Do Now
De-escalation Strategies: Keeping
Behavior From Going BOOM!
Incorporating techniques that work
with Love and Logic
The PBIS and Student Leadership Team
July 16, 2015
Session Objectives
TLW Know :
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De-Escalation Strategies
Classroom Management techniques from Love and Logic
Restorative Justice
TLW will Understand:
Verbal and Non-Verbal De-Escalation Techniques.
How to prevent potentially
explosive behaviors using classroom management techniques use.
How to respond to students who have received punitive
TLW will Do:
Work with Faculty and Staff to create a SWD Plan that addresses prevention methods to
avoid having to use de-escalation techniques.
Offer Teachers classroom management technique trainings or in-services when needed.
Develop an effective PBIS/Discipline team to identify students who may be prone to
potentially unwanted behaviors.
• School discipline policies have been criticized
for being overly punitive, and
disproportionately impacting minority
students. Many schools rely on tough
sanctions that do not build social skills or
resolve conflict. Restorative justice is a tool
that can be used in schools to prevent or
address conflict before it escalates, and deal
with conflict and misbehav- ior after it occurs.
Why is de-escalation so difficult?
De-escalation techniques go against our natural fight-or-flight
reflexes. Remaining calm and professionally detached is not
natural and therefore it is a skill that will need to be practised.
We need to retrain ourselves to respond in a different way when
a challenging situation occurs.
Reasoning with an angry child is not possible but, in our role as
caring teachers, this is often our immediate response. Our aim
instead should be to reduce the level of agitation so discussion
then becomes an option and a better outcome is achieved.
When to de-escalate
De-escalation techniques are most successful when used
early, before the child becomes physically aggressive. To do
this, it is necessary to be aware of and spot early signs of
agitation such as balled fists, fidgeting, shaking, ‘eye-balling’
another child, head thrust forward or clenched jaw. Changes
in voice, such as speech becoming more rapid or highpitched, may also indicate aggression. These signs should not
be ignored and you should never turn your back on an angry
child in the hope that they just calm down.
Pacing
Pacing is a cycle of feeding off someone’s emotions and
escalating. If the child can make you as angry as them, it
gives them permission to become even angrier and the child
can justify their own hostility. You may not always know what
you are going to do, but keep in your head what you are not
going to do. When the child has least control, it is time for
the teacher to have the most control over themselves.
Verbal & Non-Verbal
Strategies
Non-verbal techniques
Calm can be just as contagious as fear and must be communicated to the child.
Approximately 55% of what we communicate is through physiology, 38% is through
the tone of our voice and just 7% is through the words that we use. It is useful to
remember these proportions when you are trying to de-escalate. Ensure you are
modeling the behavior you want the child to emulate.
Calm can be just as contagious as fear and must be communicated to the child
Appear calm and self-assured. Make sure you are not displaying the same signs of
agitation that can be seen in the child: unclench your fists, do not hold eye contact
and avoid standing square to the child.
Maintain a neutral facial expression. Even our eyebrows can indicate we are surprised
or angry, and similarly our mouths can betray our emotions unwittingly. Another
natural reaction we often have when under stress is to smirk or giggle, which must be
controlled.
Allow space. Entering a person’s personal space can be useful to refocus on a task
when the situation is calm, but when a child is agitated this can indicate aggression
and escalate the situation. Staying some distance away will also help keep you safe
should the child become physically aggressive.
Control your breathing. When we are stressed, angry or tense, our breathing becomes
more shallow and rapid. If we take deeper, slower breaths, this will not only help keep
us calm, but the child will begin to match our own breathing pattern. It can sometimes
help to match the child’s breathing initially then gradually slow it down.
Verbal strategies
Lower your voice and keep your tone even. It is hard to have an argument with someone who is not
responding aggressively back to you.
Distraction and diversion are extremely useful. When a child is aggressive, they are responding with
their own fight-or-flight instincts and not thinking about their actions. Distract them and engage
their thinking brain, perhaps by changing the subject or commenting on something that is
happening outside the window.
Give choices, repeat these using the broken-record technique if necessary, and do not get drawn
into secondary behaviors such as arguing back, which are designed to distract or upset you.
Acknowledging the child’s feelings shows that you have listened to them, and can be crucial when
diffusing a situation; for example, ‘It must be really difficult for you ... thank you for letting me
know’.
Use words and phrases that de-escalate, such as
- I wonder if ...
- Let’s try ...
- It seems like ...
- Maybe we can ...
Tell the child what you want them to do rather than what you do not want them to do; for example,
‘I want you to sit down’ rather than ‘stop arguing with me’.
Give the child take-up time following any direction and avoid backing them into a corner, either
verbally or physically.
Things to avoid: WHAT NOT TO DO!
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Do not make threats you cannot carry through, such as threatening to exclude the child.
Do not be defensive or take it personally. What is being said may seem insulting and
directed at you, but this level of aggression is not really about you.
Do not use humour unless you are sure it will help and you have a very good
relationship with the child.
Do not use sarcasm or humiliate the child.
After any outburst or incident, always make time to debrief, repair and rebuild, or the
relationship will flounder and continue to deteriorate
Sometimes, no matter how carefully and skilfully you try to de-escalate a situation, it
may still reach crisis point. Know your school systems for summoning help and moving
bystanders to safety.
After any outburst or incident, always make time to debrief, repair and rebuild, or the
relationship will flounder and continue to deteriorate. Problem-solve the situation and
teach new behaviours where needed. Ensure any sanctions are appropriate to what has
happened and remember that it is the certainty that behaviour is challenged that is
important rather than the severity of what happens. Resolving conflicts is one of the
most important skills to model.
