Correction System:Responding to Problem Behavior

Chris Borgmeier, PhD

Portland State University

cborgmei@pdx.edu

www.web.pdx.edu/~cborgmei

PBS Big Ideas Commitment to serve ALL students

Set students & staff up to be successful Proactive is better than reactive

Increase participation in school & academic success LIMIT LOSS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME

Reduce use of exclusionary & punitive strategies Time in Hall, Time in Office, Suspension, Detention

PBS Big Ideas

Prevention is the BEST medicine School-wide -- First responses to problem

behavior should be seen as an instructional opportunity for social behavior

Instead of focusing on punishment, focus on the remediation & instruction of alternative, desired behavior

Caution: Consequence Systems

Too often consequences for negative behavior is the only behavior management plan schools or teachers have “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem becomes a

nail”

Only after teaching, reinforcing & providing opportunities to practice the expected behavior do we earn the right to use negative consequences

Bigger, tougher Consequences is

NOT what we mean by a Correction

System

Responding to Problem BehaviorGOAL = Changing Behavior

We will still use negative consequences in schools Why? Because they are effective for many students

(students in the Green Zone)

BUT… too often we keep using negative consequences when they are not effective in changing behavior Then missed instructional time and negative feelings

instead exacerbate the problem behavior Happens once… shame on student – Happens three,

four, ten times… shame on me

Students with Recurring Problem Behavior Too often we continue to do the same thing

(often punitive) and expect different results

Often student problem behavior is helping students to get exactly what they want Avoid difficult tasks Obtain attention from peers or adult

Build Systems of Support Yellow Zone & Red Zone Systems

Responding to Misbehavior

Misbehavior Happens: Provide staff with guidelines for responding Options for responding to misbehavior in the

classroom “Defusing Anger & Aggression” video by Geoff

Colvin Targets Secondary classrooms but also useful for

Elementary Purchase at www.lookiris.com through Iris Media Follow-up with small group discussions to identify

specific strategies used in video & develop an Action Plan to encourage use in classroom

Have staff role play some of the strategies

Guidelines for Responding to Misbehavior Respond Consistently, Calmly, Briefly

Return to InstructionGoal: pay more time & attention to positive

behaviorReduce student escalationReduce amount of missed instructional time

See p. 7 in packet – 9 variables affecting compliance

3 cheap, easy & powerful Behavior Management tools Proximity

Moving & scanning frequently Slowly moving toward a student & using proximity,

instead of verbally addressing

Reinforcement Acknowledge other students who are on task

Precorrection Frequent pre-teaching & reminders of expectations,

before students have chance to engage in problem behavior

Alpha v. Beta Commands

Alpha Commands Minimal # of words Clear, concrete &

specific Give a reasonable

amount of time for behavior to occur

Beta Commands Wordy Vague Often convey feelings

of frustration or anger May contain many

sets of directions

Alpha Commands

Alpha Commands are Clear & Positive “Pick up your chair, sit down, and draw a picture

of your favorite animal”

instead of

“How many times have I told you not to get up out of your seat. Don’t you know how to act in this class? I’m getting tired of telling you what to do a hundred times. Now, get to work.”

Have a Routine for Responding to Minor Problem Behavior

Specific Request

If, Compliance Walk Away & wait 5-10 seconds

If, Non-Compliance

Reinforce!

“Please _________”

Request in a calm voice

If, Compliance

If, Noncompliance

Preplanned Consequence

Walk away & Wait 5-10 sec.

Reinforce!

Responding to Problem Behavior

1. Clarify across staff and administration what behaviors should be managed in the classroom v. sent to the office

2. Develop a continuum of “consequences” with a corrective/ remedial focus, rather than strictly punitive consequences or consequences that remove students from instructional time

3. Develop referral form that provides essential information for decision making

4. Use discipline referral data to identify problem areas & inform decision making Maximize school resources by making informed data-based decisions Recommended data system: SWIS – School Wide Information System

Be prepared! Be proactive!

Anticipate behaviors you will see and know how to respond

List potential behaviors Identify what behaviors and expectations you can

teach in advance to prevent anticipated problem behaviors and link with a reinforcement program early to develop habits

List out how you will respond to problem behavior Have a continuum of Responses w/ options at each

level Classroom Managed to Office Managed to Crisis

Match Intensity of Response w/ Severity of Behavior

Continuum of Responses to Escalating Behavior

Less disruptive More severe

Classroom Send to Office CRISIS

Managed Buddy Rm Managed

Problem Behavior v. Crisis

Problem Behavior – situation with potential to escalate into a greater problem or crisis Use strategies for defusing the situation

Office Managed Behavior – Serious misbehavior that endangers safety or well-being or makes normal classroom activities difficult or impossible

Crisis – situation has escalated out of control & is a danger Call for back-up Follow building emergency procedures

Emergency Planning & Crisis Response Has your school addressed responding to

crises in the building & emergencies

Is there a systematic plan that all staff know

Office v. Classroom Managed

Be clear about what behaviors should be sent to the office & what should be handled in the classroom

