Ratio of Interactions:
Advanced
Ratio Of Positive Interactions
• Plan to interact three times more often with
each student when he or she is behaving
appropriately than when he or she is
misbehaving ( that is, at least a 3:1 ratio)
– This strategy is essential, but difficult
– Some students are starved for adult attention
– For the student who is starved for attention, the
form the attention takes does not matter
• More satisfying due length and intensity
– Behavior you pay the most attention to is the
behavior you’ll get more of in the future
High Ratio Of Positive Interactions
• Interactions with students are
considered positive or negative based
on the student’s behavior at the time of
the interaction
• Just because an interaction is negative,
doesn’t mean it is wrong.
– Just be careful that you may be reinforcing
misbehavior
Ratio of Interactions
• Foundations
• CHAMP’s/Discipline in the Secondary Classroom
• “Teacher attention is perhaps the most basic of all
influences on student behaviors and the systematic
use of attention should characterize every teacher’s
classroom repertoire “ ( O’Leary and O’Leary, 1977
• “The causes of many classroom behaviors labeled
and punished as rule infractions are, in fact, problems
of students and teachers relating to each other
interpersonally.” (Sheets and Gay, 1994)
Rationale
• Students enter school/classroom with a
diversity of needs and backgrounds
– Some have received lots of attention from
adults since infancy
– Others have received very little attention
from adults.
• Students want and need adult attention.
They will engage in whatever behaviors
get them the most attention
Rationale
• It’s easy to believe that having a
classroom full of positive interactions
springs from having responsible
students who are exceedingly well
behaved and responsible
• Yet in reality….this belief is exactly
backward!
Rationale
• In truth, positive interactions are more
like the fuel that drives good behavior
and personal responsibility
• Unfortunately, some students with
chronic misbehavior have learned it is
easier and more reliable to get attention
by doing things wrong than following the
rules.
Common Concerns About
Increasing Positive Interactions
• Is it appropriate to give even more time
and attention to students who
misbehave?
– The trick is to give that student ( who is
already getting your time and attention)
extra attention when the student is NOT
acting up
Common Concerns About
Increasing Positive Interactions
• Do problem students deserve extra
positive attention?
– It isn’t a question of what students
“deserve.” Teachers should already have a
set of consequences when students
misbehave….less positive attention
shouldn’t be one of them
Common Concerns About
Increasing Positive Interactions
• Isn’t selectively granting extra attention
unfair to the other students?
– Fair vs. Equal
Common Concerns About
Increasing Positive Interactions
• Won’t the student think the positive
attention is Phony?
– May feel that way initially
– Practice over time
– If it feels weird, think about the positive
interaction you have with your favorite
students and attempt to match that ratio
with the difficult student
Common Concerns About
Increasing Positive Interactions
• What if You don’t like the student?
– Liking or disliking a student should have nothing to do with
the professional effort given to the student.
– All students are given the best possible care.
– Keep personal feeling separate from work. Ratios of
interaction should have nothing to do with personal feelings
about a student.
Ratio of Interactions
• How to Do THIS????
– Contingent Attention
• Fluent Use of Positive Feedback
– NonContingent Attention
• Talking informally with students before, during and after class
• Greeting students outside of school (store)
• Singling out a few students each day in the cafeteria and
talking to them
• Being aware of things happening in the lives of students
(sports, drama, choir, etc.)
• Meeting students at the door and greeting them
Ratio of Interactions
• Marzano (2003) suggests the following:
– Over the course of a class period, move toward and stand
close to each student
– Attribute the ownership of ideas to students who initiated
them “ Dennis has just added to Mary’s idea by saying
that….”
– Allowing and encouraging all students to be a part of class
discussions and interactions; making sure to call on students
who do not commonly participate, not just students who
respond most frequently.
Ratio of Interactions
• Tools
• Increasing Positive Interactions
– Self reminders
– Time of day
– Scan and Search
• Decreasing Negative Interactions
– Examine structure
• Have consequences pre-planned
– Precorrection strategy
Sample of Consequence
Planning
• Talking out loud
• Wandering around
the room
• Being disrespectful
to other students
• Threatening to leave
the classroom
• Non-verbal redirect
• Proximity redirection
• Time owed
Restatement of the
rule and referral if
threat is carried out
Where this fits with your
Foundations Team
•
Safe and Civil Focus on
PREVENTION
1. Defining and systematically teaching
schoolwide behavioral expectations
2. Establishing a consistent system to
acknowledge and reward appropriate
behavior such as compliance with school
rules, safe and civil interactions with
peers and adults
Ratio of Interactions
• What can your team do to strengthen
the concept of Ratio of Interactions with
your entire faculty?
• Discuss and Chart an idea to share with
the entire group at the end of the day.
• (45 minutes)
Ratio of Interactions
• Report out….
What might work to improve the overall
Ratio of interactions with students in
your school?
Team Time
• What activities from today ( or previous
training) does your team need to work
on to continue the Improvement Cycle?