1. The Power of Parents Diana Browning Wright Diagnostic Center,
Presented by:
All you need to know about me
Agenda – 2 breaks, lunch, model team approach
Packet review
Norms –ask questions about content – “I have a student who…”
take care of your personal needs
RAISED HAND MEANS CALL TO ORDER
Diana Browning Wright
Diagnostic Center,
Southern California

2. Diagnostic Centers California Department of Education
Diagnostic Center, South
4339 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA
(323)

3. Who am I?

4. P E N T

5. And who are you?
Behavior specBICMS?PENT members/psych/s& l/teachers/ admin
Deep understanding middle level novice

6. Agenda for this Evening
Review reinforcement and punishment principles---How to get your child to do what you want using positive techniques
Informal conversation on topics of your choice
To see if the principles, concepts, methods and requirements are all present

7. Parents Are Powerful Why?
We are the most significant socializing agents in our child’s early environment
We teach how to “behave” and “misbehave”
Our appropriate responses teach
Our inappropriate responses teach as well! But not what we had in mind!
Audience –Read along w/ me p.1
Ideally, BSP is what you do BEFORE the beh occurs
Every student is entitled to FAPE. Any beh which interfere with the learning prcess so that all may benefit
Shall=must
Intervention = bsp
“Proacttive acton planning to address behaviors that are impeding learning
Another reason why………………
(Pg 2 goes into greater detail re: fed & state law)

8. Grounding Principle NO technique will work if we
don’t genuinely loveour child AND our child absolutely believes that we do.
Parents must show they love their child or no techiques will work!
This key on the bottom is so when you go back and read these notes to your friends or family at dinner tonight, you’ll highlight these key concepts
Desiree vs Teddy
What I needed with Desiree was to assume the philosophy of

9. The Rogers Boys “I like you just the way you are!”
When I prepared this slide, Mr. Rogers was still on this planet
Dirty profane retarded Michael – staff found something they to like in him.
You should have seen his brother
“Unconditional positive regard”
Carl
and
Fred

10. Are you a dog person? Some of our children are like eager puppies
Raise your HANDS Why? What is it you like about dogs?
Loyal
Obedient
Loving
companionable

11. Or are you a cat person? Some of our children are like cats!
Raise hands. Dog people: What don’t you like about cats?
independent,
Do what they want
Don’t care what you want
Egocentric
How many prefer dogs? WELL,

12. Children who behave like cats in school and at family gatherings….

13. Your current teen with attitude…
I look for tips when I’m in classrooms. One teacher told me how he dealt with this problem with his ED high school students (many cats in one class).
He remembers that

14. And still needs your loving support
was once…..
Have the students bring in baby pictures. Even the most hardened teenager has a soft spot for his own baby picture.
And still needs your loving support

15. Let’s go over some simple facts about behavior
Let’s go over some simple facts about behavior. We don’t need a complicated instruction manual

16. Behavior Is Learned… He didn’t inherit it from another family member
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

17. Behavior When it is reinforced… It tends to occur more often
Physical touch, praise, privileges, attention from desired persons, self-satisfaction
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

18. Behavior When it is ignored… It tends to occur less often
if no reinforcement is received—if nothing is received or removed by this behavior
But beware of all sources of reinforcement!
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

19. ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

20. Store Behavior Example
If you give Billy undivided attention for screaming in the store, or worse yet, a toy…he will scream regularly in stores
If you give Billy no reinforcement, it will occur less often
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

21. Behavior Is regulated by its consequences…
It will occur frequently if a person gets something desired, or gets rid of something undesired after the behavior is used
ABC dance SIGNS- HAND OUT. HERE’S THE BEHAVIOR EG, CALLING OUT – FOCUS ON CONSEQ, EITHER PUNISH (TAKE AWAY PRIVILEGES) OR Reinforce – give check marks when he raises his hand. But ignoring the function – e.g. calls out because of great anxietly, or to get peer attention, or to derail a hard lesson, or to obtain teacher attention
Old way – all the time spent on C
Consequence based plan depends on the assumption that a strong enough, tho legal, punishment, or a strong enough, tho legal, reinforcer can be found to change a behavior
e.g. extreme case scenario: severely disabled adolescent boy who frequently masturbates.
What punisher – restraints?
What reinforcer? – M&Ms?
AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT FUNCTION TO DETERMINE WHAT PURPOSE A BEHAVIOR SERVES TO THE STUDENT

22. Using Positives with Our Children
Be sincere. Watch your:
Body
Tone of voice
Eye contact
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
Not this!

