Paraprofessional Behavior Module

Paraprofessional Behavior Module
Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Behavior Module Goals Paraprofessionals will have a basic understanding of what it means to function as part of a behavior team. Paraprofessionals will have a basic understanding of how to assist the supervising teacher in promoting and responding to student behaviors. Paraprofessionals will understand the importance of collecting and using data to support behavior change in students.

Competency One A basic understanding of the purpose of behavior programs and the philosophical basis underlying the selection of the strategies and techniques that the supervising teacher may employ. Paraprofessionals need to have a basic understanding of the purpose and philosophy of the behavioral strategies and techniques that may be employed by the supervising teacher.

Your Role As a hands-on caregiver of people with special needs or challenging behaviors, you have a unique and important role in their lives. Positive interactions with the people you care for will help them have a better quality of life and better behavior and will ultimately make the time you spend with them more enjoyable. It is important that the paraprofessional and the supervising teacher both agree that the purpose of any behavior change program is to aid the student in displaying behaviors conducive to learning, and that the main vehicle to achieve our purpose is through the use of positives and proactive strategies and interventions Our main goal should always be how to teach and encourage appropriate behavior. And as educators our common philosophy has to be that we can and should teach appropriate behaviors just as teach other subjects.

Specialized knowledge and strategies are needed to help people with special needs or challenging behaviors learn to cooperate. The strategies we will learn may be similar to or different from those you are familiar with or which you use in your own family. Either way, you will be able to master these basic “tools” to enhance the lives of others and add to your “tool box” of skills. It is important that the paraprofessional and the supervising teacher both agree that the purpose of any behavior change program is to aid the student in displaying behaviors conducive to learning, and that the main vehicle to achieve our purpose is through the use of positives and proactive strategies and interventions Our main goal should always be how to teach and encourage appropriate behavior. And as educators our common philosophy has to be that we can and should teach appropriate behaviors just as teach other subjects.

The Importance of a Common Philosophy
Helps to avoid misunderstandings Ensures that both the supervising teacher and paraprofessional approach student behavior in a consistent and appropriate manner Why this is important is that both paraprofessionals and supervising teachers must be on the “same page” to prevent misunderstandings, and to be consistent in responding to the student’s behavior. If the paraprofessional does not understand and share the same philosophy of handling inappropriate behavior, the paraprofessional may believe that the teacher is not responding correctly to a student’s behavior and may not deal with the student’s behavior in the same manner when required to do so.

Competency Two Paraprofessionals will understand their role and the role of the supervision teacher in responding to student behavior and in the implementation of behavior plans. Why this is important is that both paraprofessionals and supervising teachers must be on the “same page” to prevent misunderstandings, and to be consistent in responding to the student’s behavior. If the paraprofessional does not understand and share the same philosophy of handling inappropriate behavior, the paraprofessional may believe that the teacher is not responding correctly to a student’s behavior and may not deal with the student’s behavior in the same manner when required to do so.

Roles of Supervising Teachers
Creating a positive learning environment Establishing classroom rules and procedures Determining positive and negative consequences Writing Behavior Plans Ensuring appropriate implementation of Behavior Plans Making major decisions regarding the direction of behavior management Role of the Supervising teacher usually includes but is not limited to the following: It is important that the supervising teacher Creates a positive learning environment Establishes classroom rules and procedures Determines positive and negative consequences Write the Behavior plans Ensures appropriate implementation of behavior plans Make the major decisions regarding the direction of behavior management

Roles of Paraprofessionals
Assisting the supervising teacher in creating a positive learning environment observing, recording, and charting behavior implementing Behavior Plans crisis intervention supervising students’ behavior during free play or class activities reinforcing appropriate behavior and skills Demonstrating and/or modeling appropriate behavior personal hygiene appropriate conversation and language skills manners Coaching/cueing appropriate behavior Where you come in is to assist the supervising teacher in the following areas Role of the Paraprofessional usual should include but may not be limited to the following: Assisting the supervising teacher in creating a positive learning environment observing, recording, and charting behavior implementing behavior plans crisis intervention supervising students’ behavior during free play or class activities reinforcing appropriate behavior and skills NEXT SLIDE SHOWS Demonstrating and/or modeling appropriate behavior Personal Hygiene Appropriate conversation and language skills Manners Coaching/cueing appropriate behavior

Competency Three Paraprofessionals will understand variables which contribute to student misbehavior.

So what is Behavior? "Behavior is any directly measurable thing an individual does."

So what is Behavior? Things a skeleton can do (NOT Behavior)!
Things a person can do (Behavior)! It can not run It can not “Be Quiet” It can not “Be Good” It can not stay out of trouble It does not hit She can walk She can whisper She can raise her hand if she has a question She can follow directions She can ask for something she wants One exception: Both can just lie there and do nothing…but for living people that is STILL considered a behavior! 

What are some things you can think of?
Things a skeleton can do (NOT Behavior)! Things a person can do (Behavior)!

Dealing with Student Behavior
Behavior is complex. Behavior does not occur in isolation. Environmental and intra-student variables contribute to students’ behaviors (both positive and negative).

