Positive Behavior
Management Training for
ACES
PAUL WIRTH
ITINERANT BEHAVIOR SUPPORT
TEACHER
PBS COACH
GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS
Credits and Resources
 www.safeandcivilschools.com
 www.behavioradvisor.com
 http://www.interventioncentral.com/index.php#ideas
 http://www.disciplinehelp.com/teacher/
Understatement: Not all students come to
us motivated and/or responsible.
Some are responsible and highly
motivated.
Some are responsible, but only moderately
motivated.
Some are like Huck Finn.
3
Historical Perspective
 Behavior management has typically consisted of
trying to “make” students behave.
 Let’s call this approach the “reactive/punitive
strategies.”
 The problem is although it does work sometimes
with the “universal” students, it doesn’t work with
most of the challenging targeted and intensive
students.
 And when it doesn’t work . . .
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“Couldn’t we
just sign a truce
or something?”
Teachers get frustrated and
feel like this.
5
No “Simple” Solutions
Need to be careful we don’t over use punitive
consequences and strategies because:
 They become less effective the more they are
used!
 The more we depend on them, the greater % of
students will respond with:




“So what, I don’t care and you can’t make me” or “Big
X#%!& deal”
Active rebellion
Passive escapist-do as little as possible
Active escapist—drop out or get expelled
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Why role-bound authority
doesn’t work


We tend to think that the person with the most
“power” can MAKE THE KID STOP
 “It worked with me…”
 “It works with most of my students.” Easy & Quick!
Many of our toughest students just don’t get
(or have never been taught) this
“SYMBOLIC POWER” of authority
We are the ones that end up most frustrated,
because traditional discipline strategies leave us
feeling powerless and ineffective!

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Increase in Emotional Intensity



“Tough Kids” will ALWAYS raise you one on the
emotional scale!
The trick is to NOT “join in” the escalation cycle
with the student
Instead….DISENGAGE!

“First you deal with the moment…
Then you deal with the behavior!”
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Well then…..what does work??
 There are a few steps that we need to take……
Connect
to our students in a
positive way
Set the rules
Correct our students in a
respectful manner
Making Connections-
 Turn to someone at your table or
sitting next to you.
 Ask them a question or give them a
compliment
Non-Contingent Attention
 Non-contingent attention is giving every
student attention that is not contingent or
dependent on any special accomplishment.
 You notice and value students as people – not
because they behaved responsibly or achieved
some academic success.
 When students feel noticed and valued, they
are more likely to engage in appropriate
behavior.
Non-Contingent Attention
Benefits for Students:
 Feel more connected
 Provided a model of pleasant social
interaction
 Improved student behavior
 Improved classroom climate
Delivering Non-Contingent
Attention
 Using nonverbal behavior (e.g., maintaining eye
contact, smiling, nodding, winking, thumbs up
and waving).
 Greeting students as they enter your room or
when you see them in the hallway.
 Use the student’s first name whenever possible.
 Giving farewells when students leave your
classroom.
Positive Feedback




Another very powerful tool for the teacher
in encouraging responsible behavior.
Tells the student that he/she is on the
right track and encourages the student to
continue making responsible
choices.
Research shows such positive
feedback/praise has a positive impact on
student achievement.
There are 5 hallmarks of
effective positive feedback.
Delivering Positive Feedback
Positive Feedback and Praise must be…..
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Accurate and credible.
Specific and descriptive.
Given for something important.
Age-appropriate.
Authentic.
Setting Your Rules Rules will vary from teacher to teacher—needs, tolerance,
etc. An average 8th grader has probably had at least 1520 different teachers for whom there have been
different sets of rules for many routine classroom
activities.
 Your rules will differ based on the number of risk factors
your students have and their need for structure.
 There are three levels of needing structure:
 High
 Medium
 Low
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Setting Your Rules You have to think of the following times:
 Asking/answering
a question
 Walking from one place to another
 Doing work
 Play time
 Using the restroom, getting water, etc.
 Your rules must be consistent day to day!!
If they break the rules…..
Considerations for Mild Effective Mild
Consequences:
 Plan consequences ahead of time.
 Issued every time rule is broken
 Must fit the crime
 Never humiliate the student
 Avoid using academic consequences
 Must be delivered unemotionally
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Effective MILD Consequences
Considerations for Effective Consequences:
 When delivering the consequence, simply state the rule
and consequence. Do not explain or justify, even if
students request it; such attempts are typically an effort
to sidetrack the teacher by engaging in an argument or
power struggle.
 Deliver consequences as privately as possible (within 3-4
feet—not across the room), briefly, quiet voice and turn
away as you finish.
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Effective MILD Consequences
 Range / Menu: Choose from a menu of
predetermined consequences depending on
rule violation and frequency of occurrence.
 Advantage
– allows for flexibility so
appropriate to situation.
 Must be familiar with your menu so you can
use the consequence best for the situation.
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When a student behaves
inappropriately, what you do is
important. However, equally
important in determining whether
a student’s behavior improves is
how you do what you do.
Correcting Your Students
Points to Remember:
 When correcting, the goal is to teach the
student appropriate behavior.
The more you connect, the less you correct.
It is not the severity of a consequence that will
diminish behavior, it is the certainty of it.
Consequences should fit the nature and severity
of the offense.
“Well, Timmy, it looks like you just earned yourself 10 minutes
in the cage with Mr. Whiskers.”
Correcting Your Students
Consequences Work Best When They:
 Are clear, specific and consistent.