23. Children Learn What We Demonstrate
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
Not this!

24. Using Positives with Our Children
Be specific
Describe exactly the behavior you liked
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

25. Using Positives with Our Children
Get excited!
Don’t save all your emotion
for when you are mad about a behavior
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

26. Using Positives with Our Children
Praise abundantly
There is no maximum if you are sincere!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

27. Praise That Impacts Behavior
Touch your child if s/he likes it
Get eye contact on child level,
not looking down
Use your relaxed voice
Smile, lean forward
State what you like in short, specific, clear language appropriate to the child’s age
E.g. “Good listening!”; “It feels good to be listened to”; “Thanks for Listening”
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
Praise as soon after the behavior as you can

31. Praise That Flops Non-specific Too superficial
Too flip, no eye contact
Not linked to what was done
“You are all so great”
“Good boy”
“Great work”
“You are terrific”
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
Carl and Fred Know Better!

32. Using Positives with Our Children
Once is not enough
New behaviors especially take time
Don’t get discouraged!
Remember the power of the unexpected powerful reinforcer
Intermittent reinforcement creates lasting change
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

33. My Mother’s Strategy This is Carl and Fred!
An example of the power of “Intermittent Reinforcement”
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

34. Advanced Strategy This is Carl and Fred! Step by Step, Inch by Inch
Don’t wait for the whole behavior
Break it down!
Mike, good looking at me
Now put on your shirt.
You picked it up. Good listening!
Now over your head. Both arms in the holes
It’s over your shoulders. Good!
Now pull down. Great! You have it on!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is Carl and Fred!

35. Mixed Messages This isn’t Carl and Fred! Praise, but take it away with
your tone of voice,
a negative word thrown in,
going on too long,
adding expectations,
discounting an achievement
or dragging the past or the future into the praise
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

36. Poor Parenting This isn’t Carl and Fred! “Expects good behavior”
Doesn’t provide praise and celebrate
Waits until they’re misbehaving and punishes harshly
At other times, ignores the same behavior that was harshly punished before
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

37. Mixed Messages This isn’t Carl and Fred! Praise, but take it away with
your tone of voice,
a negative word thrown in,
going on too long,
adding expectations,
discounting an achievement
or dragging the past or the future into the praise
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

38. Drag into the Past This isn’t Carl and Fred!
Good work! You are FINALLY done!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

39. Discount and Drag into the Past
“I KNEW you could do it if you applied yourself!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

40. Too Long This isn’t Carl and Fred!
I’m so proud of you. Daddy loves it when you use the potty on your own. Daddy is soooo happy. Thank you for going and listening to Mommy and Daddy and obeying Daddy……
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

41. Dragging into the future and adding another expectation
I am pleased you passed your test today at school. Do you think you can do better tomorrow and get all your work done too?
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

42. Adding Expectations This isn’t Carl and Fred!
You made your bed nicely, but look at the floor and in your closet!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

43. Discounting and Reminding of the Past
Thank you for doing the dishes. Now that wasn’t so bad was it? They weren’t that hard to do!
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This isn’t Carl and Fred!

44. Summary This is the message of Carl and Fred!
Genuine Praise is a Powerful Tool
Praise correctly used is the best
way to teach our children what we
want them to know and do
The new behavior still has to meet the old behavior’s need.
e.g., if throwing the spelling paper off the desk was a protest, replacing the page with a shorter page doesn’t satisfy the need to protest. You can decrease the need to protest but must offer an acceptable manner to protest. l
This is the message of
Carl and Fred!

