Transcript Understanding Classroom Behaviors

Understanding
Classroom Behaviors
Denise Jensen & Marcia Welsh
Agenda
• Classroom behaviors that get in the
way of learning.
• Why students may behave the way
they do.
• Strategies to use in the classroom.
Activity
• Discuss with a partner and write
down student behaviors that
interfere with learning.
Purpose of Behavior
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All behavior is telling us something.
Every behavior has a purpose, it is
goal directed, attempts to meet
their needs.
Identifying the goal of behavior
- To understand the purpose
- To reduce possible
misinterpretation of a behavior
- To teach alternative behaviors
Why Do They
Misbehave?
• Dreikurs: “Kids misbehave and seek
“mistaken goals” when they do not
have a sense of belonging or being
valued.
Goals of Behavior
(Dreikers)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Attention Seeking
Avoidance/Inadequacy
Power/Control
Revenge
Attention Seeking
Purpose: an attempt to get the
recognition they feel they deserve.
Behaviors:
Blurting Out
Refuse to work unless teacher hovers
Ask irrelevant questions or comments
Seeking Power or Control
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Argue
Contradict
Lie
Refuse to work or follow directions
Seeking Revenge
• Treat others cruelly/bullying
• Set themselves up to be punished
• Engage in pranks
Displaying inadequacy
• Passively refuse to participate
• Sit silently and don’t engage in
instruction
• Request to be left alone
How to identify the
“mistaken goal”
If students:
• Stop behavior, but then
repeat it
• Refuse to cooperate,
participate, or interact
• Refuse to stop and
increase misbehavior
• Become hostile/violent
Possible Goal:
Attention
Avoidance/
Inadequacy
Power/Control
Revenge
How to identify the
“mistaken goal”
If you feel:
The student is
probably seeking:
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Annoyed
Threatened
Hurt
Powerless
Attention
Power
Revenge
Inadequacy
Other Goals of Behavior
• Tangible
– Food
– Object
– Activity
• Sensory
– Stimulation
– Sensory Input
– Habit
ABC’s of Behavior
Antecedent – Behavior Consequence
Classroom Student’s
Response
Task
Possible
Possible
Contributing Solutions
Factors
Activity
• Discuss in small groups what you
believe to be your role and purpose in
the classroom?
• What goals do you have for yourself
and your students?
• What barriers are getting in the way
of achieving these goals.
Strategies
•
Manipulate the learning
environment…not the
behavior
This is where you have the greatest
control and will see inappropriate
behaviors diminish…and maybe be
extinguished!
• We can only control our behaviors, we
cannot force anyone to do anything.
Set students up for success
• Establish routines
• Discuss behavior expectations before an
activity
• Use student input
• Use proactive cooperation. Get them in a
cooperative mood
• Help them respond correctly. Give
hints/cues so they are successful in front
of their peers
So What Do We Do?
• Help develop a sense of belonging
• Create a feeling that they are valued
• Develop a “supportive team” spirit
Relationship is Key
• Work to establish a genuine relationship
• Provide genuine affirmation
• Preserve a student’s dignity, allow them to save
face
• Don’t take a student’s behavior personally – It’s
not about you!
• Strive to be patient, fair, firm, and consistent
• Accept that you cannot force anyone to do
something (you may win the battle, but lose the
war)
• Keep your sense of humor
• Show and expect respect
Strategies To Try
Attention:
• Provide acceptable ways of gaining
attention. This may need to be taught!
• Make an action plan in which student
receives positive attention (greet
student, praise student…)
• Provide academic supports (peer help,
modifications)
Power:
• Avoid power struggles. Stay out of the
“conflict cycle”. Seek solutions, not
blame
• Involve student in making decisions,
choices
• Give responsibilities
• Use an “I message” followed by a
question (I’m hearing you use language
that is not school appropriate. Could you
restate your opinion in a way that is
appropriate?)
Examples of “I” messages
• You weren’t listening. You’re gonna end up
on welfare or flipping burgers!
“I want my students to listen closely so they
can learn important things that will help
them succeed in life.” (Spell out the specific
behaviors that will demonstrate that they are listening. E.g. eyes
on the teacher, book open to the correct page, hands free on their
desk, etc.)
• If you use garbage mouth one more
time, you’re losing recess.
“I need to hear only school appropriate
words. Please try your statement
again.”
• You’re a rude, inconsiderate student.
“I feel bad when students behave in a
mean way when I know that there are
better ways to express things. How
about saying it in a polite way so I
won’t be distracted from what you
truly want.”
