily on your support to get her
  work completed.
• Jeremy is frequently caught doing his math work
  during Spanish class, then argues until he is
  sent out of the room.
• Julie has difficulty getting the questions from
  the overhead during earth science. She often
  copies them wrong onto her paper or is several
  pages behind the other students.

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Describe Your Approaches to Hurdle Help Here

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.

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Hurdle Help for Relationship Reluctant
Hurdle Help for Relationship Dependent
Do you want help?
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Hypodermic Affection
Definition An additional dose of
attention. (A shot in the arm.)
Uses

• situations which may lead to jealousy
• risk-taking situations
• with SOME provocative (negative attention
  seeking) behavior that is a
• manifestation of a fear of not being liked

• fear of failing
• jealousy (You like him better!)
• fear of loss of love

Student Motivation
Timing Whenever possible use BEFORE its
needed. Learn to read what situations will set
off an increased need. Sometimes used in
conjunction with Planned Ignoring. If you think
you know the cause of the provocative behavior,
ignore it and then use HA
Contraindications

• With students who are personally at odds with
  you

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How would you use HA In these examples?

• You have to leave Freddy to go help another
  student. Freddy usually stops working when you
  leave him to help others.
• You announce to the class that you wont be in
  tomorrow. You notice that Lisa
• who has been working well all morning, puts her
  head down on the desk and stops
• working.
• Andy is very angry with you after getting his
  spelling test back (He called you unfair
• and stupid.) Its time for him to make
  corrections.

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Limitation Manipulation of Space Tools
Definition The conscious manipulation of
available space materials
Uses

• to help maintain students attention to the task
  at hand

Student Motivation

• Its just too tempting
• I CANNOT control myself

Timing Prevention is best. Being reactive and
trying to take something away or instituting a
change can escalate a situation. If used
REACTIVELY, use if other interventions have
failed. Be non-punitive and sensitive to the
students feelings. Relate the modification to
the reason. If necessary, discuss specific
criteria for return.
Contraindications

• can be viewed as evidence of the adult not
  liking the student
• or as being unfair.

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How could you use L S T?

• Students in the shop class are always going into
  the tool cabinets without permission.
• Carl always teases everyone he passes by and
  kicks the garbage can by the door when he is sent
  to the office.
• Breanna is always looking at teen magazines in
  class.
• Michael constantly tips back in his chair.
• Susan is always looking out the window.
• The teacher is constantly telling Erin not to
  play with things in her desk.
• Darrell has been playing with a loose screw on
  his desk for the past two days. Today the leg of
  the desk fell off.
• The teacher handed out the musical instruments as
  the kids came in and gave them specific
  instructions NOT to play them until they were
  told to do so. They didnt listen.
• John always gets into fights when hes in the
  hallway during the change of classes.

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Proximity
Definition subtlety decreasing the physical
distance between you and the student
Uses

• students who are impulsive
• students who generally respond favorably to
  limit setting
• students who perceive adults as fair, caring,
  supportive

Student Motivation

• impulsive
• I forgot
• I dont have self control
• I got carried away

Timing at the first indication of behavior
Contraindications

• students who are paranoid
• students who view adults as punitive/unfair
• students who are personally at odds with you

Side Effects may be reinforcing to students who
want your attention
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How could you use Proximity?

• During a movie Pam and Sue are whispering to each
  other in the back of the classroom.
• While you are giving directions in Earth Science,
  you notice that Fred has his Math book in his lap
  and is writing.
• Darrell is gazing out the window instead of
  reading.
• Carl is tapping his foot while he is working.
• You overhear some teasing going on in the hallway
  just outside your classroom door.

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Discuss at least 1 situation where you used
Proximity
Discuss at least 1 situation where you could try
Proximity
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Signal Interference
Definition conscious indications (in the form
of gestures/body language) to serve as reminders
of expected behavior
Uses

• behaviors that are a result of a seductive
  challenge
• behaviors that are impulsive
• minor behaviors

Student Motivation

• impulsive
• its so tempting
• I forgot, but I do know and respond to rules
  most of the time

Timing at the first indication of behavior
Contraindications

• students engaged in a negative relationship with
  an adult may perceive the gestures as
  condescending
• major behaviors
• behaviors that are planned purposeful--designed
  to get a reaction

Side Effects some signals may hold an emotional
charge for a student
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Planned Ignoring
Definition the conscious decision not to attend
to, or interfere with, a behavior at the time it
occurs. (Not to be confused with condoning,
which is ignoring the behavior with no intention
of ever addressing it.)
Uses

• Behaviors that are limited in intensity and will
  exhaust themselves
• behaviors that are tolerable
• behaviors that arent contagious

Student Motivation

• impulsive
• attention getting
• face saving

• attempt to manipulate system
• revenge
• attempt to start an argument

Timing RIGHT AWAY
Contraindications

• physical psychological safety issues
• behaviors which may incite other students
• behaviors that have a history of escalating

Side Effects may give other students the idea
that the rules have changed
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Which behaviors could you planned ignore and get
back to later?

• Swearing in front of the principal
• Tearing up a detention pass you just wrote.
• Tipping back in a chair.
• A student pops their gum after given the
  direction to throw it out and you thought he had
  complied.
• A student mutters you dumb ass (to you) under
  their breath but loud enough for others to hear.
• Calling a classmate stupid after you had just
  told the class not to tease if someone gets a
  wrong answer.

