Working with Students with Behavioral Challenges Staff In-Service with Lee Copenhagen, MSW Collaborative Problem Solving

Challenging Students Manipulative Attention-seeking Coercive Unmotivated Limit-testing Passive Permissive Inconsistent

What we say about them: “He just wants attention” “He just wants his own way” “He’s manipulating us” “He’s not motivated” “He’s making bad choices” “His parents are incompetent disciplinarians” “He has a bad attitude” “He has a mental illness” “His brother was the same way”

Challenging students already know how we want them to behave They already want to behave the right way They’re already motivated They just lack important thinking skills “Won’t do” or “Can’t do” What factors are interfering with their skill acquisition?

Kids do well if they can. Kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges lack important thinking skills If a kid could do well he would do well First, assume he’s already motivated, knows right from wrong, and has been punished enough, Then, figure out what thinking skills he’s lacking so you know what skills to teach.

Their Maladaptive Responses The spectrum of things kids do when life’s demands exceed their capacity to respond adaptively: Cry, sulk, pout, whine, withdraw Screaming, swearing, spitting, hitting, kicking, destroying property, lying, truancy Self-injurious behavior, self-induced vomiting, drinking or using drugs to excess, stabbing, shooting Some kids when pushed to their limits don’t have the skills “to hold it together”

Consequences Rewards Extras, favored activity, free-time Punishments Being deprived of privileges, time-outs, detentions Two Goals of Imposed Consequences Teaching lessons about right and wrong ways to behave Giving incentives to behave the right way

Situational Analysis Behind every challenging behavior is an unsolved problem or a lagging skill (or both). Lagging skills (behavior) are the WHY Unsolved problems (triggers) are the WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE Natural, punishing, and illogical consequences; none teach cognitive lagging skills or help kids solve problems

Behavior 101 Antecedent Behavior Consequence trigger response result Positive consequences reward and reinforce behavior. School discipline programs: Behavior that ‘works’ for the student continues and maladaptive behavior is “gets” something desirable, or “escapes” or “avoids” something undesirable. But, punishments are seldom effective, and lose effect with repetition, even if progressively more harsh. What lagging skills are preventing the student from behaving adaptively?

CPI’s Integrated Experience Crisis Development/Behavior LevelsStaff Attitudes/Approaches 1. Anxiety: noticeable change in behavior1. Supportive: empathic, nonjudgemental 2. Defensive: starting to lose rationality2. Directive: re-direct, set limits 3. Acting-out: total loss of control3. Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® 4. Tension Reduction: decrease in emotional energy 4. Therapeutic Response: attempt to re-establish communication

Lagging Skills Executive functioning Skills Language processing skills Cognitive flexibility skills Social Skills see Thinking Skills Inventory (TSI)

Handling Unmet Expectations Plan A Adults impose their will on students Greatly increases the probability of acting-out Authoritarian, Strict Father model Plan C Dropping expectations, temporarily Passive model Plan B Resolving the problem in a realistic and collaborative manner Authoritative, nurturing parent model

Plan B (s) Emergency Plan B Timing Empathy with “what’s up?” Reflective Listening Proactive Plan B 1. Empathy (plus reassurance) 2. Define the problem 3. Invitation “I wonder if there is a way…?”

Filling the Gaps Plan B focus on unsolved problem (the why?) Simultaneously teaching skills Focus on: Who? What? Where? When? Differentiated discipline Fair does not mean equal

Collaborative Problem Solving Kids (and adults) do well if they can Behind every challenging behavior is an unsolved problem or a lagging skill

References Behavioral Challenges Are Falling Through the Cracks and How Lost at School: Why Our Kids with We Can Help Find Them. (2008). Ross W. Greene, Ph.D Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach.. (2006). Ross W. Greene & J. Stuart Ablon. Massachusetts General Hospital Aggression Replacement Training: A Comprehensive Intervention for Aggressive Youth, Rev Ed (1998). Arnold P. Goldstein, Barry Glick & John C. Gibbs. Positive Discipline in the Classroom (1993). Jane Nelson, Lynn Lott, & H. Stephen Glenn.

References (cont.) Aggression Replacement Training: A Comprehensive Intervention for Aggressive Youth, (Rev. Ed). (1998). Arnold P. Goldstein, Barry Glick, & John C. Gibbs. Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community. (10th Anniversary Ed.). (2006). Alfie Kohn. Don’t Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training, (Rev. Ed). (1999). Karen Pryor.