Environmental Variables
School/Classroom environmental factors Supervising teacher/Instructional factors Curriculum factors Social factors Home/community factors Just read slide as written without comment

School/Classroom Factors
Professional development for staff Inconsistent discipline programs and philosophical differences Bus ride (length, problems on bus carry over to school, etc.) Temperature of building/classrooms School and staff to student ratio

School/Classroom Factors
Inadequate supervision of students within all areas of school Rules/expectations in class/building far exceed skills of students to be successful Insufficient school materials/resources Classroom seating arrangements (too close/near to peers, too far supervising teacher, near window or distractions) TALK TIME: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing you in terms of physical structure and the environment of the school setting. Including bus routes

Supervising Teacher Instructional Variables
Supervising teacher expectations too high/too low for student Feedback to student not frequent enough Rates of reinforcement too low for student’s needs Negative or less frequent feedback and interaction from supervising teacher

Supervising Teacher Instructional Variables
Insufficient rehearsal time, direct instruction time and guided practice time Level of supervision (frequency/rate) too low for student’s needs Instructional strategies that do not take into account student’s various/preferred learning styles

Social Factors Effective classroom management strategies can create a positive learning environment and will contribute to the presence of increased appropriate behavior. NOTES: The NEGATIVE gets attention! If Negative Consequences is how you are directing behavior, you are teaching children three things: I get the most attention from the teacher when I misbehave. It is better to misbehave and get attention than to follow directives. My teacher always looks when I misbehave, but never notices when I am trying hard.

Social Factors The student’s peer group can contribute in a positive or negative manner. Do the peers support/reinforce appropriate behavior? Do the peers exert influence over inappropriate behavior by teasing, taunting, or instigating?

Home/Community Factors
Level of supervision in the home Values/expectations between home and school Parents academic skills Reinforcement of school-related academic/behavior strategies in the home Substance abuse in the home or community Unmet needs of the child resulting in school absences, tardiness, and the inability of student to concentrate on school tasks

Child Variables Cognitive factors Physical factors Emotional factors
Academic Factors Motivational Factors

Cognitive Factors Memory skills Length of attention span Language
Self control Absence or presence of prerequisite academic skills

Physical and Health Factors
Hearing, motor, vision Speech (articulation, voice) Stimulation or fatigue Side effects of medication Stages of maturation/development Health conditions Sensory problems

Emotional Factors Emotional conditions
Past/present history of abuse or neglect

Academic Factors Student’s level of academic functioning
Link between inappropriate behavior and the difficulty of the task Inappropriate behavior increases with difficulty of instructional task

Motivational Factors A major factor in motivation is the ability to predict success. You are more motivated to attempt a task if you have reason to believe you will be successful.

Competency Four Paraprofessionals will be able to identify the components and understand the process and importance of conducting an ABC analysis of behavior.

Have you ever heard?... I’ve tried everything!
She should be placed somewhere else. He just needs a good spanking. Nothing works with this kid! He does it ALL day. It’s her home - what would you expect from her family? Nothing happened to set him off. She could do better if she wanted to. He acts just like his daddy. We punish him, but it just doesn’t work. You can’t predict her behavior…there is no reason for it!

The basis of functional assessment is the acceptance that all behavior is a form of communication and all behavior serves a purpose. NOTES: ALL Behavior Serves a Purpose! To Get Something…an object, attention from peers or adults, self-stimulation, money, desirable comments from peers, etc. To Reject Something…avoid, escape or protest something undesirable, from boredom or lack of interest, to avoid negative comments or interactions, etc. TALK TIME:

The A-B-C’s of Behavior The process of identifying what is causing or maintaining behavior.
NOTES: ALL Behavior Serves a Purpose! To Get Something…an object, attention from peers or adults, self-stimulation, money, desirable comments from peers, etc. To Reject Something…avoid, escape or protest something undesirable, from boredom or lack of interest, to avoid negative comments or interactions, etc. TALK TIME:

“A” = Antecedent (or Triggers) Antecedents are the things that happen just before a behavior occurs. Examples: time of day, who is present, during what event/subject/task Setting events: Happen further away in time, but still contribute to the problem behavior Examples: Lack of sleep, hunger, medication, etc. NOTES: ALL Behavior Serves a Purpose! To Get Something…an object, attention from peers or adults, self-stimulation, money, desirable comments from peers, etc. To Reject Something…avoid, escape or protest something undesirable, from boredom or lack of interest, to avoid negative comments or interactions, etc. TALK TIME:

“B” = Behavior Behavior = the observable things people do
It can be described in concrete terms.

“C” = Consequences Consequences are what typically happen after the behavior occurs and indicate what maintains the behavior. Things that happen after the behavior. Page 10 of Behavior Tools

By looking at what occurs as a result of the behavior you are able to make an hypothesis about what is maintaining the behavior or what function the behavior serving for the student. Sneezing Video and “Bless You” When you say “thank you”, as a result of someone saying something nice(like “bless you”) what might you do the next time it happens? You are more likely to say “bless you” again, so “thanks you” is a consequence

Function of Behavior What is the student getting or avoiding when they engage in a specific behavior? Sneezing Video and “Bless You” When you say “thank you”, as a result of someone saying something nice(like “bless you”) what might you do the next time it happens? You are more likely to say “bless you” again, so “thanks you” is a consequence

Typical Functions of Behavior
Attention: Peer attention, adult attention Escape: Get out of an activity or away from other students/staff. Sensory Stimulation: Self reinforcing behaviors, such as thumb sucking, rocking, flapping Access to Materials or Activities: Something tangible the student wants. NOTES: Question set up

The A-B-C’s of Behavior Activity
Antecedent Behavior Consequences Think of some behaviors you have observed recently and fill in the table below.

