Edgefield County School District Behavioral Intervention Menu Office of Exceptional Children Fall 2012 Details and Probing Questions Least Restrictive Norms What is working? What’s not working? Praise Class Routines – Entering Ignore Negative Behavior Visual Cues Less Voice Teach FAIR vs. SAME Establish norms for the class (as a group) and then fully explain the meaning of the norms that are set. Review norms at the beginning of each class. Up-date the norms as needed. (example of class norm: one person talks at a time) Do they understand what is expected? Have I been clear? Post posters in the room – labeled “What is working?” and “What’s not working?” Use these posters for the students to provide input for each class using sticky notes – one thought per sticky. This gives the students “buy in” in the lessons being taught and allows the teachers to adjust based on the needs of the students. Do my students have input in how I teach? Do I teach hoping they “get” something or am I changing my behavior to meet their needs? Include immediate and specific praise each time they are caught being good (ex: John, I like the way you are making eye-contact while I teach). Praise even for the small things. Create a special “praise time” during the class day. Use this time to celebrate one another. You can also put in place a more formal way to praise like “caught being good” cards. Am I telling the students when they are being good? Am I rewarding the small things? Are the students praising one another? If not, how can I change the classroom climate so that praise is evident? Establish and practice the routine for entering the classroom. Provide specific steps for the students on how to enter and how to get started. Practice the steps repeatedly until the routine is established. Is there too much down time? Are they un-clear as to how to get started? Is the work too easy or too hard? Are there other times that routines need to be established (sharpening pencils, restroom time, etc.)? Are the students engaged in directed activities? If the behavior is only bothering you, ignore it for 2 minutes. Try to ignore negative behavior if you can and try to reward others for positive behavior as much as you can – especially those around the one who is misbehaving. Are there times when I address negative behavior and my action tends to escalate the problem rather than de-escalate it? Remind students of “on-task” behavior using visual cues as much as possible. For example: Instead of verbally reminding John every time he is not focused on the teacher, why not place a picture symbol (for the little ones) and a word card reading “focus on teacher” (for the older students) on his desk AND up at the board. Then, you can tap the card as a visual reminder. All students will benefit from the use of the visual reminder at the board. Am I meeting the students’ needs by incorporating all learning modalities? How can this be adjusted to meet other needs? Am I meeting the needs of all my learners - visual, auditory, and kinesthetic? Use non-verbal cues as much as possible when you are re-directing. Your voice should be primarily for praise and instruction. Use verbal re-direction in private only. When I re-direct, am I using as much non-verbal cueing as possible? Teach and model how being FAIR does not always mean providing the SAME services or interventions for each and every student. 1 Edgefield County School District Proximity Control Preferential Seating Office of Exceptional Children Fall 2012 Do my students know that EVERYONE deserves special treatment? Do I teach FAIR vs. SAME? Stand in close proximity to students who are showing signs of getting off task. If you know from prior experience that a particular group of students is likely to disrupt class, standing or sitting close to them while you lead an activity or give directions will quell a fair amount of the unwanted behavior. Am I moving around the room during class time? Am I meeting the needs of the students while I am teaching? Preferential seating may include placement in the classroom (e.g., up front by the teacher, away from a distracting doorway or fan, facing the wall) or in a separate defined area such as a study carrel. Preferential seating may be implemented in the same room as other classmates, or it may be located in a separate setting. Sensory Integration Could my students sit in a circle for the lesson so that all eyes are on me while I teach? Am I being flexible in regards to student seating? Integrate sensory tools and/or assistive technology (AT) when possible. If you think your student may have a sensory need and/or an assistive technology need or issue, please refer to the OT/AT checklist. Assistive Technology Are the behavior issues stemming from a need that is not being met? Chill Out Space Provide a “chill out” space within your classroom for students to cool-off/calm down. You may even want to incorporate music at the station (ex: a personal CD player with some appropriate music). Entering and Exit Pass Errand Time Give Choices Group Incentives Reflection/Apology Letter Parent Conference Am I allowing my students to have the “space” they need to calm down? The student is assigned an adult (mentor) within the school in which they meet with upon entering. Then, they discuss what will allow the student to have a successful day. If they have a problem, they are counseled and held until the student and mentor determine what is needed. At the end of the day, they meet with the mentor to discuss what led to a successful day or what created problems within the day. Dates and times are noted on an Entering and Exit Pass. Give the student an opportunity to run an errand (with supervision). This time allows the student and the teacher to calm down or re-group. Am I providing adequate opportunities to calm down and re-group? Provide choices for the student within the class period. Have available several differentiated work choices so that when the student begins to not comply, you have a choice to present to them and you are prepared. Am I providing several choices for my students that are differentiated to meet each individual need? Provide the entire class as a group an opportunity to earn class rewards or points to be traded in for free time, one on one time with an adult, lunch with an adult or a mentor, etc. I am giving my class every opportunity to be “caught being good?” Give the student a reflection letter (apology slip/better choices sheet) to complete while spending time either with an adult one on one or in the ISS Room. Arrange a parent and student conference. Most Restrictive 2