Effective Classroom Management

1. Effective Classroom Management Therapeutic Interventions That Enhance Teaching Chris Cochran

2. Purpose and Background This project provides resources for teachers in a collaborative format that allows them to improve their practice in a self-directed pace and process. The underlying belief is that effective instructional strategies and therapeutic techniques are complimentary and can create a learning environment characterized by trust, curiosity and the joy of discovery.

3. Three Themes Throughout This project focuses on three aspects of practice that relate to working with students: • Skills-based • Academic Skills – Math, reading, writing • Organizational Skills – analyzing, chunking, prioritizing, problem solving • Emotional Skills – regulating feelings/impulses like anger, excitement, disappointment, confusion • Social Skills – listening, perspective-taking, taking turns, communicating needs and wants • Attachment and Community-based • Belief that learning is enhanced by collaboration • Social skills are key in students’ success in school and life as they start and maintain relationships • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)/Behavior Modification • Belief that behavior can be observed and measured, and can be changed with intervention • Consider and address needs so that the behavior meeting that need is no longer needed • A – B – C: Antecendent – Behavior – Consequence (What happens before and after behavior) • Students, parents and school staff can have impacts on behavior in the interaction between the environment and personal motivation to meet needs and wants

4. Building Community in the Classroom • Group norms, agreements • Be safe, respectful, responsible (PBIS) • Be safe, kind and engaged • Love & Logic – Do whatever you like as long as it doesn’t cause a problem for anyone. Strategies to do this: Democratic: post-its, butcher paper Group Process: gifts we bring, things we need Teacher-led: ask for input (or not), present rules

5. Classroom Management Approaches • Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) www.pbis.org • Envoy http://www.michaelgrinder.com • Love & Logic loveandlogic.com • Democratic Approaches • Interest-based or student-directed learning • De-escalation techniques: • OIS: http://cms.oregon.gov/dhs/spd/pages/provtools/ois/index.aspx • CPI: crisisprevention.com • Right Response: rightresponse.com

6. Individualized Behavior Assessment/Interventions • Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) are used to analyze student behaviors that disrupt learning or inhibit the student’s growth. • Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) are then developed for an individual student to address the motivation related to the behavior, or the need being met. The goal is to change the environment or interventions to change the behavior.

7. Sensory Sensitive Students learn best when their other needs are met. • Safety – physical and emotional • Physical well-being – hunger, discomfort • Sensory – light, heat, texture, sound, etc. • Tasks – are tasks developmentally approp? • Intervention Ziggurat/CAPS: http://www.txautism.net/docs/Guide/Interventions/Ziggurat.pdf • Readiness to Learn: http://www.ncactopp.org/schoolreadiness.php

8. Due Process Tips From the beginning, we want our work with families to be characterized by transparency, communication, warmth and respect. Due Process is part of that, and should be preventative in nature, involving the family at each step of the referral, evaluation and review process, with extra efforts being taken to communicate what families can expect and what opportunities families and students will have for input and feedback in the process. Due Process includes: • Proactive communication • Inclusive practices with family and student • Providing prior notice and appropriate information regarding process, decisions and services • Asking for questions and feedback • Letting the family and student know of their essential and valued role in the team and process It should be noted that while SpEd law is generally federal in origin (IDEA), each state has regulations around how schools comply with those laws.

9. SpEd Process Tips • Things to consider in terms of eligibility: (be prepared for your meeting) • Do we have the person(s) knowledgeable of the student? • Do we have the person(s) knowledgeable of the evaluation data? • Do we have the person(s) knowledgeable of the process and/or forms? • Things to consider when looking at providing FAPE for a student: • How can we serve this student successfully in the least restrictive environment (LRE)? • What interventions and supports have been tried/successful in the general ed. classroom? • Does educational benefit for this student include academic, social or emotional/therapeutic supports? • Educational benefit, FAPE, and a bias towards the LRE should drive team decisions. • Are decisions informed by current and valid data, specific to that student? • Before considering placement, always ensure that the above ideas have been addressed. It should be noted that while Sped law is generally federal in origin, each state has regulations around how schools comply with those laws.

10. More Resources Sensory Diets www.sensorysmarts.com www.bbbautism.com/sensory_diet.htm ADHD www.pediatricneurology.com/schoolrx.htm http://www.mental-health-matte rs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=557