45. Problems in Using Punishment
Punishment tends to be more connected to the emotions of adults than to the behavior of children
If we punish when we are mad, the child sees the frightening display and focuses on the adult, not on his/her behavior

47. Problems in Using Punishment
Punishment may be teaching a child to rely on external controls of behavior rather than on one’s own value system
Punishment ALWAYS has two side effects: FLIGHT and FIGHT
Punishment strains relationships

48. Problems in Using Punishment
Punishment often doesn’t provide enough information about desirable alternatives

49. Problems in Using Punishment
Punishment tends to be more connected to the emotions of adults than to the behavior of children
If we punish when we are mad, the child sees the frightening display and focuses on the adult, not on his/her
behavior

50. Problems in Using Punishment
Punishment often generates aggressive reactions
Beware the “kick the dog” phenomena; the punished inflicts punishment on younger, weaker available targets

51. Problems in Using Punishment
A spiral of acting out can occur
The fight response
Punishment tends to result in the child hiding the full range of behavior from the parent
The flight response

52. What Limit Setting is Effective?
Support the alternative behaviors you want
Correct, redirect and plan with your child
Example: Bedtime visiting dialogues
Collaborate on Logical Consequences
Make sure the child is sure of the rationale for your decision
Explain the logical consequence of rule breaking
“Does this make sense to you?” “Do you know why consequences need to apply?”
“Positive Behavior Support” is a conceptual approach that is rapidly changing how we approach problem behavior. By focusing on the following approaches and key concepts, even behaviors that have been occurring for a long time can be changed. These concepts are radically different from reduction approaches that simply try to either punish the student for the behavior, or reward the student if s/he stops the problem behavior.

53. Small Infractions Strategy
Deliver a “Corrective Sandwich” using 4 steps
Use a relaxed voice tone, eye contact, leaning forward, not looking down on the child
Tell what you have liked recently
“You are listening nicely, Peter. And we just had a great dinner together”
Tell the inappropriate and the appropriate
“But just now you screamed ‘Noooo!” when I told you it was bed time.” When I say, bedtime you need to say, “Ok, Mom. But may I finish this last thing?”
Ask for practice
Use “dangling sentences” to plan what to do
Praise Success
“Positive Behavior Support” is a conceptual approach that is rapidly changing how we approach problem behavior. By focusing on the following approaches and key concepts, even behaviors that have been occurring for a long time can be changed. These concepts are radically different from reduction approaches that simply try to either punish the student for the behavior, or reward the student if s/he stops the problem behavior.

54. Problem Behaviors: A Modern Viewpoint
Key Concept:
This behavior has worked in the past, or it is currently working to either:
get something the student desires or
avoid or protest something the student wishes to remove.
Functional Behavioral Assessment tries to determine which is occurring as a result of what

61. Examples of functions of behavior:
  Billy 
Billy throws his homework on the floor because it is hard work for him. When he does this, his face shows anger and frustration.
His actions are a protest.

62. Examples of functions of behavior:
Dolores
Dolores has problems at school.
She giggles and disrupts
peers around her because
she enjoys the attention and
reactions she gets and her face
shows pleasure and excitement.
Her actions are to get social attention, even when that attention from peers is one of displeasure and disapproval.

63. Bruce Examples of functions of behavior:
Bruce uses swear words not related to what is going on around him. His face shows pleasure and excitement and he uses these words as a method of starting a conversation, e.g., his parents and peers immediately tell him not to use these words and start conversing with him about the use of appropriate language.
His actions are to get social interactions started.

64. Positive Behavioral Support Principle:
Behavior is related to the context/ environment in which it occurs.
Key Concept:
Something is either present in the environment, or NOT present in the environment which increases the like-
lihood the problem
behavior will occur.

65. Examples of context/environment impact on problem behavior:
Billy
Billy has NOT YET received
support to complete difficult
work. He throws math
or reading worksheets that
appear long and hard to him
on the floor.

66. Examples of context/environment
impact on problem behavior:
Dolores
Dolores has NOT YET received direct
instruction on how to appropriately
make and keep friends. Her peers
reinforce her behavior inadvertently by
their strong responses. Her peers have neither learned how to reinforce her for appropriate behavior, nor learned how to change their loud expressions of disapproval in response to Dolores’ behavior.

67. Examples of context/environment impact on problem behavior:
Bruce
Bruce has NOT YET received instruction on how to initiate social conversation without the use of his attention-getting swear words. His peers have not learned how to direct Bruce to use the alternative method of attention-seeking rather than giving him attention by correcting him for his attention-seeking behaviors. They will be important in shaping a new behavior.

68. Positive Behavioral Support Principle:
There are two strands to a complete behavior plan.
Key Concept:
Changing behavior requires addressing both the environmental features (removing the need for use of problem behavior to get needs met) AND developing a replacement behavior (teaching a functionally-equivalent behavior that student can use to get that same need met in an acceptable way).

