HELPING STAFF AND PARENTS STOP BEING

NEGATIVE AND DO WHAT WORKS

Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support

Ashley LindbergOctober 2010

Agenda

Part 1: Being positive and why it works

Part 2: Writing behavior plans that parents and teachers will follow

Part 3 How to get parents/teachers /kids to buy in

How are you going to use this knowledge to change or to invite others to change

Being positive means:

Creating an environment where kids are invited to try

Practicing the manners/tone we expect from children

Stating things developmentally appropriatelyExpecting the bestMore encouragement. (Less praise?)

Invite kids to try

Reinforcement: The 5:1 rule

Gottman, J. (1994). Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Universal Supports to Prevent Attention-Getting Misbehavior

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515073026.htm

Use the manners/tone we expect from children

developmentally appropriate wording

Expecting the best

More encouragement. (Less praise?)

Tips for encouragement

Tip 1 Get the child’s attention.Tip 2 Use behavior specific language.Tip 3 Keep it simple—avoid combining

encouragement with criticism.Tip 4 Encourage with enthusiasm.Tip 5 Double the impact with physical

warmth.Tip 6 Use positive comments and

encouragement with your child in front of others.

Adapted from ???

Examples of Encouragement

• “Thank you for __________.”

• “What a good problem solver you are, you were able to__________.”

• “It’s so much fun to play with you; you are so good at ________.” (sharing, taking turns)

• “You were being so kind when you ________.”

12

Adapted from ???

What’s a better way to say…

Stop yelling!Don’t throw your toys!Stop bothering your sister!Don’t spill your milk.Stop whining.Be good.Be nice.Cut it out.

Adapted from ???

How to be positive with 4 hard types of behavior

Part 2

Writing Behavior Plans usingFunctional Behavioral Assessment

What is Functional Behavioral Assessment?

Define behavior (observable/measurable)

Identify setting events and antecedents

Identify maintaining consequences

Identifies function of behavior in order to change behavior

(Crone & Horner, 2003)

Why do a Functional Behavioral Assessment?

Problem Solving

Documentation

Frustration 3 tantrums doesn’t feel much

different that 7

Buy this: Background Philosophy

Human behavior is functional.

Human behavior is predictable.

Human behavior is changeable.

(Crone & Horner, 2003)

Behavior is Functional

“Misbehavior” is always communicating something! I need you! (to get attention) I want that! (to get toys, money, a turn) Go away! (escape something, like hard

work!) **Chomp** (To meet our sensory needs)

Jack won’t hold the rope.

Behavior is Predictable

By understanding the function of misbehavior we can learn to predict what situations will trigger problems.

Behavior is Changeable

Our kids are cute and little! We can change our responses We can teach socially expectable

ways to get their needs met.

Acronyms to know

ABC Antecedent (trigger), Behavior, Consequence. (also known as a Simple FBA)

Full FBA Antecedent , Behavior, Consequence. Interviews Data collection

FA Functional Analysis Behavior is researched by manipulating

consequences.

The ABCs

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

In this situation… if I do this… I get this!

Let’s practice: Write down an example of a specific problem behavior.

The ABCs: Antecedent

A

In this situation… For example:

In non-preferred tasks that include waiting…

All the time!

It comes out of the blue!

The ABCs: Behavior

B

if I do this… For example:

Jack runs from teacher. He hits, bites and swears at teachers in redirection.

Jack is violent

Jack is rude

The ABCs: Consequence

C

I get/get out of this!

The consequence doesn’t have to hurt!

Nothing happens, he gets away with

it.

I punish him

For Example:

He gets to run; everyone looks at him; the teacher chases him; the teacher gives him 1:1 attention; the teacher reprimands him.

Competing Behavior Pathway

A B C

B

Writing a Full FBA: I need more info

Routines analysisParent and team interviews

(together?)Make a graphAdd this info to your ABC

chart

Step 1: Routines Analysis

Arrival 1 2 3 4 5

Circle 1 2 3 4 5

Art 1 2 3 4 5

Free Choice 1 2 3 4 5

Outside 1 2 3 4 5

Snack 1 2 3 4 5

Story Circle 1 2 3 4 5

Books/Puzzles 1 2 3 4 5

Departure 1 2 3 4 5

Step 2: Interviews

From: Activity-based Approach to Developing Young Children's Social Emotional Competence.

