Intensive Teaching Interactions Pre-Service Workshop

Intensive Teaching The process of de-escalating a youth who is out of instructional control.

AGENDA Handling emotionally charged situations Behaviors staff youth Process and expectations

Goals of Intensive Teaching Calm Youth Down Help Youth Regain Control Complete Role Plays to Help Youth Learn Alternative Behavior

Intensive Teaching Praise Approximations “You are doing a good job using a calmer voice tone.” Positive Motivation Statements “ You can earn positive points just for sitting in the chair” Empathy and Reality Statements “ I know it’s difficult to stop crying, but you’ll feel better when this is over.” Quiet Time “ Why don’t you take 5 minutes and relax, then we can try it again.” Relaxation Techniques Deep breathing, stretches, shaking out arms, etc Start positive corrections Voice and Body Check “ I need you to sit up straight like me, and in a calm voice say ‘I’m ready to accept my consequences”

FAMILY TEACHERS REMEMBER TO….. WHAT ARE POWER STRUGGLES? Power struggles occur whenever you are trying to make the youth do or not do something instead of giving them choices. Some examples would be : Trying to grab something from them Trying to move them somewhere Verbally arguing or engaging with youth when they make comments they know are offensive or untrue. r Stay Calm Speak Slowly Reasonable Proximity Avoid Power struggles

What Can Positive Corrections look like during the de-escalation process? 1. Role Plays “ Let’s practice how to accept consequences and you can earn some positive points.” 2. Following Instructions “ For sitting in that chair you just earned points back.” 3. Correcting Mistakes “ You can start earning some of the points back by cleaning up the point card you ripped up and rewriting it neatly” 4. Completing tasks such as assignments, chores, etc, “ Why you are getting ready to do a voice and body check why don’t you start earning some of those points back by doing the dishes and then we will see how you feel.”

Intensive Teaching , Use combination of Empathy Statements Reality Statement Praise approximations and use motivation statements Time to control emotions; quiet time 3. When Youth Starts to De- escalate Do Voice and Body Checks Start having youth earn points back Role Play following instructions, accepting consequences and original issue.

Intensive Teaching Consequences and Role Plays Example Pre-Teach Accepting Consequences Negative Consequences Write Down Consequence -50,000 Positive Consequences Youth Earns +5,000 for Accepting Consequence (PC) Complete a Role Play for Following Instructions Youth Earns +5,000 for Following Instructions Complete a Role Play for Accepting Feedback Youth Earns +5,000 for Accepting Feedback Praise Youth Corrective Teaching / Original Issue No more than 1/3 pts

Intensive Teaching Original Issue Return to the Original Issue and Do a Complete Corrective Teaching Interaction

Intensive Teaching Sandwich Original Issue Accepting Consequences Non-Responsive/ Intensive Teaching (Following Instructions) De-escalation Non-Responsive/ Intensive Teaching Consequence and Role Play (Following Instructions) Accept Consequences Consequence and Role Play Original Issue Consequence and Role Play

Intensive Teaching Follow - Up Role-Play Skills Discuss a Relaxation Technique / Self-Control Strategy Apologies Teach Relationship Building Skills Reinforce Appropriate Behaviors Follow-Up During the next 24 hours

General Advice Finish what you start. You may trade off with another staff, but finish the interaction when you can. Document episodes - Frequency, Duration, and Intensity. Inform your consultant. Assess yourself critically: relationships, use of preventive teaching, quality components, consistency, etc. Remember not to engage in any arguments with the youth, do not let them “push your buttons” Just say “ Right now I just need you to follow instructions, we can talk about that later if you would like.” Do not listen to what the youth says, watch what they do. Try to maintain as normal as schedule as possible; business as usual

Frequent Out-Of-Control Episodes May Be Signs of Insufficient Preventive Teaching (particularly to basic skills) Relationship Development Problems Inconsistent Teaching / Tolerances (threats, frequent prompts, avoiding teaching, lecturing or counseling rather than using corrective teaching) High Tolerances (ignoring or not recognizing inappropriate behavior) Unintentional reinforcement for that behavior

RESOURCES

SEE NON-RESPONSIVE TEACHING INTERACTIONS FOR RESOURCE MATERIAL

Intensive Teaching Interactions Pre-Service Workshop This training presentation is available for download at: © 2007 Utah Youth Village.