69. Examples of two strand, complete approaches:
Strand One: Billy’s team decided, and
his teacher agreed, that she will alter his
homework so that hard work will not
appear overwhelming to him (Thus,
removing his need to protest).
Strand Two: Billy also be taught
an acceptable protest for work that
appears difficult, such as calling a
parent over to help,
asking for assistance in breaking up the task, asking for a break, etc. (Thus, Billy will have new functionally-
equivalent alternative behavior he can use).

70. Examples of two strand, complete approaches:
Dolores
Dolores’ team, decided she will receive
instruction on how to make and keep
friends. Her peers will receive instruction
in how to calmly redirect her to use
appropriate interactions to achieve
their brief expressions of approval (remove need to get social attention in maladaptive ways). Dolores will learn brief interactions during work periods that result in social approval from her peers, yet do not disrupt others (get social attention with functionally-equivalent alternative behavior).

71. Examples of two strand, complete approaches:
Bruce
Bruce’s teachers will provide collaborative
learning opportunities that allow Bruce to
be in sustained social interactions with his
peers (removes need to use swear words
to start a social interaction). Bruce will be
taught specific social interaction initiation
techniques and his peers will be taught
how to prompt him to use these techniques (functionally equivalent ways of starting a social dialogue).

72. Positive Behavioral Support Principle:
New behavior must get a pay-off as big or bigger than the problem behavior.
Key Concept:
To achieve maintenance of a new behavior, it must be reinforced.
Reinforcement is actions we take, privileges or tangibles we give, that the student really wants to get, and therefore he/she does the behavior again and again to get that reinforcement.

73. Four Considerations for Reinforcement
Power
Will getting this very infrequently still work?
Frequency
How often is necessary?
Variety
Will satiation/boredom happen?
Immediacy
Will s/he grasp that the behavior earned the reinforcer? e.g. It wasn’t random

77. Use Grandma’s Rule when you can!
First work, then play
First the hard thing, then what you like
Activities can be used as reinforcers!
You do what I want you to do, before you get to do what you want to do
Be calm, matter of fact, sympathetic but unyielding

78. Find out what the student typically seeks in the environment.
Ask the child what s/he likes, observe him/her during free time. Does she like computer games? Adults to praise her work? Opportunities to shoot hoops with Dad? Make access to the reinforcer you discover contingent on performing the desired behavior. Parental real praise is often the most desired of all reinforcers and nothing else is required.

79. Examples of Reinforcement of Replacement Behavior: Billy
Billy’s parents will praise his use of the
new form of protest behavior i.e.,
calling them over to tell the teacher
the work looks hard. (Efficacy
evidence: Billy’s behavior shows he
is really pleased by any positive
attention from adults.)

80. Examples of Reinforcement of Replacement Behavior: Dolores
Dolores’ circle of friends will meet daily for
5 minutes at recess to praise Dolores for
her quiet, quick checking in with them
during a work period that does not disrupt
work. Dolores and her friends will all receive
points toward lunch with the teacher for their teamwork and support of each other. (Efficacy evidence: Dolores and her friends chose this reinforcer at the beginning of the intervention, telling the teacher how much they wanted the opportunity to be in the “lunch crew” they had observed other students earning).

81. Examples of Reinforcement of Replacement Behavior:
Bruce
Bruce’s friends will award him “friendly
talking” points and a “high five” gestural acknowledgement each time he tries to
start a conversation using the language
scripts he has been taught. The teacher
will allow Bruce to choose from a menu
of tangible and activity reinforcers for every 10 points earned. (Efficacy evidence: Bruce loves the high fives from adults and peers and says he wants to earn the variety of reinforcers on the list).

82. Positive Behavioral Support Principle:
Decide how to handle problem behavior if it occurs again.
Key Concept:
There are four stages:
1) Beginning stage: Prompting the alternative replacement behavior;

83. Key Concept:
The behavior plan must specify reactive strategies across four stages:
2) Mid-behavior stage: The problem behavior is fully present and now requires us to handle the behavior safely through an individualized, careful deescalating of the behavior. This might include specific techniques, calming words, presenting of choices, distraction, and redirection. Each technique will be unique to your child. What has worked in the past is important to think about.

84. Key Concept:
3) Problem-solving/Debriefing stage: Debriefing with your child to review what happened, practice the alternative behavior again, and plan what to do next.
4) Required consequences stage: Clearly taken logical consequences, if needed at all, occur at the fourth stage, when everyone is calm.