• What is wrong with this class? Why does
it take you forever to open your
notebooks? How do you expect to learn
anything if you take up half the morning
fooling around?
“I get impatient when we don’t get to work
promptly. I’m excited about teaching you
things that will help you. I like to see all
your notebooks opened and everyone ready
to begin when the bell rings.”
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Activity
Let’s Give it a try!
You’re out of your chair again!
What’s wrong with you?
You don’t have your assignment done again!
You better start paying attention
You’re late again
What are you doing in the hall again?
You’re always trying to find a way to get
out of class.
• You’re doing it all wrong. Weren’t you
paying attention?
Revenge Seeking
• Provide activities that help students
view each other positively
• Build a relationship outside the
classroom
• Expect resistance due to trust issues.
Be persistent.
Displaying Inadequacy
• Offer encouragement and support
• Blame the lack of success on
curriculum, materials, even the way
the lesson was presented, but do not
blame the student
• Set the student up for success and
recognize his/her effort…not grades
• Never show frustration…this may
reinforce the sense of worthlessness
How do we guide students into
appropriate behavior?
Rephrase Our Comments: When addressing
misbehavior, “delete” from our
commentary…
• “Why” questions (e.g. “Why did you do
that?”)
• The word “you” (e.g. “You better stop
that.”)
• The words “No” and “Don’t”
• Lecturing/Nagging/Berating
Need a reason for
“deleting”?
• All of these place blame rather than
seek solutions. They make matters
worse rather than better!
The “Why Questions”
• Asking “why” really translates into
“I gotcha!”
• Promotes finding a defense…lying
which now gives a new behavior to
deal with
• Use “why” only when you really can
produce concern/caring
“You”
• Attacks, hurts, is condescending,
controlling
• Fails to solve the problem
• Puts them “on stage”
• Often leads to more power struggles
Remember the Goal!
• Examples:
You ask a student to open his book
and read. He pushes his desk,
swears, walks to the other side of
the room and yells, “I’m not opening
that book.”
His Goal:
• Avoidance/Failure
Why??? He gets bossed around a lot
at home. He had a problem before
class and he’s upset about something
else………….He can’t read
Activity
A student finishes his part of the
activity ahead of his classmates.
He starts drumming his hands on
the desk. You ask him to stop, but
he continues.
(Identify the student’s possible goal, how
you are feeling, and a strategy to
address the behavior.)
Activity
You ask a disruptive student to leave
the room. He does, but on his way
out he turns off the lights.
(Identify the student’s possible goal, how
you are feeling, and a strategy to address
the behavior.)
Activity
A student arrives in class wearing his
hat. You remind him of the rules but
he continues to wear it.
(Identify the student’s possible goal, how
you are feeling, and a strategy to address
the behavior.)
Remembering the Goal!
• What is the goal for the classroom
• Consider the student’s motivation for
the behavior
• Will traditional interventions
(warnings, punishments, exclusion,
and orders work or make the
situation worse?)
• What can I do to adjust my behavior
right now to meet the goal of the
classroom? (offer help, planned
ignore, involve the student)
• What type of follow-up is needed to
teach the student new skills so
he/she can learn socially appropriate
ways to express himself/herself in
the future?
Avoiding “No” and “Don’t”
• Doesn’t tell kids what behavior you want to
see…so it won’t happen
• If you want a student to display a
behavior, teach it like academic material
• Kids hear action words so
“Don’t run” =“ Run”
“Stop yelling” = “Yell”
Lecturing About Behavior
• Lecturing is nagging and comes across
as blah, blah, blah, blah…..
• Nagging…causes embarrassment,
negative self image, and retaliation
Positive Strategies
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Give clear directions
Use a neutral, calm voice
Give yourself and the student time
Use enforceable statements
Use few words
Offer choices
Discipline in private
Tag team
Follow through with consequences
A Final Word: Respect!
How do we get respect? How do we
show respect?
• Listen to the student
• Show concern for their welfare
• Pay attention to them Outside the
classroom
• Use humor…but avoid sarcasm
• Recognize effort, not
correctness
• Point out progress made no
matter how small
• Believe in their potential
Resources
Web sites:
• www.mcspecialeducation.com
• www.schoolbehavior.com
• www.interventioncentral.org
• www.choiceskills.com
• www.webehave.com
• www.raisingsmallsouls.com
• www.bpchildren.com
• http//.pbskids.org
• www.firelightbooks.com
• www.wihd.org/