When Classroom Management is Not Enough: Individualizing Classwide Applications of Positive Behavior

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When Classroom Management is Not Enough
Individualizing Class-wide Applications of
Positive Behavior Support

• Josh Harrower, Ph. D.
• California State University, Monterey Bay

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What about those kids?(who dont respond to
effective class-wide PBS plans)

• Secondary Prevention
• Small group work on social skills
• Check in/Check out
• Behavior contracts
• Tertiary Prevention
• Form a team
• Think in terms of function (gain/avoid)
• Teach replacement skills
• Alter/modify triggers
• Individualize incentives/consequences

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Check-in/Check-outBehavior Education Program

• A school-wide secondary level prevention program
  for students at-risk for the development of
  chronic and severe behavior problems
• A modified behavior contract, the BEP is
  coordinated by an adult who has contact with
  targeted students when the check-in and check-out
  of school each day.
• Crone, D., Horner, R., Hawken, L. (2003).
  Responding to Problem Behavior in Schools The
  Behavior Education Program. Guilford Press.

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Behavior Contracting

• A contract is a written agreement between a
  student and a teacher that is directed toward
  changing the youngster's behavior. 
• It is a motivational device in which you agree to
  provide a reward to the student if s/he completes
  a designated task or displays a certain behavior.
• The selected behavior is usually one that is
  exhibited less frequently than you would desire. 
  Therefore, you offer an incentive to the student
  to increase the occurrence of that behavior.

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Behavior Contracting Cont.

• The contract outlines time or amount constraints,
  the reinforcer to be administered, and any other
  necessary conditions. 
• Contracts should be positively oriented.  That
  is, they reward success, and the consequence of
  failure is that the reward is not accessed.

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Contracting

• Room 226 Contract
• Date
• During the week of ______________________________
  __________
• I will __________________________________________
  ___________
• If I do this, I will receive ____________________
  _______________
• We agree to the above terms.
• Teacher ____________________________________
• Student  ____________________________________
• Witness ____________________________________

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Contracting

• CONTRACT
• The following is an agreement between
  ___________________________________  and
  ________________________.
• The terms of the agreement are as follows
• The student will _________________________________
  ________________________________________.
• In return, the teacher will ______________________
  ___________________________________________.
• The following conditions apply
• 1.________________________________________________
  ____________________________.
• 2.________________________________________________
  ____________________________.
• 3.________________________________________________
  ____________________________.
•  

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How to Use Contracting

• Arrange a meeting with the selected student.
• 2. Discuss your concern about academic or
  behavioral performance and make it known that you
  are willing to make a deal in order to help
  him/her improve.

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How to Use Contracting

• 3. Be sure that the student understands the
  concept of contracts by asking him/her to give an
  example of a contract.
• 4. Explain contracting and give a few examples.
  Tell how movie stars, sports heroes, and persons
  in other professions of interest to the student
  are involved with contracts.

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How to Use Contracting

• 5. Inform the student of which behaviors you
  would be willing to reward.  You might also wish
  to ask the student which behaviors s/he feels
  need to be improved.
• 6. Have the student tell you for which activities
  or items s/he is willing to work.

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How to Use Contracting

• 7. Negotiate the ratio of task to reinforcement
  and agree upon the amounts.  Decide what must be
  done to receive the reinforcement.
• 8. Decide on the achievement level to be met by
  the student (e.g., 80 percent correct, less than
  three talk-outs per day). In order to ensure
  motivation and success, you may initially wish to
  start with the student's criteria at an easily
  achievable level and renegotiate later for a
  higher level of performance.

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How to Use Contracting

• 9. Determine the amount of time allotted to
  complete the task.
• 10.  Determine who will monitor and evaluate the
  student's performance. (The teacher usually does
  this.)
• 11.  Determine how and when the reinforcement
  will be awarded.

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Positive Behavior Support Tertiary

• Positive Behavior Support is a team-based process
  for creating individualized support systems for
  individuals.
• Positive Behavior Support is based on
  understanding the purpose of the individuals
  problem behavior.

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Positive Behavior Support Process

• Step 1- Identifying setting goals
• Step 2- Gathering information
• Step 3- Developing hypotheses
• Step 4- Creating a support plan
• Step 5- Carrying out the plan / making
  necessary changes

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Process of Positive Behavior Support Facilitator
s Guide Positive Behavioral Support http//rrtcp
bs.fmhi.usf.edu Step 1 Identifying Setting
Goals
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Positive Behavior Support Step 1 Setting Goals

• Developing a support team
• Collaboration
• Identifying broad and specific goals
• Person-centered planning
• The familys role

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Person-Centered Plan Sample Organizational Chart
Dream
People
Health
Choices
Strategies
Barriers and Supports
First Steps
Goals
Places
History
Respect
Hopes and Fears
Themes
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Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
2 Gathering Information (Functional Behavior
Assessment)
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Functional Assessment is based on the ABCs of
Behavior

• A antecedent
• events or factors that signal or remind us that
  there is an opportunity for reinforcement if we
  display specific behaviors
• B behavior
• what is done, said, thought, felt, etc.
• C consequence
• the events that happen after the behavior occurs.
  These may or may not be reinforcing to the
  student and thus impact the likelihood that the
  behavior will happen again.