What is the best way to prevent
potentially explosive behavior?
SCHOOL WIDE AND CLASSROOM
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS SHOULD BE
CLEAR TO FACULTY, STUDENTS AND
STAKEHOLDERS.
It is imperative that your School
Wide Discipline Plan is updated and
the faculty and staff understand the
importance of implementation to
reduce unwanted behaviors.
CULTURE
AND
CLIMATE
Creating a Positive Culture and Climate
(High Leverage Practices)
• Set high expectations for students and teachers (behavior,
attendance, learning environment, quality work)
• Create a strong culture where learning thrives (Leverage
Leadership)
• Build and Support the right team for your school (Leverage
Leadership)
• Allow educators to participate and develop a safe, respectful, and
orderly learning environment
CREATE A COURTESY CONTRACT
1. (2-3) Non-negotiables (What the teacher
needs)
2. (3) Replacement Behaviors
3. In this we agree* ______________________
______________________
______________________
*Solicit student response as to what they need to
feel respected
The 3 C’s
Write something that takes place in your classroom/school that
helps students feel CONNECTED.
Write something that takes place in your classroom/school that
helps students feel CAPABLE.
Indentify one activity or more that takes place in your
classroom/school that helps students feel they are positively
CONTRIBUTING.
Let’s Explore some other Classroom Management Tools…
LOVE AND LOGIC
SETS LIMITS WITHOUT ANGER, LECTURES, THREATS,
FRUSTRATION, WARNINGS
KEEPS YOU COOL, CALM, & COLLECTED
ASSURES YOU NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT
TELLS THE STUDENT THIS TEACHER/COUNSELOR CAN HANDLE
ANYTHING I CAN DISH OUT WITHOUT A SINGLE VEIN POPPING
THE NINE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF LOVE AND
LOGIC
1. NEUTRALIZING ARGUMENTS-NEVER ARGUE
WITH A STUDENT
2. DELAYED CONSEQUENCES-YOU DON’T HAVE
TO STOP TEACHING TO DEAL WITH A
PROBLEM THE MINUTE IT HAPPENS
3. EMPATHY-THE HEART OF LOVE AND LOGIC
4. THE RECOVERY PROCESS-TIMEOUT AND REGROUP
5. DEVELOPING POSITIVE STUDENT/TEACHER
RELATIONSHIPS
6. SETTING LIMITS WITH ENFORCABLE STATEMENTS
7. USING CHOICES TO PREVENT POWER STRUGGLES
8. QUICK AND EASY PREVENTATIVE INTERVENTIONS
9. GUIDING STUDENTS TO OWN AND SOLVE THEIR
OWN PROBLEMS
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE SUM
TOTAL OF ALL INTERVENTIONS AND
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
TECHNIQUES
NEUTRALIZING ARGUING
THE MOMENT YOU ENGAGE IN AN
ARGUMENT WITH A STUDENT
YOU HAVE LOST CONTROL .
NEUTRALIZE ARGUING BY SAYING:
• I NEVER ARGUE DURING CLASS TIME
• I LIKE OR RESPECT YOU TOO MUCH TO
ARGUE
• I ARGUE AT 6:50 AND 2:00 EVERYDAY; WHAT
TIME WOULD YOU LIKE TO SCHEDULE?
FIVE STEPS TO HELP STUDENTS OWN
AND SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
1.
PROVIDE A STRONG DOSE OF EMPATHY – “AWWW, SWEETIE!”
2.
HAND THE PROBLEM BACK IN A CARING WAY – “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO?”
3.
ASK PERMISSION TO PROVIDE SOME SOLUTIONS AND SHARE CHOICES –”ARE
YOU INTERESTED IN HOW SOME OTHERS HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM?”
4.
HELP THE STUDENT EVALUATE THE CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR CHOICES – “HOW
WOULD THAT WORK OUT FOR YOU?”
5.
ALLOW THE STUDENT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT –”GOOD LUCK. LET ME
KNOW HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR YOU.
Remember these?
What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative justice
• Restorative justice is a philosophy based on a
set of principles that guide the response to
conflict and harm.
• Schools may involve a wide range of people in
the restorative justice process, including the
victims, who are often teachers, school staff,
bystanders, and other students, and the
school community.
Why should schools use restorative justice?
• Restorative justice emphasizes values of empathy,
respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility, and
accountability. Restorative justice also:
• Provides ways to effectively address behavior and
other complex school issues.
• Offers a supportive environment that can
improve learning.
• Improves safety by preventing future harm.
• Offers alternatives to suspension and expulsion.
We Need Your Feedback!
– Which part of the presentation most
resonated with you and why?
– Which key points should serve as our guide as
we continue this work? In pairs or triads,
identify one “take away” phrase for SCS.
• What feedback can you provide on topics
discussed in this meeting? (Help us reflect on our
own continuous improvement.)
E-mails welcome.
RESOURCES
TEACHING WITH LOVE AND LOGIC
BY JIM FAY AND FOSTER CLINE
LOVEANDLOGIC.COM
Building a Respectful Learning Community
to Improve Student Behavior by Amie Dean
M.Ed, NBCT
STUDENT SERVICES
DR. MCPHERSON
*PBIS TEAM:
CAROLYN FULLER
CARESSA LIGGINS
GINA TRUE
CONSTANCE WEYMOUTH
*THE PBIS TEAM LEADERSHIP TEAM IS AVAILABLE FOR ON
CAMPUS LOVE AND LOGIC PRESENTATIONS AND TRAINING