Compromised Learning Conditions and Maladaptive Behaviours

The overwhelming consensus of internationally published research indicates that the most significant contributors to compromised learning conditions and maladaptive behaviours of SwDD is anxiety and physical pain from unmet bio, psycho and social needs.

Conscious Classrooms therefore assists educators and families to identify, prevent and manage these anxiety-based antecedents that contribute to maladaptive behaviours and therefore compromised learning conditions.Facilitating Optimal Learning Conditions

Through MeetingThe Student’s Body, Brain & Behavioural Special Needs

andDeveloping The Educator’s Mindful, Emotional

Self Regulation Skills1

The following Illustration Approximates1

Current Learning Conditions and Outcomes for

Students with Developmental Disabilities

(SwDD)

21. Reference pilot study.

JJanuary 11, 2016

What is Conscious Classrooms (CC)

Conscious Classrooms is a training, development and consultingprogram that helps educators to identify, prevent and managelearning conditions that compromise the Students withDevelopmental Disabilities (SwDD) willingness and ability tolearn.

It teaches non-behavioural interventions to enhance classroomlearning conditions including development of the student's andeducator's emotional self-regulation skills.

3

JJanuary 11, 2016

Contributors to Conscious Classrooms (CC)Conscious Classrooms has been developed while supporting, training or in direct consultation with:

• Approximately 3,000 moms and dads, educators, administrators, support agency directors, managers, frontline staff and children, youth and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities;

• Educators of Special Needs Students from 4 Ontario School Boards;

• John Ratey, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (reference 8 books on mental health and autism and other developmental disabilities including ‘Spark’ and ‘Shadow Syndrome’);

• Theresa Hamlin, Associate Executive Director of The Center for Discovery and her staff (New York State’s AutismCenter of Excellence). Dr. Hamlin is the author of ‘Autism and the Stress Effect’;

• Martha Herbert, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and a Pediatric Neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is Director of the Transcend Research Program. She sits on the Scientific Advisory Committee for Autism Speaks (reference ‘The Autism Revolution’);

• Shinzen Young, Mindfulness Research Consultant, Harvard Medical School;

• Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario. 4

“Peter and Gareth Marks provide educators with the skills that will enable themto be competent and kind in situations where they may be in front of peoplewhose behaviours awaken quite different feelings in them.”

Quotes by Jean Vanier – Founder of L’Arche InternationalFrom the Foreword of The Conscious Classrooms Text Book

“The Practical Tools and the 5 Essential Mindfulness Based HumanCompetencies that Peter has developed are examples of an excellentblending of Science and Heart. The results are improved levels ofcompassionate services while offering best practices.”

Quotes by Shinzen Young - Harvard Medical School ResearcherFrom the Foreword of The Conscious Classrooms Text Book

5

January 11, 2016

Examples of Boards of Education and Support Organizations Trained in CC/CCS

Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB

Algoma DSB

Huron-Superior Catholic DSB

Peel DSB

L’Arche Daybreak

Community Living Cambridge

Rygiel Supports for Community Living

Community Living Oakville

London Health Sciences Centre

Community Living Windsor

Kerry’s Place

Ministry of Education Special Needs Division

Ongwanada

Community Living Trent Highlands

Community Living Owen Sound & District

Durham Association for Family Respite Services

Christian Horizons

Community Living Burlington

Extend-A-Family

Community Living Welland Pelham

Community Living St. Marys and Area

Community Living Chatham-Kent

Community Living Stratford and Area

Windsor-Essex Family Network

Autism Ontario

Community Living Prince Edward6

Essential Partnerships to Educate SwDD

Home

School

CommunityPartners

OPTIMALLEARNING

CONDITIONS

7

Four Key Outcomes of Conscious Classrooms Applied in the Classrooms of 48 Fully Qualified and Experienced Educators of Students with Developmental Disabilities (SwDD)

and Unmet Complex Needs

1. SwDD Incidents of physical assaults toward educators of 6 to 10 times per week reduced from 19% of educators to 2% of educators

2. Incidents of physical assaults reduced by more than 50%

3. Learning conditions improved by more than 50%

4. Significantly enhanced safety for students and staff

8

January 11, 2016

9

The Four Components of Conscious Classrooms

1. Non-behavioural strategies to enhance classroom learning conditions.

2. Facilitating the educator’s more complete understanding of ASD/DD to improve their willingness and ability to assist parents to be more effective advocates with community treatment partners.

3. Educator’s mindful, emotional self-regulations skills.

4. The five step conscious connecting process to enhance the SwDD cooperation and commitment to learning.

JJanuary 11, 2016

Behavioural Interventions Are Often Necessary

• While CC significantly reduces the requirement for BMS or NVCI restraint interventions, behavioural strategies that follow the Behaviour Analyst Board Certification (BABC) Standards are at times useful complements to the fully integrated biomedical support and development process.

• The more complete the integrated CC process, the greater the potential for ABA/IBI to teach skills, enhance well-being and prevent and manage anxiety and aggression in addition to behavioural compliance.

10

HOMEEducation of

Essential Roles

CLASSROOMLearning Conditions

Enhancement

COMMUNITY PARTNERS Services Co-ordination

EDUCATOR (Teacher/EA)Skills Development

• Strict adherence to CC biomedical best practices

• Community partners co-ordination and advocacy

• Home and school co-operative planning(e.g. ABA, BMS, NVCI)

Awareness and skills development re:• 14 BB awareness based calming procedures• 18 anxiety indicators identification and

de-escalation• 51 teaching strategies for students with

complex needs • Student emotional self-regulation • Integration of behaviour management strategies

(e.g. ABA & BMS)

• Traditional medical interventions• Naturopathic or registered

nutritionist treatments• Sensory processing

• Neurodevelopment• Behavioural

• *Mindful, emotional self-regulation • Increased student advocacy

effectiveness through enhanced ASD/DD understanding, awareness and reporting

• Student learning and well-being plan development

• CC, 5 C’s Process

*Educators and administrators estimate that approximately 50% of all classroom behavioural incidents are inadvertently directly caused or significantly influenced by good and caring educators’ limited mindful, emotional self-regulation leading up to and during times of students’ maladaptive behaviours.

Conscious Classrooms (CC)Optimal Learning Conditions Facilitation

11

January 11, 2016

12

Conscious Classrooms (CC) Rolling Out in GECDSB1. We are rolling CC out in all of our STEPS and GAINS classrooms over

the next three years.2. We are starting with our STEPS classroom at the end of October and

training will run until March 2019. 3. GAINS classroom training will begin in February 2019 and run until

June 2019. 4. We are training GECDSB staff as CC trainers so they can continue the

work of training more STEPS and GAINS staff as we continue to build capacity across the system.