To Behave or Not to Behave

1. To Behave or Not to Behave Tina Winrow & John Mouanoutoua • winnim2007

2. Behavior Vision Our vision is to have a safe and secure school environment in which the dignity of all individuals is respected. Our vision asserts that all will: • Respect themselves and others. • Act as responsible, productive citizens. • Demonstrate the ability to problem solve, predict • consequences, and make appropriate • choices. • winnim2007

3. Behavior We believe: • Behavior can be changed • Behavior can be taught • Behavior can be modeled • Behavior reflects basic needs • Behavior is non-negotiable in areas of safety • and security • Behavior has consequences • winnim2007

4. Behavior that needs to be learned, needs to be taught. When children are well-trained, it’s habit-forming. • winnim2007

5. All behavior has a purpose. To treat behavior you must know the reason for it. The good student is good for a reason; the student in trouble also misbehaves for a reason. Treating all behavior problems the same won’t work. • winnim2007

6. Three variables in every discipline situation: • Teacher • problem student • rest of class • The only controllable variable is: • The teacher • If the teacher is out of control, the situation is out of control. • winnim2007

7. Teachers must have a plan and not just react to behavior. To change behavior you must first identify the specific characteristics. • winnim2007

8. Behavior Springs from Identity Actions Beliefs Identity • winnim2007

9. Teachers: Reactive vs. Proactive Reactive teachers respond to disruptive behaviors without forethought Proactive teachers have a plan for dealing with disruptive behaviors

10. Why do problems occur? • Teachers don’t teach expected behavior • Teachers are disrespectful of students • Teachers have frequent outbursts of anger • Teachers are negative about kids • Teachers are not aware of what is going on around them • Teachers don’t provide an appropriate • curriculum • winnim2007

11. Out of Control Students • Have experienced academic failure • Have negative levels attached to them • Have received punishments • Have little or no hope of success in school • Have friends who reinforce his/her behavior • Have low self-concepts in relation to school • winnim2007

12. winnim2007

13. Key Concepts • Effective management can prevent the beginning and spread of inappropriate behavior. • Some inappropriate behavior is a symptom of another problem. • winnim2007

14. 5 Keys to Changing Behavior The child must: • want to change • see others do it (be a role model) • know how to change • have opportunities to practice • receive support • winnim2007

15. Identify Students’ Primary Needs Research shows that difficult students act out because needs are not being met. • Extra attention • Firmer limits • Motivation • winnim2007

16. Students who need extra attention • Demand excessive attention • Frequently disturb you and students • Talk out in class • Make silly noises • Constantly get out of seat • Interrupt with attention-seeking behaviors • Work only with complete attention • winnim2007

17. Teacher’s response: Make you feel annoyed! Student’s reaction to teacher’s response: Stop disrupting when giving attention; but will shortly continue demanding “more” attention

18. Strategy for students who need extra attention Give massive amounts of positive attention for appropriate behavior. Attention, whether positive or negative, from you is the goal of these students. Give lots of attention for appropriate behavior, minimal for negative – students will soon learn how best to get what they want. • winnim2007

19. Students who need firmer limits • Constantly challenge you and students • Talk back to you in front of other students • Argue/Lie • Verbally/physically fight with students • Refuse to do what is asked • Are in power struggles with you • winnim2007

20. Teacher’s response: Make you angry! Student’s reactions to teacher’s response: Confrontation and refuse to comply! Power Struggles Occur

21. Strategy for students who needfirmer limits • Provide very firm and consistent limits. • Power and control is the goal of these students. Remember, demonstrating mutual respect is the key. It is important that they are allowed to save face in the classroom. • winnim2007

22. Students who need encouragement • Have no friends, alienate peers • Emotionally disturbed • Seem depressed, rarely smile • History of school failure • Poor social skills • Very quiet, or talkative, around peers • winnim2007

23. Teacher’s response: Make you frustrated! Student’s reactions: Student emotionally shutdown and engages in negative thinking

24. Strategy for students who need encouragement • Teach the students to use positive self-talk • Create opportunities for success • winnim2007

25. Students who need motivation • Make excuses for why work cannot be done. • Will not attempt to do academic work. • If an attempt is made, the students will give up easily. • winnim2007

26. Teacher’s Response: A feeling of helplessness Student’s Reaction to teacher’s response: Student still unresponsive to completing the task

27. Strategy for students who need motivation • Focus all behavior efforts toward getting the students to do work. Students lack confidence in their ability to do the work. It is important to maintain high expectations. May need to break assignments into manageable parts until the students are not so overwhelmed. • winnim2007

28. Students who are in denial • Repeated disciplinary actions • Say “I don’t care” • Minor corrections cause major reaction • Previous school failure • Sometimes parents are hostile to school • winnim2007