Situation #1 When the supervising teacher gives Joe a math assignment, he begins to get extremely disruptive, causing the supervising teacher to tell him to go stand in the hallway.

What are the antecedents? What happens right before Joe’s behavior?
ANSWER: Answer: Supervising teacher gives him a math assignment.

A-B-C’s Antecedent Behavior Consequence Math Assignment

Behavior What behavior is the result of the supervising teacher giving Joe a math assignment? ANSWER: Answer: Disruptive behavior. He argues and curses.

A-B-C’s Antecedent Behavior Consequence
Math Assignment Curses and Argues

Consequence What is the consequence for Joe engaging in disruptive behavior? ANSWER: Answer: He is removed to the hallway.

A-B-C’s Antecedent Behavior Consequence
Math Assignment Curses and Argues Removed

What do we know? What do we know about when Joe curses?
He curses when given math assignments. What is Joe getting or avoiding by cursing? Being removed to the hallway is allowing him to avoid the math assignment.

Did Joe get what he wanted?

If Joe got what he wanted….
Was that the supervising teacher’s intent? Is it possible that the supervising teacher saw removing him as a negative or punishing consequence? Will Joe’s cursing behavior decrease under these conditions?

For Joe the act of being sent out into the hallway is a reward… How do we know?…Joe’s behavior doesn’t decrease (which is the effect of punishment) but will increase or stay the same (which is the result of reinforcement). (We will look at punishment and reinforcement in more detail later.)

Group Activity: With a partner, look at Activity Situation #2
Whenever the supervising teacher makes an assignment, Trisha immediately puts her head down on her desk. Seeing this, the supervising teacher walks over to Trisha, leans down and speaks kindly to Trisha saying she knows Trisha can do the assignment if only she will try. The supervising teacher normally spends at least 2 minutes per assignment prompting Trisha in this manner. GOES WITH ABC INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY:

Activity Situation #2 Questions
What is the antecedent? What is the behavior? What is the consequence? INDEPENDENT ABC ACTIVITY ANSWERS: ANTECEDENT – Supervising teacher presents a task BEHAVIOR – Trisha puts her head down. CONSEQUENCE – Supervising teacher attention.

What do we know? Trisha’s need for attention is greater than her need for academic learning or success. Presently the only time she gets the supervising teacher’s total attention is for being helpless and not working. If the supervising teacher wants to increase the amount of work Trisha does without assistance she needs to rearrange the consequence. Trisha should get attention when she is working, not when she is not working.

Behavior Management: The Underlying Principles of Learning
“Why They Do What They Do”

Competency Five Paraprofessionals will be able to verbalize the importance of being proactive.

Remember They are children with developmental delays and we must maximize our time to increase their chances of success. We need to balance the instruction and teach the whole child. Most of us draw on our own past experience and childhood for our knowledge about behavior and behavior management. We need to put that aside and take a fresh look, based on what science offers us. INDEPENDENT ABC ACTIVITY ANSWERS: ANTECEDENT – Supervising teacher presents a task BEHAVIOR – Trisha puts her head down. CONSEQUENCE – Supervising teacher attention.

All changes in behavior that result from experience = LEARNING
We LEARN how to walk, talk, solve problems, play games, read, etc. And these are the behaviors that we can influence. Behaviors that result from learning, can be changed through learning something new.

Competency Six Paraprofessionals will be able to identify the skills required to assist the teacher in promoting positive behavior in the school environment. We LEARN how to walk, talk, solve problems, play games, read, etc. And these are the behaviors that we can influence. Behaviors that result from learning, can be changed through learning something new.

Competency Seven Paraprofessionals will be able to identify the skills needed to prevent inappropriate behavior, replace inappropriate behavior with appropriate behaviors, and respond appropriately to escalating behavior. We will look at 3 basic ways that we learn… classical conditioning – repeated associations; operant conditioning – learning from the consequences of our behavior; and modeling – learning from observing what happens to others.

Consequences Consequences can make behavior stronger (happen more) or weaker (happen less) in the future. Consequences can be “good”, “bad” or “neutral”. Behavior Tools page 32

What Makes a Positive Consequence Powerful?
It should be something the student likes. It should be something the student does not always have access to. It should be given immediately (or as quickly as possible). It should be worth it (size matters). It should be something given get only after the behavior is demonstrated. Behavior Tools page 32

Examples Social – Time to talk, a compliment, praise for good work or appropriate behavior Things – Stickers, tokens, tickets Privileges – Outings, special seating, first in line, extra time on computer Behavior Tools page 32

Reinforcement Reinforcement is the most important consequence.
Definition of Reinforcement: Any consequence that increases the probability of a behavior occurring again. What is reinforcing to one is not necessarily to another. Listening to a type of music. Playing football Entertaining a group Contrary to what most of us have learned, REINFORCEMENT is the most important consequence for learning, NOT PUNISHMENT! It is far more useful and positive to try to INCREASE the RIGHT behaviors, than to try to DECREASE the WRONG behaviors. Think about that for a minute – wouldn’t you rather have your administrators to focus on what you do right, rather than on what you do wrong??? If they point out what you do right – you are more likely to feel good about what you’ve done, and want to do it more – AND you’re more likely to feel good about your supervisors and your environment as a whole. BUT you have to keep in mind that WHAT IS REINFORCING TO ONE PERSON IS NOT NECESSARILY REINFORCING TO ANOTHER. You might find it incredibly relaxing and rewarding to listen to country music, but your student may hate it – and would rather listen to hip hop. Football may be one student’s life, but pure torture to the girl who sits next to him. And Bobby may love to get up in front of a group and perform, but Bill would get physically ill if you asked him to do that. So what is fun, exciting, relaxing, rewarding – or generally reinforcing – differs from person to person.