Teachers lose credibility if they send too many problems to the office, or out of the classroom It may appear that the teacher can’t handle the classroom

him/herself and the students pick up on this Lost instructional time is not benefiting anyone Escaping from the classroom may be exactly what the

students wants – we may be strengthening that problem behavior

Classroom Managed v. Office Managed Behavior

Make sure staff and administrators agree on what behaviors are sent to office

Develop a list of office managed behavior Hold discussions to clarify and foster

agreement

Develop Consistency/Agreement in Responses to Problem Behavior

Classroom Managed Office Managed•Failing to follow rules/directives•Inappropriate voice level•Disruptive•Inappropriate language/comments•Put downs/ low level teasing

•Danger to others with intent to hurt•Weapons•Fighting/ assault/ physical aggression•Overt defiance•Harrassment/Bullying•Inappropriate touching

***See Handout for more complete list w/ possible responses

Develop a Continuum of School Responses

Develop school-wide responses to problem behavior Develop alternatives to punishment &

exclusion (detention/suspension) Good to focus on re-teaching of

expectationsRule SchoolPeer Conflict Mediation

Promote Corrective Responses to Misbehavior Reteaching expected behavior Written consequence related to rule violation Overcorrection

Practice appropriate behavior 2-3 times for single infraction (like practicing or reviewing a lesson)

Natural consequences Missed instructional time should be made up at

recess, Restitution, Lose related privileges

Ongoing Development of Systems of Support Systems for Support with students with

challenging behaviorClassrooms Individual Student Systems

Targeted Interventions FBA/BSP

These strands will be a primary focus in Years 2-3 of SW PBS development

Nonclass

room

Setting S

ystems

ClassroomSetting Systems

Individual Student

Systems

School-wideSystems

School-wide PositiveBehavior Support

Systems

Primary Prevention:School/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:FBABSP for Students with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

POSITIVE BEHAVIORSUPPORT

Using Discipline Data for Decision Making

Using Data for Decision Making

The best data system in the world won’t make a difference if no one is looking at the data and using it to guide decision making

The SW-PBS team should commit to reviewing data at least monthly and using it to inform decision making to maximize resources & results

Once you’ve committed to this, the next questions are…

What data are we currently collecting? Discipline Referral Data Detention/Suspension/Expulsion Data Attendance data

Are we using this data effectively?Are we getting the most out of the data we’re

collecting?

Reviewing your Discipline Referral form Are you getting the most information from your

referral forms? Could you update your referral form to provide

you with more useful data?

Would you gain more information if you put in place a minor referral process, in addition to major referrals?

Suggested information to collect on referral forms Student name Date/time Location of incident Referring teacher Type of problem behavior Persons involved Possible motivation of behavior/ Reason Disciplinary action

Minor Referral Form

Effective Data Systems

In order to make the most informed decisions regarding SW PBS an effective data system must provide data not only

about individual students, but also compile discipline data school wide

Can your school currently look at discipline data from a School-wide perspective? SWIS (School-wide Information System) is one

system that allows this type of manipulation of data

School-Wide Information System (SWIS)

www.swis.org

School Wide Information SystemSWIS Web-based discipline referral information system

Database for tracking office referral and suspension data

Provides accessible and useful data summaries (in graphs and tables) to help guide decision making in school planning

Allows for easy manipulation of data to find answers to your specific questions

Located on the web at www.swis.org $200/year per school

                                                                                                   Version 3.1.5 stable

Main Menu

User: ChavezSchool: Cesar Chavez Academy

                                                                          

SWIS Copyright (c)2003 May, Ard, Todd, Horner, Glasgow, Sugai, & Sprague

Average Referrals per Day per MonthMiddle School of 600 students

Referrals by Location

Referrals by Time

Referrals by Student

Student Referral ReportDate Staff Time Location

Problem Behavior

MotivationOthers Involved

Admin Decision

1 03/10/2004 43866 12:15PM Plygd Agg/Fight Unknown mot Peers Parent

2 03/01/2004 62390 12:30PMUnknown loc

Disrespt DK Peers Parent

3 02/10/2004 47522 01:30PM Class Agg/Fight Unknown mot UnknownO Office AD

4 12/18/2003 47522 10:30AM Class Agg/Fight Unknown mot PeersOut-sch susp

5 12/08/2003 47522 10:00AM ClassOther behav

Unknown mot NoneOut-sch susp

6 12/08/2003 47522 01:15PM Class Disrespt Ob p attn None Office AD

7 11/20/2003 62390 10:00AMUnknown loc

Agg/Fight Unknown mot PeersOut-sch susp

8 11/20/2003 47522 10:30AM Class Agg/Fight Unknown mot PeersOut-sch susp

TasksNew Tasks Clarify/ document Staff

managed v. Office Managed Behavior

Promote more effective responses to problem behavior

Review Referral form & process for turning in referrals

Use data for Decision Making

Set up SWIS or identify system for informing school-wide decision making

Follow-up Tasks Finalize Expectations

Grid Lesson Planning

Assembly/Teaching Schedule

Develop or refine your Acknowledgment System

Complete your SW PBS Action Plan

Complete Teaming Matrix (if applicable)

Assemble PBS Handbook Complete SW PBS

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