29. Students who are in denial • Denial is caused by pain • Denial is a survival mechanism • The greater the pain the greater the denial • Behavior that is denied can’t be changed • Self-evaluation is key to ownership • winnim2007

30. Teacher Feels • Exasperated • Behavior • Deny • Blame • Response • Accuse Students in Denial • Wants • Self Acceptance • Innocence • winnim2007

31. Strategy for students in denial • The intervention for students in • denial is feedback plus self-evaluation. • Student must be confronted about the behavior in a manner that is not confrontational. The teacher needs to encourage the student to take owner- • ship of his/her actions. • winnim2007

32. Students who are rebellious • Use profanity and inappropriate language • Disrespectful to adults • Disrupt the class • Challenge teacher’s leadership • “Make me” attitude • Apathy towards punishment • Frequent referrals • winnim2007

33. Teacher Feels • Angry Rebellious Students • Behavior • Rebels • Challenges authority • Seeks peer approval • Response • Punish • Overpower • Get even • Wants • Peer approval • Control • Leadership • Power to choose • winnim2007

34. Students who are impulsive • Side talk and talk-outs • Out of seat • Off-task • Make noises unconsciously • Annoying behaviors • winnim2007

35. Teacher Feels • Annoyed • Irritated • Behavior • Talks out • Off task • Active Impulsive Students • Response • Remind • Wants • Attention • Approval • winnim2007

36. Strategy for students who are impulsive • Use feedback to develop impulse control and internalize behavior. • Impulsive behavior needs immediate feedback. They need a reminder (visual or verbal) that they are engaging in inappropriate behavior. • winnim2007

37. Strategy for rebellious students • End rebellious behavior by structuring different group norms. • Rebellious students look for friends by rebelling against authority. Their effectiveness depends on whether the group norms approve of rebellious behavior. • winnim2007

38. Norms: Norms are the day to day activities that occur within your classroom.

39. Norms: Norms are unspoken agreements within a group about how to behave. Norms are the code the group uses to admit friends.

40. Strategies for Prevention • Clear limits, consistency, and caring • Develop and enforce a code of conduct • Intervene at first sign of trouble • Focus on opportunities to make students feel capable, connected and contributing • Involve parents whenever possible • winnim2007

41. Reflection List five actions that you could take to demonstrate that you care about your difficult student and that you are not going away. • winnim2007

42. Detention • It should be a productive time • Use the opportunity to be proactive • Build positive relationships • Student should not want to return • winnim2007

43. Behavior Support Packets The questions below were written to help you think about how you behave. Please answer them honestly. Also be neat, spell correctly and write in complete sentences. You are expected to answer all the questions. Your teacher, a counselor, the principal or your parents may read your answers. • winnim2007

44. Student Response Form --Disrespect • How were you disrespectful? • What does the word respect mean to you? • Why did you act disrespectfully? • What would school be like if everyone acted rudely? • Write a goal that will help you be • more respectful toward others. • winnim2007

45. Student Response Form: Disobedience • What happened that caused you to be working on this packet? • Do you think it is fair or unfair to expect students to obey their teachers in class? Why? • What do you think would happen if all the students disobeyed the teacher every day? What would the classroom be like? • “You can’t change the rules but you can change the way you look at them.” • winnim2007

46. Reflection List what you think are your current strengths and weaknesses in dealing with difficult students. Write your plan on how to handle one type of difficult student. • winnim2007

47. Have a plan to get through the maze of behavior problems • winnim2007

48. REMEMBER: YOU CONTROL YOUR OWN WORLD! • winnim2007

49. Bibliography Canter, Lee, Succeeding with Difficult Students, Canter & Associates, Santa Monica, CA, 1993. Clark, Ron, The Essential 55, Hyperion, New York, New York, 2003. Cook, Delores, Cue Cards for Teachers, Positive Approaches for Teachers, 1997. DeBruy, Robert L. and Jack L. Larson, You Can Handle Them All, Manhattan, KS, 1984. Duvall, Rick, Building Character & Community in the Classroom, Creative Teaching Press, Cypress, CA, 1997. • winnim2007

50. Gray, Jenny, Teaching without Tears, Your First Year in the Secondary School, Fearon Publishers, Belmont, CA, 1968. Mendler, Allen N., Power Struggles, Discipline Associates, Rochester, NY, 1997. Morrish, Ronald G., Secrets of Discipline, 12 Keys, Woodstream Publishing, Fonthill, Ontario, Canada, 1998. Nelsen, Jane, Positive Discipline in the Classroom, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA, 1997. Resources for Better Schools, Behavior Packets, Advantage Press, Inc., Lisle, IL, 1999. • winnim2007