Reinforcement occurs when we increase the probability that a behavior will happen again.

Using Reinforcement What you do… Tell them what behavior you liked.
Give a positive consequence that is “worth it”. Give it within 3 seconds. “Mean it”. (Not sarcastic!) Stay cool. (Be relaxed)

When training a new behavior:
Timing of the reinforcement (needs to be immediately after the behavior.) Continuous. Reinforce every single time the behavior occurs (in the beginning – you can space it out more later.) What we use as a positive reinforcement must be reinforcing. When you are trying to teach a new behavior, it is important that you reinforce the correct behavior immediately after it occurs. The longer the delay, the weaker the connection will be. If the class is told that they will have a pizza party if they achieve a goal, but then weeks go by and the pizza party still hasn’t happened, you can’t wonder why you are not being effective in increasing the desired behaviors. It is also important to reinforce continuously – that is, to reinforce every single occurrence of the correct behavior – AT FIRST. They need to get the point. Then, later, once they really have learned that the desired behavior brings about a desired effect – THEN you should space out the reinforcements. At that point, they’ll do more work for less reinforcement – especially if they don’t know how MUCH they have to do to earn the reinforcement. The last requirement here is that the reinforcer MUST BE REINFORCING! Remember, not every child likes your stickers. Not every child likes candy! You have to watch and see what they like, and then utilize that. Some reinforcers are naturally reinforcing and don’t have to be learned. These include food, water, warmth, and air. Behaviors that assure us that we will have these basic needs – increase and maintain. Other reinforcers are learned by pairing them with the primary ones. And they can be very powerful. Money is a good example. Money is paired with every primary reinforcer – and becomes a very powerful reinforcer for many people. (It’s important to note, however, that it is NOT a reinforcer at all for some people. Many people with autism, for example, do not find money reinforcing.) Students have to be taught that grades matter. Applause is an interesting one. For many children, the first time they receive applause, may actually be somewhat frightening. They have to LEARN to value applause. They come to understand that it is a good thing.

Using Positive Feedback (Praise)
Be specific about the behavior Comments should focus on what the student did RIGHT State EXACTLY what part of the behavior is acceptable Clearly communicate what behavior meets with approval Give praise as soon after behavior as possible Vary your phrases Do not use praise too frequently or without reason Be sincere and genuine Be consistent and work at being seen as “fair” Use language that is developmentally appropriate When you are trying to teach a new behavior, it is important that you reinforce the correct behavior immediately after it occurs. The longer the delay, the weaker the connection will be. If the class is told that they will have a pizza party if they achieve a goal, but then weeks go by and the pizza party still hasn’t happened, you can’t wonder why you are not being effective in increasing the desired behaviors. It is also important to reinforce continuously – that is, to reinforce every single occurrence of the correct behavior – AT FIRST. They need to get the point. Then, later, once they really have learned that the desired behavior brings about a desired effect – THEN you should space out the reinforcements. At that point, they’ll do more work for less reinforcement – especially if they don’t know how MUCH they have to do to earn the reinforcement. The last requirement here is that the reinforcer MUST BE REINFORCING! Remember, not every child likes your stickers. Not every child likes candy! You have to watch and see what they like, and then utilize that. Some reinforcers are naturally reinforcing and don’t have to be learned. These include food, water, warmth, and air. Behaviors that assure us that we will have these basic needs – increase and maintain. Other reinforcers are learned by pairing them with the primary ones. And they can be very powerful. Money is a good example. Money is paired with every primary reinforcer – and becomes a very powerful reinforcer for many people. (It’s important to note, however, that it is NOT a reinforcer at all for some people. Many people with autism, for example, do not find money reinforcing.) Students have to be taught that grades matter. Applause is an interesting one. For many children, the first time they receive applause, may actually be somewhat frightening. They have to LEARN to value applause. They come to understand that it is a good thing.

Using Ignoring Do NOT ignore: Physical danger to a child or adult
Severe disruptions in the classroom Violations of classroom rules or school policy If students are providing attention that is maintaining the behavior What DO we do when there is physical danger? We’ll address that when we look at interventions for more serious problems. Remember that teachers make the plans. But it’s important to have an understanding.

Non-Verbal Praise Nods Smiles “Thumbs up” sign Pat on the back
“High five” Administer as soon as possible following the appropriate behavior. Activity Can you think of anything else besides what is listed?

Rules and Instructions as a Means of Increasing Positive Behaviors
Provide a guideline for what behaviors are appropriate. Clearly stated instructions or posted rules enhance communication about expected behavior. Can be used with other strategies such as positive feedback. Restating the rules or instructions right before an activity will remind or cue the students about what is expected. Guideline – students may not know what is expected of them.

Strengthen Relationships
Invest time. Get to know the students. A positive relationship sets the ground work for all other strategies. Students are more likely to listen and respond to rules and requests if they know their interactions with the paraprofessional or teacher will be positive. A positive relationship with students CAN’T be stressed enough. Many times that is THE intervention that will take care of whatever behavior problems are occurring.