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Functions of Behavior
GET
ATTENTION
SENSORY
TANGIBLE (objects activities)
GET AWAY
ATTENTION
SENSORY
TANGIBLE (objects activities)
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Scatter plot Data Sample
Student Jack Observer Teacher Date
1/8-1/18 Target Behaviors H Hitting S
Screaming
Dates
Time Activity
1/8 1/9 1/10 1/11 1/12 1/15
1/16 1/17 1/18
800 Breakfast at school

830 Circle Time
900 Math HS
H HS H H S
HS S
945 Reading H
HS S HS H H HS
HS HS
1030 Recess S
S H
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ABC Recording Form Student P.T Date
4/12/01 Observer D.B. Time 10 am till 1105
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Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
3 Developing Hypothesis Statements
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Hypothesis Statements Framework

• When this occurs (describe context)
• The child does (describe the behavior)
• To access or avoid (describe functions).

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Hypothesis Statement Sample

• When Beverly
• (Fast trigger) is not engaged with others or when
  shes engaged in activities for 15 minutes or
  longer (mostly during lunch or free time),
  especially (Slow trigger) if she did not get to
  sleep before 11 p.m. the previous evening or does
  not feel well,
• (What the student does) she screams, slaps her
  face and pulls her hair
• (In order to) gain access to teacher attention.

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Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
4 Designing Behavior Support Plans
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Designing Interventions

• Proactive change the environment to make
  problem behavior unnecessary
• Educative teach skills to make the problem
  behavior inefficient
• Functional manage consequences to make problem
  behavior ineffective

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Proactive Strategies
Strategies Remove a problem event Modify a
problem event
Instructional Examples Avoid difficult
independent work Shorten lessons Reduce of
problems Modify instructions
Social or Health Examples Avoid caffeinated
drinks Avoid large crowds Avoid long
delays Change voice intonation Use suggestive
rather than directive language
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Proactive Strategies (continued)
Strategies Intersperse difficult/ Unpleasant w/
easy or Pleasant events Block or neutralize
the impact of negative events
Instructional Examples Mix difficult problems w/
easy Mix mastered w/ acquisition tasks for
independent seat work Allow frequent breaks
during difficult work Reduce demands when student
appears agitated
Social or Health Examples Schedule non-preferred
activities among preferred Precede directives
with easily followed directives Provide
opportunities for rest when tired or ill Provide
time alone or time to regroup after negative
experience
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Proactive Strategies (continued)
Instructional
Social or Health Strategies Examples
Examples
Provide choice Include student preferences
Use cooperative learning State clear
expectations
Schedule preferred activities daily
Involve student in planning Provide variety of
activities Provide opportunities for social
interaction and daily exercise Promote a healthy
diet Make routines predictable/ understandable
Add events that promote desired behaviors
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Educative Strategies
Purpose Examples
Replacement Skills Prompt use of replacement
skill (Do you need help? What do you do to get
help?) Plan for practice using new skill
(during non-crisis times) Respond to requests for
break, play, help etc. Teach others to
understand communication system General/Coping/To
lerance skills Use praise, give stickers,
encourage self-record to control anger
Increase use of functionally
equivalent alternativeskills. Increase
use of general skills.
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Reduce outcomes of problem behavior.
Reinforce appropriate behavior
Functional Strategies
Purpose Examples

Provide corrective feedback Withhold
reinforcement for problem behavior (as
appropriate) Redirect to another activity
(prompt use of replacement behavior) Provide
praise, attention, break, tangibles, etc. when
engaged in or displaying appropriate behavior.
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Process of Positive Behavioral Support Facilitato
rs Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
5 Implementing the Plan and Monitoring the
Outcomes
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Attaining Specific Outcomes

• What to look for?
• Reductions in the individuals problem behavior
• Increases in use of alternative skills
• Revise plan to enable individual to decrease
  problem behavior / increase new behaviors
• Support plan has been implemented in a consistent
  manner
• Support plan hypotheses and support strategies
  have been re-evaluated over a specific period of
  time

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Attaining Broad Outcomes

• What to look for
• Increase quality of life goals
• Increased positive relationships with others
• Participation in school and community activities
• General health and well-being improved
• Individuals and familys increased level of
  satisfaction re personal growth development

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Thank You!

• Josh Harrower, Ph. D., BCBA
• Special Education
• CSU, Monterey Bay
• Josh_Harrower_at_csumb.edu