1. Managing the Cycle of Acting Out Behavior in the Classroom
By Geoff Colvin

2. When acting out behavior occurs, we often only look at end incident.
Prerequisite Academic Skills
Signs of Agitation
Escalating Behavior Chain
Presence of Successive Interactions
Read scenario from pages 4-5.
Review each elements then discuss:
Prerequisite Academic Skills: does student understand the assignment? Does he have skills to complete the work? Or has he mastered subject and is bored?
Signs of Agitation: Agitated state not addressed? What if teacher had said “Are you OK?” or “Do you need some time?” (supportive)
Escalating Behavior Chain: Questioning-Arguing-Non-compliance & defiance-verbal abuse-assault. If this chain were interrupted at an early stage, there would be nothing to prompt the more serious behavior occurring at the end of the chain. If the preceding behavior is not present,or interrupted, then the next behavior will not occur.
Presence of Successive Interactions: for each student behavior there is a corresponding or reciprocal teacher behavior and vice versa (integrated experience)

3. A Seven-Phase Model for Describing Acting-Out Behavior
Calm
Triggers
Agitation (Anxiety)
Acceleration (Defensive)
Peak (Acting Out)
De-escalation (Acting Out)
Recovery (Tension Reduction)
Characteristics of calm phase: Overall behavior is cooperative and acceptable.
Triggers: setting events, aversive stimuli, antecedents, past history, negative circumstances

4. Calm Phase
Overall behavior is cooperative and acceptable

5. Triggers
Also called “setting events,” “aversive stimuli,” “antecedents,” …
School-based
Nonschool-based
School-based— conflicts -need for attention not met
Bumped into by another student
Changes in routine
Peer provocation
Pressure
Ineffective problem solving
Academic challenges
Non school based
High needs homes
Health problems
Nutrition needs
Inadequate sleep
Dual diagnosis which lead to negative medication interactions
Substance abuse
Deviant peer groups

6. Agitation Often a function of inability to handle Triggers
Noticeable change in behavior
Student is unfocused and behavior is nondirected
Leave me alone

7. Acceleration
Behavior becomes focused and directed (usually toward staff)
Overall behavior is staff-engaging leading to further negative interactions
Questioning and Arguing
Noncompliance and Defiance
Off-Task Behavior
Provocation of Others
Avoidance and Escape
Whining and Crying
Threats, Intimidation, Verbal Abuse, Destruction of Property…

8. Peak
Often represent threat to safety of others or to the involved student
Overall behavior is out of control
Serious destruction of property
Self-abuse
Running Away
Attacks on staff

9. De-escalation Reintegration process
Overall behavior shows confusion and lack of focus
Confusion
Reconciliations
Withdrawal
Denial, Blaming Others
Responsiveness to concrete directions
Avoidance of debriefing
Confusion: wandering around room, fidgeting, toying with items,
Reconciliation: say they are sorry, try to “make up” with teacher
Withdrawal – sleep, put head down

10. Recovery Returns to nonagitated and relatively normal state
Shows an eagerness for busy work and reluctance to interact
Eagerness for independent work or activity
Subdued behavior in group work
Subdued behavior in class discussion

11. Strategies-Proactive Strategies for Maintaining Calm Phase
Design physical space of classroom
Establish a practical schedule
Establish classroom expectations
Establish classroom routines
Managing Instruction

12. - Precorrection Strategies for Triggers Phase
Identify the context (trigger) and predictable behavior problem
Specify expected behaviors
Modify the context
Conduct behavior rehearsals
Provide strong reinforcement for occurrences of expected behaviors
Prompt expected behaviors
Monitor the plan

13. -Teaching Social Skills for Managing Triggers Phase
Social skills are learned behaviors that can be taught.
Behavior management problems are social skills problems.
Social skills are prerequisites for academic and school success
The approach and components of social skills instruction are fundamentally the same as academic instruction.
Social skill instruction alone may be ineffective with high risk or high needs students.