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Restructuring
Definition the conscious decision to change or
modify an activity in response to the reaction of
the individual or group.
Uses

• With students who have limited attention spans
• when students have other needs/agendas than the
  present activity serves

Student Motivation

• Im bored
• Im too excited to pay attention
• I have something else on my mind that I need to
  do or talk about

Timing when you see signs of restlessness, over
exuberance, or student seems stuck and other
interventions havent worked
Contraindications

• with students who are trying to manipulate
• if used too often becomes evasiveness rather
  than a planned intervention

Side Effects may send a message that students
dont have to stick to a task/activity.
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Regrouping
Definition The planned change in the
composition of a group. (May be exclusion,
inclusion, change of class, assignment, seat,
of students, etc.)

• When the dynamics of the group are
  counter-productive to the purpose of the group or
  the needs of the individual.

Uses
Timing

• before the contagion effect is too strong
• before alliances are too strong

Contraindications
Side Effects

• may promote segregation
• may overload teacher or group
• may be perceived as punitive rather than helpful

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Would regrouping help?

• There are five students with ADHD in one K class
  and none in the other.
• Carl and Oscar are in the same cooperative group
  in Social Studies class. They just returned from
  PE class and are loudly complaining about Edward
  who is also in their study group.
• Andy is in a group with a number of students who
  have the ability to ignore distractions. He is
  humming a song while he works.
• Ms. Smith has a very difficult time working with
  students with conduct problems. Ms. Johnson likes
  working with these students, but she has a
  difficult time handling students who are passive
  aggressive. Ms. Smith has Carl Conduct problem
  and Mrs. Johnson has Paula Passive aggressive
• There are several students in the Physical
  Education class who are very competitive and are
  good in sports. There are several students who
  are neither competitive nor good athletes. The
  two groups are constantly at each others
  throats.

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Benign Verbal Confrontation (Ask dont Tell)
Definition A brief question, done in a matter
of fact manner which puts the onus of
responsibility for the behavior and its
correction on the student.

• Its a good idea to use with all students,
  especially those you dont have a relationship
  with
• especially important with students who have
  difficulties with authority figures

Uses

• When you (staff) are too emotional. Questions
  may come out in a
• sarcastic tone.

Contraindications
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Phrase these as questions

• Put your pencil down.
• Raise your hand.
• Put your chairs up.
• Get your reading books out.
• Stop tipping your chair.
• You have lunch detention.

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Interpretation Positive Reframing
The idea with supportive verbal interventions is
to find out whats going on from the students
perspective. If students feel that someone is
interested and is listening to their side (note,
I said listening, not agreeing with)then the
likelihood that their emotional intensity will
drain off. If, on the other hand, the child
perceives that no one is listening and no one
cares, he/she will proclaim his/her message
louder and the situation will escalate. In the
initial stage, your goal is to have the student
view you as an interested party, an ally, not the
enemy. There is no need to become more upset
with allies. Here are some opening lines you can
use to start a conversation.

• Whats wrong?
• You look really upset.
• You sound really angry.
• Something must really be bugging you!
• Who are you angry with?
• What happened?

The student may give you some clues to work
with. Initially, dont comment on the language
he/she is using or his/her tone of voice. Do not
express your beliefs about the correctness of
what he/she is saying now. Your goal is to get
him/her to talk and have him/her believe that you
are listening and do care. To do this you
need to remain objective pay close attention
listen from his/her perspective use restatement
and reflections to clarify. You can use the
Conflict Cycle paradigm to help you structure
your questions. Once the student calms down
you can help him/her see the situation more
calmly. This would be the time to correct
misperceptions and address inappropriate
behaviors.
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The Conflict Cycle Paradigm The Sequence of the
Conflict Cycle or How adults inadvertently
create power struggles and reinforce a troubled
students self fulfilling prophesy 1 A
stressful incident occurs (i.e.. frustration,
failure) which ACTIVATES a troubled students
irrational belief (i.e.. Nothing good ever
happens to me! Adults are hostile!
etc.). 2 These negative thoughts determine and
TRIGGER his/her feelings. 3 His feelings, not
his rational forces, DRIVE his inappropriate
behavior. 4 His inappropriate behaviors
(yelling, threatening, sarcasm, refusing to
speak) INCITE adults. 5 Adults not only pick
up the students feelings but also they
frequently MIRROR his behavior (yell back,
threaten, etc.) 6 This negative adult REACTION
increases the students stress, escalating the
conflict into a self-defeating power
struggle. 7 Although the student may lose the
battle (i.e.. is punished, rejected) he wins the
psychological war! His SELF FULFILLING
PROPHESY (i.e.. irrational beliefs)
a reinforced and therefore he has no motivation
to change beliefs or alter behavior.
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AUTOPSY IN BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

• WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
• WHAT DID THE ADULTS DO RIGHT?
• WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
• WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME?
• WHAT DID THE ADULTS WANT THE OUTCOME TO BE?
• WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

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QUESTIONS?

• If you do not get the chance to ask questions
  during the presentation you can talk to me during
  the breaks, during lunch or at the end of the day.