1. ALSUP Part 3: Steps to take after the ALSUP Program Support PLC
February 26, 2016

3. Step 1 Prioritize Accept that you can’t work on everything at once
Focus on the biggest issue… but how do you decide?
Safety: those unsolved issues contributing to unsafe behavior
Frequency: those unsolved problems contributing to incompatibility episodes most often
How about ask the student??? “What are people bugging you about? What are you getting in trouble for?”
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

4. Step 2 Pick a Plan Plan A: Solve the problem unilaterally
Plan B: Solve the problem collaboratively
Plan C: Set the problem aside for now
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

5. Plan A Unilateral Solution “I have decided that…”
The adult decides what the solution is and involves the imposition of adult will, often accompanied by adult-imposed consequences.
Often causes more incompatibility episodes
Does not involve kids in solving problems that affect their lives
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

6. Plan A Unilateral Solution
Should only be used in emergencies, once, if you have no other options, the solution should not be long term.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

7. Timing is
Everything
Crisis Management: Intervention is reactive and occurs emergently, in the heat of the moment “What should I do when…”
Crisis Prevention: Intervention is planned and occurs proactively, well before highly predictable incompatibility episodes occur again. “What should we do before?”
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

10. Plan B Collaborative Solution
Working with a team, including the student to find a proactive solution to the unsolved problems.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

11. Plan B Keeping track of the plan
Specify high-priority unsolved problems
Designate person primarily responsible for solving the problem with the child
Follow the remaining sequence to solve the problem
Add new unsolved problems as the old ones are solved.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

12. The Problem Solving Plan (formerly the Plan B Flowchart) was designed to help you keep track of the high-priority unsolved problems you’re currently working on and the progress you're making in solving them. Click here for the new printable/ editable/ fillable Problem Solving Plan.

13. Plan B Three Steps Empathy Step: Gather information
Define Adult Concerns Step
Invitation Step
The Plan B Cheat Sheet provides a handy overview of the key components you'll want to keep in mind when you're doing Plan B. (Click here)
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

14.  Empathy Step: Gather information about and achieve a clear understanding of the student’s concern or perspective on the unsolved problem you’re discussing.

15. Plan B
Empathy Step
The goal is to gather information from the student so as to achieve the clearest possible understanding of his concern or perspective on a given unsolved problem.
Should begin with the words, “I’ve noticed that…” followed by the unsolved problem and an initial inquiry, “What’s up?”
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

16. Plan B Empathy Step: Drilling
Use reflective listening and clarifying statements.
Ask who, what, where/when.
Ask why the condition occurs under some conditions but not all.
Ask the student what he/she is thinking during the unsolved problem.
Break the problem into component parts
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

17. Plan B
Empathy Step
Consider this a “solution free zone”, right now you are just listening
Stay neutral, non-defensive throughout, it is about them
Don’t rush the conversation
Don’t stop until you have a clear understanding of the student’s concern or perspective
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

18. Plan B Empathy Step: Silence
Allow for silence, ask information seeking questions
Figure out why the student is not talking:
Did you insert optioning into the conversation? Theories? Talk about maladaptive behaviors instead of lagging skills?
Have you established trust with the student?
Does the student need time to think?
Is he/she having a hard time putting feelings into words?
If you cannot get them to talk try some educated guessing and hypothesis testing.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

19. Plan B Empathy: Challenging Responses
“I don’t have a problem with that.”- start drilling, why does he/she think others do? It is his/her perspective… a good place to start.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” –assume there is a good reason, allow them to not talk, see if he/she will talk about why they don’t want to talk about it, try another day.
“I don’t have to talk to you.”- agree, let them know they are not in trouble, and that you are there to learn from the.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

20.  Define the problem step: Enter the concern of the second party (often the adult) into consideration

21. Plan B Define Adult Concerns Goal:
Enter the adult’s concern or perspective into consideration
Possibly beginning with,
“The thing is…”
“My concern is….”
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

22. This is considered a SOLUTION FREE zone
Plan B
Define Adult Concerns: What’s Hard
Adults frequently don’t know what their concerns are (tend to focus more on solutions)
If you get solutions instead of concerns on the table in the first two steps, that’s a power struggle (win/lose proposition)
Solving problems collaboratively is a win/win
This is considered a SOLUTION FREE zone
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

23. Plan B Define Adult Concerns: What’s Hard
Typically our concerns fall into two categories (impacting health, safety, learning…)
How the problem is affecting the kid
How the problem is affecting others
Some kids say they “don’t care” about your concern… then what?
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

24.  Invitation Step: Generate solutions that are realistic (meaning both parties can do what they are agreeing to) and mutually satisfactory (meaning the solution truly addresses the concerns of both parties)

25. Plan B FERB Invitation Step Goals:
Collaborate on a solution that is realistic and mutually satisfactory
Demonstrate to the student that you are as invested in getting his/her concerns addressed as well.
Come up with a solution so the problem does not come up again, not to come up with a solution for what to do in the head of the moment.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

26. Plan B Invitation Step: What’s Hard The wording:
Should recap two concerns so as to summarize the problem to be solved. Starts with, “I wonder if there is a way…”
The student is given the fist opportunity to generate solutions. “Do you have any ideas?” The resolution of the problem is a team effort.
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

27. Plan B Invitation Step: What’s Hard
You do not know where the conversation is going to go, do not preplan where you want the student to land.
Only address one concern in a session
Give deliberate consideration to the solution and mutually determine if it is realistic, do not just refine their solution
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

28. Walking away from a fight???
Plan B
Invitation Step
You end this step by coming to an agreement that you will return to discussions if the solution does not work over time
It does not stand the test of time if:
You were not as realistic as you thought
It was not as mutually satisfactory as thought
It didn’t address concerns that hadn’t yet been identified
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

29. Plan B Invitation Step A few more pointers for Plan B from Dr. Sprick
(AKA Planned Discussion):
Pre determine who you want in the discussion
(no more than two adults)
Schedule the discussion for a neutral time (not immediately after an incident)
Make an appointment with the student
If they are comfortable with it, keep a written record of the discussion & share it with them
Invitation Step

30. What can we do if the child is unable to communicate to us verbally?
Do we have to revert to Plan A?
If you're working with or parenting a child with significant language processing and communication delays, words may not be the ideal method for communicating about unsolved problems and solutions. Fortunately, problems and solutions can be depicted in pictures...you'll find a sampling here. (

31. Plan C Set the problem aside
Prioritize problems and decide some are not as important
Accept that it is okay and get the team to agree.
Don’t bring up the challenging behavior
Create an agreed-upon plan for tabling the problem for now: “We are working on other issues right now, how about we table this for later?”
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

32. Plan C Dr. Sprick, BRtI Set the problem aside
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Ross Greene, Ph.D

33. Getting them to talk Getting the team to listen