14. Calming Strategies for Managing Agitation Phase
Teacher Empathy
Assist Student to Focus on the Task
Provide Space
Provide Assurances and Additional Time
Permit Preferred Activities (within set parameters)
1.Are you doing OK? Do you need To sit for a bit and I will be back shortly?
2. Shifts students attention from Triggers-”Here. Let me do the first problem. Now let’s see you do the next.”
3. Less like to be provoked by others; opportunity to settle down and refocus

15. Independent Activities Passive Activities Movement Activities
Teacher Proximity
Independent Activities
Passive Activities
Movement Activities
Student Self-Management Where Appropriate
Passive activities: listening to a story, quiet independent reading, watching a video—good after recess, gym, high stimulation times
Movement Activities- antiseptic bounce, cleaning the chalkboard, passing out materials

16. Defusing Strategies for Managing Acceleration Phase (Last Opportunity to Avoid Peak Behavior)
Consciously avoid escalating prompts.
Agitated behavior from staff such as shouting
Cornering the student
Engaging in power struggles
Moving into the student’s space
At this phase, student will try to engage staff; response may escalate behavior.

17. Touching or grabbing the student
Sudden or very quick movements
Using “put-down” statements
Becoming defensive and arguing
Communicating anger and frustration through body language

18. Maintain calmness, respect and detachment
Modeling of appropriate behavior is essential

19. Approach the student in a nonthreatening manner
Move slowly and deliberately toward the problem situation.
Speak privately if possible.
Speak calmly.
Minimize body language.
Keep a reasonable distance.
Speak respectfully.

20. Establish an eye level position. Be brief.
Stay focused on the problem at hand.
Avoid power struggles.
Acknowledge cooperation.
Withdraw if the situation escalates.
Withdraw: terminate the discussion if the problem behavior escalates. Follow school emergency procedures.

21. Use nonconfrontational limit-setting procedures
Present the expected behavior and the negative consequence as a decision for the student to make.
Allow time for the student to decide (usually less than a minute.)
Withdraw from the student, attend to other students or engage in some other task.
Follow through
Examples on pp

22. Debriefing Session (problem solving to better equip student to exhibit appropriate behavior) After behavior occurs:
Identify the sequence of events
Pinpoint decision making moments during the sequence of events
Evaluate the decisions
Identify acceptable decision options for future situations.

23. Safe Management Strategies for Peak Phase
Clear School or District Policy
Identification of Possible Emergency Situations

24. Reintegration Strategies for Managing De-escalation Phase
Transition from Peak behaviors to normal activities
Isolate the student
Engage in independent work with clear criteria
Complete exit paperwork
Restore the environment
Resume the regular schedule
Independent work—if uncooperative, needs more time to settle or to complete task
Make sure it is task that student has mastery of
Set reasonable standards for completion—neatness, time allotted. Do not move to next step until task is completed
After debriefing determine an appropriate consequence. If tore up room, then must clean up. If upset another student, must do something nice for that student.
Restore environment refers to cleaning up. If area already cleaned up, then needs to be given some “community service” jobs in room.
Do steps in order to gain gradual compliance.

25. Resumption Strategies for Recovery Phase
Transition Steps
Provide strong focus on normal routines
Do not negotiate the consequences for the serious behavior.
Strongly acknowledge occurrences of problem solving behaviors
Communicate support and expectation that student can succeed
Review and implement plan from debriefing
Returning to classroom from another setting—may return to Triggers that initiated last behavior

26. Not an aversive consequence Should only take 3-5 minutes
Debriefing Plan
Not an aversive consequence
Should only take 3-5 minutes
Occurs after student has been calm for at least 20 minutes
Process
Review the problem incident to identify triggers
Establish alternative responses to triggers
Focus on a smooth transition to classroom activity

27. Managing the Cycle of Acting Out Behavior
By Geoff Colvin
Behavior Associates
PO Box 5633
Eugene, OR
(Available through Amazon.com)