Ways to Be Positive Show students that they are important
Learn their names Actively listen to them Remember things said by them Praise ongoing use of appropriate behaviors Show interest in helping students Explain reasons for having rules Encourage students to participate in activities

More Ways to Be Positive
Students respond better to adults who take a personal interest in them. Develop positive relationships with all students The ratio of positive to negative experiences for students should be about 5 positives for every negative.

Provide Cues to Students
Nonverbal Cues: Eye contact Physical gestures (raising your hand in silence) Tapping or snapping your fingers Coughing or clearing your throat Facial expressions (smile) Body postures (tilting your head) Avoid doing anything that will embarrass students! Keeping a positive climate in the classroom will allow you to be able to use these cues without demeaning or embarrassing anyone. They will know that you feel very positively toward them, and that you are simply helping them to get back on track.

Cues Formal cues require training (usually during the first week of school). Dimming or shutting off lights as a signal to be silent. Turning the lights off as a signal to be quiet Ringing bells to signal time to change classes Using a timer to signal that work time is finished Verbally reminding the class of the procedures to follow.

Proximity Control Moving around the room helps students stay on task because of your “proximity” to them. Standing near a student who is not working can “cue” them to return to task. It can help maintain classroom management without interrupting the lesson or flow of the activity. Be mindful to not reinforce the inappropriate behavior by giving the desired attention to the student. Example: A student is teasing one of her classmates, while you’re presenting an activity to a small group of students. While continuing to speak, you look directly at the offending student. However, the teasing persists, so you simply move toward the student, or even stand next to him or her for a few minutes. Finally, you resort to putting your hand on her desk. This, often times, can even go unnoticed by the rest of the peers or the entire class. The end result is that the student is not embarrassed or given unnecessary negative attention, and the behavior ceases. (If the behavior increases – your attention has reinforced the behavior, and you need to try something else.)

Ways to Help Students “Want to…”
Relate the material to their life experiences Demonstrate an active interest in that child Demonstrate an active interest in the child’s activity or work Use words and body language that support and give positive feedback to the student Example: Julie becomes bored easily and says that some tasks are “too easy”. When this happens she daydreams or doesn’t complete her assignments. Her class has been given a worksheet of simple measurement problems involving recipes and individual ingredients. While monitoring this practice activity you notice that Julie is off task. You quietly approach her and ask about her personal experiences using measuring devices. She then shares how she helped her father with baking a pie this past weekend. She discusses the use of a measuring cup, teaspoon and tablespoon. You take a few minutes to explain how this directly applies to the measurement problems that they’re working on, thank her for sharing and redirect her to the assigned task, and ask if she’d be willing to share with the class her personal experience with measurement. She quickly finishes the worksheet and appears much more interested in the activity.

Help Students Get Back on Task
Prompt the student to solve the problem by giving positive “you can” statements Review the directions Provide another example or demonstrate Supply one correct answer as a model (not on tests). Example: Louis is experiencing difficulty with his work. He becomes increasingly off task, and by providing just a bit of assistance, you can get him back on task. While monitoring a classroom activity, you notice Louis is distracted and not working on his assigned task. You approach him and ask what he is supposed to be doing, work through an example with him, and help him solve the question that’s been asked.

Other Considerations Behavior Management is an opportunity for Teaching, not an opportunity for Punishment. Consider the impact on the students’ best interests. Avoid embarrassing students. Suggestions should be constructive. Constructive suggestions should occur in private. Never engage in a power struggle. Strive for win/win. Thank students when they are trying to improve. DO NOT touch a student when he or she is upset. Keep teachers informed. Documentation should be objective and free of emotion.

Behavior Management Plans
Are written documents that Describe the behavior to be changed Describe strategies or interventions regarding the target behavior Include a recording system Are developed by the teacher or school team Sometimes include paraprofessional’s input Assist the teacher and paraprofessional to proactively and effectively deal with behavior Communicate behavioral expectations and consequences for achieving the goal Help paraprofessionals and teachers remain consistent Also – permits frequent feedback regarding the effectiveness of the strategies Remember, behavior management plans are written by the teacher and must be followed exactly as written – and results are to be documented.

Situation 3 Students in Ms. Smith’s 7th grade language arts class frequently ask questions during independent seat work without waiting their turn or raising their hands. More than one student is often speaking at once and students yell the teacher’s name to get help. For three days, Ms. Smith’s and her paraprofessional counted and recorded the number of times students asked for assistance without raising their hands.

Situation 3 cont. For the three day period, the average number of times students yelled out was 15 times per class. Hands were raised only an average of 5 times. The teacher has decided that this is disruptive and that the first step in dealing with the problem is to create a plan which will increase the number of times that students raise their hands to request assistance.

Sample Behavior Management Plan
Date of Plan: January 26, 2003 Class: 7th Grade Language Arts Period: 5th, 11:20 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Starting Date: February 1, 2003 Ending Date: February 5, 2003 Objective: Students in the class will increase the number of times they raise their hands to indicate that they need assistance during independent seat work to at least 20 times per 50 minute class period.

Target Behavior: Raising hand before requesting assistance. Activities: At the beginning of class on Monday the teacher will remind students that the teacher and paraprofessional will no longer provide assistance during seatwork unless students have first raised their hand to signal that they need help. Watch all students for the target behavior (who raise their hand before requesting assistance and how often.)