86. Example of reactive strategies: Billy
Billy’s parents have considered four stages
of reactive strategies
as follows:
1. Beginning Behavior Stage: Use gestures Billy has been taught that are cues to Billy to use the alternative protest, i.e., call parent over to protest hard work. Parents have been taught the same “Stop and Think” gestural system used at Billy’s school.
Howard Knoff, Stop & Think Social Skills Program,

87. Example of reactive strategies:
Billy
Mid-behavior Stage:
Parents increase proximity to Billy,
point to the work on the floor, get on eye level, use calm voice requiring work to be replaced on desk, wait patiently for compliance and praise Billy for switching strategies. If Billy is too agitated to work, invite him to take a “Time Away” in a specified area. Praise his return when he is ready to work.

88. Example of reactive strategies:
Billy
3. Debriefing Stage: Billy’s parents discuss why he chose the old form of protest rather than his new alternative. They discuss what cues they can give to help Billy switch behaviors next time.

89. Example of reactive strategies:
4. Consequences Stage: If the behavior escalates to loud swearing, Billy will be sent to his room to cool off. When he is calm, his parents and Billy discuss his inappropriate behavior and plan what to do next. The amount of minutes lost in this process will be calculated and Billy will do extra chores for those lost minutes (work the parent might otherwise have been able to do). This logical consequence will appear “fair” when fully explained to Billy. Loss of privileges such as a movie with parents, staying up late on Friday night will very rarely be used to avoid side effects of punishment.

90. Who is my child? Current developmental stage Skill mastery levels
Personality, temperament, and
other unique characteristics
Parents must continue to respond to the unique being that is their child
Asking Mikey to eat in the cafeteria
Carl and Fred knew this!

92. Some children make social
errors without even realizing it
They need our instruction and support and full acceptance of their apologies

93. Some children show their distress openly, while others take it all in and suffer in silence.
Both types need our tenderness and protection from too much exposure to adult worries and concerns.

94. Some students become so absorbed in tasks.
They need us to get their full attention before we take actions or give directions.
Fictitious picture

95. Some of our children are joyous and moody in rapid succession
Some of our children are joyous and moody in rapid succession. They have short attention spans and slower developing skills in developing forethought and planning.
They make many social mistakes and need our calm teaching and debriefing.
Fictitious picture

96. Some of our children process language very slowly and need us to slow down, check for understanding and be brief.
Fictitious picture

97. Young adults need Carl and Fred from us just as much as when they were small, but may have trouble letting us know that for a few years.
They need us to remember their love, and continue to give ours liberally as they become adults on their own.
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98. Some of our children have moderate to severe mental retardation and require us to think very carefully about long range goals for education and quality of live now and in the future.
They also need us to celebrate small successes and love them without reservation.

99. Not so! Ask any psychotherapist working with adults!
Some of our children crave peer approval at high rates, fooling us into thinking our approval is less valued.
Not so! Ask any psychotherapist working with adults!
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100. Some of our children need our help in getting them engaged in peer activities and developing leisure interests in addition to our loving support.
They need high rates of approval and messages to enhance their sense of self worth.

101. Some of our children have learning disabilities and deeply need our validation that they are smart and can achieve great things.
They need high rates of praise, information about what they are good at, and support to achieve high academic standards.
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102. Some of our children struggle to fit in with peers and develop a positive image of themselves as their sexuality becomes of primary interest.
They need to know they are loved and accepted for who they are and can count on our support unconditionally.
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103. We need to gently seek them out to stay connected.
Some of our children speak softly and are overly concerned with our fatigue and busy-ness. They are too cautious in telling us what is on their minds.
We need to gently seek them out to stay connected.
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104. Some of our children have Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, requiring us to read their behavior very carefully to determine their happiness, distress or sensory overload.
They need us to celebrate who they are, provide the structure they need to thrive, and not overfocus on our fears for their future.

105. Some of our children have difficulty with anger
They need our support, our own management of our own angry responses, and time to cool down

106. Some of our children need help resisting the pull of troubled youth, and drugs
It is never too late to show you deeply care and will take action to protect their future

107. Your Thoughts?

108. Last Statement:
Let’s treasure our children for their uniqueness,
and celebrate the privilege of being their parent
Thank you for being here. Drive home safely.