Dave has it!! Ask to see it!

Step 2: Interviews…continued

List strengths and motivators

•To brainstorm rewards

•To start meetings on a positive note

Step 2: Interviews…continued

Step 2: Interviews…continued

All the time!

It comes out of the blue!

Step 2: Interviews…one last thing

Step 3: collect some data, make some graphs.

11/5 11/6 11/7 11/12 11/13 11/14 11/26 11/27 22/28

What now? Write a Behavior Plan

Plan to change A Plan to change B Plan to change C

Practical Strategies: Change the A

Make the behavior irrelevant Anticipate problems and plan accordingly

Move furniture? Show the child exactly what will happen (pictures) Make sure your requests are at the student’s level Monitor the child’s well being (sick? tired? hungry?) Communicate with parents Decide what you will do Ask for help from your team Be more fun!! You’re never too old to be distracted!

Practical Strategies: Change the B

Make the behavior inefficient by teaching a replacement behavior Make his replacement behavior work FAST! Make a social story to teach replacement behaviors. Communicate with parents (is the child doing this at

home?) (Story about Buba) Offer limited choices Ask for help from the child Make it a game. Learning good behavior doesn’t have

to hurt!

Practical Strategies: Change the C

Make the behavior ineffective Natural reinforcers Extinction (removing the reinforcer…it usually gets

worse before it gets better) Time out (not as a punishment, but as an (almost)

natural consequence) Be firm and kind Check yourself before you wreak yourself Distract and redirect

One last note: The Law

For school aged kids it’s the law; for preschool it’s just best practice.

Restraining

How is your behavior plan coming?

CREATING BUY IN

Part 3

Getting buy-in with tough parents

Note: these are not tough parents. They are my in-laws, and they are lovely.

PBS, it’s all about relationships

Build a relationship with every family Provide info about child development Give parents a person to turn to if they are ever

ready to learn more about parenting. Help plan for the next transition. Report suspected abuse and neglect.

Barriers: They are not that friendly

Your hardest kids probably have your hardest families.

Stuff that makes kids misbehave sometimes make adults misbehave.

Some parents are worried about your judgment, have a problem with authority, or have had past negative experiences in school.

Solutions: They are not that friendly.

5:1 rule phone calls, voicemail, email, bravo cards, photos, certificates, awards

Face time

Barriers: They don’t have time for you

Parents may be struggling with getting basic needs met.

Parents can’t get work off, don’t have transportation.

Solutions: They don’t have time for you

Home-visitMeet them on their lunch breakMake plans months in advance, then give reminder calls/notes/stickers

Go out that dayOpen house v. graduation

Barriers: We don’t have time for them

• Many agencies don’t give staff members adequate time to build family relationships

• Too much to do during the work week!

Solutions: We don’t have time for them

Once in a while deliver a forgotten coat More Parent-Teacher Conferences Open house School productions/plays Art shows Graduation parties Parents come in for a class party/event, etc. Bravo cards Photos home Certificates or awards

Barriers: We can’t get a hold of them!

Stupid cricket phones

Solutions: We can’t get a hold of them

My business card laminated with my photo and a magnet for fridge

Communication notebooksTape notes to backsCall their emergency numbers

Barriers: We are mad at them

Its hard not to judge! We love their kid and we’re mad that they are making his life hard.

Solutions: We are mad at them

Everyone is doing their best with the education they have been given.

Solutions: We are mad at them

You can’t darn a sock starting in the hole.

“I’m not trained for this!”

Let simmer. Repeat.

1. Hi! (add positive story)

2. How are you? Last time we talked we talked about… How’s that going?

3. Find something they did right! (encourage)

4. Summarize “we have a plan. I will.. You…”

Parent buy in

Teacher buy in

Make the plan with everyone you expect to implement it. Work hard to incorporate all positive ideas. Bad ideas are an opportunity to teach.

Kid buy in?

How do we teach this great plan to the kid?

Identifying Teachable Moments

Identifying Teachable Moments

Identifying Teachable Moments

Identifying Teachable Moments

Identifying Teachable Moments

How will you make change?

Questions/references

References Crone, D., & Horner, R. (2003). Building Positive

Behavior Support Systems in Schools: Functional Behavioral Assessment. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Squires, J., & Bricker, D., (2006). Activity-based Approach to Developing Young Children's Social Emotional Competence. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Company.

Also see: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/