Record the behavior on the tally sheet attached below.
Acknowledge that you’ve seen their hand raised. When a student raises his/her hand, call on him/her as soon as possible. Thank them for raising their hand and provide praise. Provide assistance. Ignore those students who call out without raising their hands.

Reinforcement Procedures:
The teacher will use verbal praise immediately following hand raising. When students ask questions without raising their hand or waiting to be acknowledged they will be ignored. Materials Needed: Class Performance Chart with student names and target behavior. Recording Procedures: Using the tally sheet below, record the number of times that students raise their hands to request assistance during language arts class.

Class Performance Chart
Student Monday Tues. Wed. Thurs. Friday Alice Doug Louie Martin Mary Michael Penny Sue Total: Place a mark in the appropriate box for each time a student raises hand to indicate they need assistance. Repeat recording each day for one week.

Summary of Guidelines Regarding Paraprofessionals’ Responsibilities Regarding Behavior Plans
Remember: The primary concerns are to provide the BEST educational opportunities for students and teach them new skills. The teacher provides the plan or approach. Any behavior concerns outside the plan will be referred to the teacher. CONSISTENCY in following the strategies is critical. It is also important to systematically gather information about behavior in order to plan and develop effective strategies for teaching positive behaviors.

Prevention Is Good, But What Do You Do When The Behavior Occurs?
Source: Willis, T., 1998

Traditional Reactions
Punishment by delivery – Type 1 Punishment by withdrawal – Type 2 Natural Consequences Logical Consequences Does this really move the student forward or move them to the next stage of failure? Type 1 – paddling, detention, etc. Type 2 – fine; can’t go on field trip Natural consequences – Makes sense as long as the person is capable. But in some cases, shouldn’t let natural consequences occur. One young man – left high school special education, moved to another town, and found an apartment and a job. However, his job skills were not good enough, and he lost his job, and then a series of jobs, and finally lost his apartment. Some would say those are simply the natural consequences, and maybe they are, but how far should we as a society let that go? Don’t some people continue to need supports in our society? So do we have these traditional reactions because we really think they will help the student – or are they more about making ourselves feel better – venting our own emotions. Most often, using these techniques serves to move the student to the next stage of crisis.

Reasons for Avoiding Traditional Consequences
Punishment / discipline Legal and administrative reasons Danger of elicited aggression Danger of “thoughtful” aggression Lack of social validity Most people think that discipline and punishment mean the same thing. They are not synonymous. “Discipline” comes from the word “disciple” – which means to teach and to guide! Think more in terms of “job apprentice.” There are legal and administrative reasons for avoiding those traditional consequences also. Now the law is very specific about building POSITIVE behavior plans for students who are having behavior difficulties. Danger of elicited aggression. He’s already mad, and now you tell him the bad news. He goes to the next stage. Elicited – like road rage. Reflexive. Danger of “thoughtful” aggression. (Come back and get you – Columbine, etc.) Lack of social validity – the traditional consequences don’t work. We keep seeing the same kids in the office for the same behaviors! Yet we keep giving them the same consequences!

Facilitative Strategies
Are designed to help the person solve the problem and regain control. Active Listening - Reflects the Message: You seem to be upset You want to leave. You don’t like … Your ____ seems to be hurting you.

Redirection and Instructional Control
Redirect to competing activities Run an errand Ask entire class to name three favorite things and call on student with the problem first Ask entire class to stand up and take a deep breath. “Check this and see if it’s ok.”

Other Things to Do Show respect. Use patience. Keep your word.
If you make a mistake – own it and apologize. Strive for positive interactions. Take a little time to listen. The bottom line – again – is to build really good relationships with students. Remember if you pair yourself with the GOODIES, and you care about the students, you will have a good relationship.

Observing & Recording Student Performance
Teachers are required to make frequent decisions about how to best teach & motivate students. The quality of these decisions depends on the information teachers have about students & their performance. The observation & recording of students’ performance & behavior is an important role of the paraprofessional & one that provides essential information to the teacher. Without accurate information, identifying student needs & developing effective instruction is much more difficult.

Competency Eight Paraprofessionals should be able to:
1. Define behavior in observable, measurable terms. 2. Use systematic procedures for observing and recording behavior, including: - frequency - anecdotal records - duration interval recording - time sampling 3. Chart results of behavior observation using graphs.

Purposes of Data Collection & Behavior Observation
Supporting classroom instruction Providing feedback and reinforcement to students Summarizing and reporting student progress Supporting diagnosis and verification of disabilities Sp. Ed. Student in regular classroom: Teacher may ask paraprofessional to take data on student’s on-task behavior which may lead to a change in the way assignments are done. After changes have been made, paraprofessional might take data again to see if on-task behavior has increased. This process allows the sp.ed. teacher & paraprofessional to provide support to reg. ed. Teacher – helps you know if what you’re doing is working. Problem: student not completing assignments. Plan is in place that includes a daily discussion w/ student about his progress. Para might observe – record & chart data to share & reward successes w/ the student. Data can become a part of student portfolios so it needs to be accurate. Data can be used to help keep parents informed about student’s performance. Data collection is an important part of verifying eligibility for sp.ed. programs. W/ some disabilities information about behavior issues may be one of the primary criteria used to determine eligibility.

Observation techniques used must…
Contain enough information to be useful, but Not be so complicated that it interferes with the observation. Accuracy requires that we have a systematic way to record and report information. The technique we use must enable us to obtain enough information for the observation to be useful but not so complicated that it interferes with the observation. If we have to spend time deciding whether to mark behavior as occurring or not, we probably haven’t defined the behavior clearly enough.