Types of consequences that you will use should be predetermined and
discussed with your students.
 Are chosen from a range of alternatives.

“Fair does not always mean equal”
 Are natural and/or logical (when possible).
Correcting Your Students
Natural and Logical Consequences:
 Preserve the student’s dignity.
 Increases internal locus of control.
 Preserves the relationship and motivation.
 Must be given calmly and respectfully.
 Help students see the logical connection
between what they do and what happens to
them.
Correcting Your Students
Attempt a low level intervention by:
o
Clarifying the positive behaviors you
want the student to exhibit.
o
Increasing the amount of attention given
to positive
o
Responding to misbehavior briefer,
calmer, more consistently, and more
immediately.
Some Additional Tips
Severe/Out of Control Misbehavior
Things NOT to do:
 Return the anger.
 Be inconsistent.
 Attempt to reason w/
an out-of-control
student.
 React emotionally.
 Touch the student.
Things TO DO with a
student who is out-ofcontrol:
 Offer student time to cool
down.
 Respect personal space
 Spend more time telling
student what he/she is
doing right.
 Talk more softly and more
slowly.
 Remain physically
relaxed.
 Avoid arguing.
Power Struggles
You could be in a power struggle if:
 You are responding emotionally to a student’s
inappropriate behavior or negative emotion.
 You are in a back and forth argument.
 You are arguing with a student and you bring up
past issues.
 You are increasing the severity of the
“punishment” in an attempt to “make” the
student comply.
 You are trying to have the last word or to “win.”
Power Struggles
Tips to avoid power struggles:
 Don’t threaten.

Avoid the “I’m going to have to….” statements; these
usually set you up.
 Let students have the last word.
 If student is very persistent, try this technique: “You
are tying to have the last word and I will allow it;
what is it?” Tip: this must be said calmly and
respectfully!
Power Struggles
Tips to avoid power struggles (cont):
 Use positive words instead of negative.

Avoid words such as can’t or don’t.
 Don’t tell students what they can’t do, especially
when they’ve already done it.

Rather, restate the expectation, redirect and move on.
Non-compliance
Either – Or Model:
“Either you may __________ or you may
(state an appropriate choice)
___________________. You decide.”
(state another appropriate choice)
Ex: Paul, either you may work on your
science project or you may work on
your science homework. You decide.”
Non-Compliance
When - Then Model:
“When you have ____________,
(state desired activity)
then you may____________.”
(state an appropriate choice)
Ex. “Paul, when you have picked up those
papers, then you may join the group
making the poster.”
Non-compliance
Need - If Model:
“You need to _______________.
(state desired behavior)
If you choose not to, then __________.
(state consequence)
Make the choice that’s good for you.”
Ex. Paul, you need to return to your table and
clean up from your art project. If you choose not
to, then you will lose five minutes off of recess.
Make a choice that’s good for you.”
Responding to Anger
 Anger is a part of any relationship, including
teacher/student relationship.
 It is both cumulative and transferable.
 As a teacher, you can impact (influence) some of the
variables that cause the primary emotion before it
causes the anger.
 And, what happens in an anger crisis is mostly
influenced by your (adult) behavior—not by the
behavior of the student.
Responding to Anger
Things to do if student appears to or is becoming angry (cont):



Try to verbally redirect and give positive corrections (“I know
this is hard but you are making progress.”)
Remind of limits (“Students getting angry need to . . .”)
Teach/remind your other students to ignore the angry
student and keep on working.
Responding to Anger
DON’TS
DO’S
Yell or raise your voice
Give
Blame
Try to deliver consequences
Give multiple instructions
Touch the student
Move quickly
Assume challenge posture
time to cool down
Listen/paraphrase
Help problem-solve
Acknowledge feelings
Silence can be an ally
Communication
Make more start than stop requests
Make non-emotional requests
Focus on descriptive requests
Reinforce compliance
Be aware of physical distance
Use effective facial expressions
Be aware of body language
Watch your loudness
Give time to comply.