Observable & Measurable Behaviors
Before we actually begin observing & recording, we must define the behavior to be observed so that it is observable and measurable. If the behavior is observable & measurable, observations will be consistent from: 1 observer to another 1 observation time to another AND More accurate information will be provided.

Observable Behavior Noted through one of the senses
Usually described by action words Does not include feelings or intentions which are inferred from other behaviors such as - aggressive excited - angry lazy - happy Refer back to the skeleton example – anything a skeleton can do is not a behavior… noted through one of the senses – seeing, hearing, etc. ….is usually described by action words – walking, talking, writing, hitting, etc. ….does not include feelings or intentions that are inferred from other behaviors What does the behavior look like…..what did you see, hear…..? Can you see it, hear it? Can you count it or time it?

Measurable Behavior Must first be observable
Must be able to clearly determine whether the behavior is occurring Must be able to count the occurrences of the behavior and/or time the duration of the behavior Must be able to tell when the behavior begins and ends When measuring behavior, we need to keep these things in mind.

Examples Bobby talks to other students when the teacher is instructing the class. This is both observable and measurable. Hear and see Bobby talking Can count the number of times Bobby talks or time the length that he spends talking Bobby has a poor attitude toward school. Not possible to determine exactly what Bobby is thinking Can you see/hear it? Can you count it? Can you time it? What does the behavior look like? Can’t tell w/ this example.

Observation Techniques
There are numerous techniques that can be used w/in the school setting to record student performance or behavior. Today we’ll look at five different techniques.

Observation Techniques
Frequency Duration Interval recording Time sampling Anecdotal records All of these techniques rely on very carefully identifying observable & measurable behaviors to make the results meaningful & reliable.

The supervising teacher….
Identifies and defines the behavior to be observed Determines where the observation takes place Determines when the observation will take place Determines the observation technique to be used Although the teacher identifies & defines the behavior,, the paraprofessional needs to have a clear understanding of the behavior. If you don’t have a clear understanding, you may have difficulty knowing if the behavior is occurring. Ask questions if you do not understand clearly the behavior you are to observe. Certain behaviors occur at specific times & locations throughout the day, & observations need to be scheduled at those times & in those locations. For example, if a student is kicking other students on the playground, then observing him in the classroom will not provide an accurate observation. However, if a student is talking out in class, the classroom would be an appropriate location. The teacher needs to establish the location in order for the observer to collect accurate information.

Frequency A record of the number of times a specific behavior occurs within a specific time period Useful for recording behaviors With a clear beginning and ending Of relatively short duration That tend to occur a number of times during the specified time period

Frequency Components A specific time period A specific behavior
A method for tallying the number of events We want to observe when the behavior is likely to occur. If you don’t want to carry a form around with you, you could: Move paper clips, M&M’s, etc. from one pocket to another when the behavior occurs. Put masking tape on your wrist or clothing & make a tally mark when the behavior occurs. Use a counter. Then record the information on the form later.

A tally sheet is usually used to identify the behavior being observed & to record the frequency or the number of times the behavior occurs. This form shows how a frequency count might be done & includes: - student’s name - the behavior being observed - location of the observation (science class) - the date of the observation - start & stop times for the observation - a mark for each occurrence of the behavior - & the total # of times the behavior occurred

Frequency Count - Examples
Number of math problems completed within 15 minutes Number of times a preschooler talks to a peer Number of times student raises hand during a 10-minute class discussion Number of times student asks for help These are examples of behaviors that would be appropriate for the frequency method.

Frequency count should NOT be used for…
Behaviors occurring at a high rate (ex. tapping pencil on desk) Behaviors occurring for an extended period of time (ex. student sucking thumb) If a student sucked his thumb for 30 minutes, it would only be counted one time if we used the frequency method.

Duration Recording Used when we want to know how long a behavior lasts
Sometimes just knowing how many times a behavior occurs does not give us the information we need. Knowing how long the behavior lasts might be more helpful. This brings us to our second technique – duration recording. We use this technique when we want to know how long a behavior lasts. It is used to record behaviors that occur less frequently and continue for a period of time.

Duration - Examples Crying/screaming
How long a student takes to complete a math assignment How long a student continuously taps pencil on desk How long student takes to clean up play/work area These are examples of behaviors that lend themselves to the duration method. Other: how long teenager on phone

Duration Components Record the starting and ending time of a behavior
Compute the length of time the behavior occurs Usually used to observe behaviors which occur less frequently and continue for a period of time When using duration recording, we record the starting and ending time of a behavior and from that information determine how long the behavior lasted. This technique is usually used to observe behaviors which occur less frequently and continue for a period of time.

This is an example of a form you might use to record behaviors when you’re using the duration method. It includes: - student name - behavior - date - start time - end time - duration of the behavior

Anecdotal Notes Anecdotal notes are written notes describing events or incidents that occur. These notes usually become part of a student’s file. Paraprofessional may be asked to complete anecdotal report if an incident occurs when they are with student. Our 5th & final method for collecting data is anecdotal notes. These are simply notes that describe what happened during a behavioral incident. These notes usually become part of a student’s file. If you are working with a student, and an incident occurs, you might be asked to complete an anecdotal record. May be called “Incident Reports” at some schools

Anecdotal Records Might Be Used to Document:
Significant event which occurs unexpectedly or infrequently Settings or conditions in which the behavior occurred Antecedents and consequences of problem behavior Conversations with parents

Anecdotal Record Guidelines
Record the behavior immediately. Use standardized anecdotal record form to make sure all relevant information is included. Record what is actually observed rather than feelings or perceptions about the incident. Use performance terms to describe the behavior. Be careful about including information about other students (by name) in the record. Be aware that parents and other professionals will have access to the record. If you are asked to complete an anecdotal note, it is important to do it as soon as possible & to only record what you saw/heard – not what you felt or what you think the student felt. Make no judgments about the behavior----what did the behavior look like? For example you would not conclude that the student was angry, that his behavior would be better if he had a better home life, etc. Keep in mind the guidelines we discussed for ‘observable & measurable’ behavior.

Anecdotal Records – What should be included?
Name of the observer Date of the incident Time when incident occurred Name of student involved Description of the incident Location/setting where the incident occurred Notes/recommendations/actions taken Signature

Most schools have forms for you to complete when an incident occurs
Most schools have forms for you to complete when an incident occurs. It might look something like this one.

Charting Student Performance
Once we’ve gathered our data, we might find it helpful to chart the results.

Why Chart Behavior? Makes it easier and quicker to review data
Easy to see changes in student behavior or performance Beneficial in providing information and feedback to students and parents Visual representations of data are often easier & quicker to understand than if we just read the numbers or have someone tell us about them. By charting data it is easier to see changes and/or trends in student behavior/performance & it can be very helpful in reporting this information to students or to their parents. Students may be able to chart their own data if they have the skills to do so.

Let’s look at two different ways of looking at some data
Let’s look at two different ways of looking at some data. For example if you wanted to know how you were doing on a walking program, you could list the times you walked and chart the information.

The chart lets us see at a glance that the # of minutes we’re walking is on the increase without having to closely scrutinize the log we’ve been keeping.

Charting Frequency Data - Graphs
Graphs have a vertical axis and a horizontal axis Vertical axis – record frequency of the behavior observed Horizontal axis – indicates observation period on which the frequency data was recorded When we chart data, we use a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. On the vertical axis we record the frequency of the behavior observed. On the horizontal axis we record the observation period on which the frequency data was recorded (time, day, week, months, etc.).

In this example on the 1st day of the observation the paraprofessional observed a student asking for help 35 times, 25 times on day 2, 20 times on day 3, 15 times on day 4 & 10 times on day 5. This information is marked on the vertical axis. A horizontal axis was created w/ an interval for each day of the observations. A mark is placed on the chart for each day’s corresponding frequency. A line was used to connect these points & indicate a trend in the behavior. Labels are provided for each axis. Look at Day 5 & Day 2---did this student ask for help more/less help on Day 5 than on Day 2?

Charts can also be used to display results of observations based on the duration of the behavior (like the walking log). “SCREAMING” In this example the vertical axis represents minutes. For each day of the observation the number of minutes the behavior occurred is noted and a line is used to connect the points. From this graph it can quickly be noted that the duration of the behavior has decreased over the 5-day period during which the observations were done.

Summary – Recording Data
Precisely describe behavior to be observed and discuss examples with teacher before you record. Prepare recording technique ahead of time and make sure you are familiar with the form and the method for recording. Carefully observe time limits and intervals used in the recording. Prepare so that you need to make the fewest judgments while recording. Although the techniques & strategies for recording behavior are not difficult, carefully developed procedures & practice are essential in gathering accurate data. Keep these guidelines in mind. -Define the behavior to be observed with teacher -set up form -observe time limits/guidelines

We have covered a lot of material today, and this table defines/summarizes each data collection method we’ve discussed w/ examples of behaviors that go along with each method.

Competency Nine Paraprofessionals will display an understanding of the role of confidentiality and how it relates to behavior management and discipline of students with disabilities.

Confidentiality All student information is confidential. This an extremely important component of the law. There are many Federal laws and state statutes that protect the privacy of educational records. The main Federal law pertaining to student records is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Information or records falling under this law must remain confidential. Significant penalties can occur from failure to comply with the privacy act. What you hear and read goes no further! Discuss situations from the audience. For example – when mother, grandmother, and great grandmother – all live with the child and are all involved, still can’t talk to anyone besides the actual parent – or guardian. Sometimes – have to really think about these situations. Or – if an incident occurs at school, and you see the parent in Wal Mart – can’t discuss it with the parent – have to refer them to the supervising teacher (chain of command.) If a child bites you, and the teacher is gone, what do you do? You can’t call the parent – until you go to the principal and get permission to call. Questions? Discussion? Wrap Up. Evaluations, etc.

Many school staff fail to realize that even conversations with non-school personnel or school personnel without an educational involvement with a specific child can be a violation of this act. Information and records covered under this act may include, but are not limited to: personal and family data evaluation and test data, psychological, medical and anecdotal reports, records of school achievement and progress reports, disability information, and copies of correspondence concerning students.

Discussing specific facts about the students with which you work is a violation of the students’ confidentiality rights. Remember that matters regarding students are confidential and cannot be a topic of public discussion – not even in the teacher’s lounge, not at the grocery store, not with other paraprofessionals who do not work with the student. Even if you do not mention a student’s name, talking about an incident can give identifiable information Provided by CEC

Paraprofessional Behavior Module

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