EDUC 4454 – Class 6

Site of the Day:

http://career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/interview/TEACHER.htm

January 24, 2007 (Sections 4, 5 & 6) January 25, 2007 (Sections 8 & 7)

Welcome to your last Management Class

Behavioural Plans

In your groups I want you to share your behaviour plans

If there is time I will be asking if anyone wants to briefly present their plan.

Please have one individual at your table collect and bring up your behaviour plans.

Extra Material Content: Special, Rare, and Unique situations

The Difficult ChildContractsToken reinforcement

The Difficult ClassToken Economies, P.A.T., Bonus Time

Special, Rare & Unique Situations These are situations you will encounter, but they

are rare. Please consider the following information when you have followed what you already know, have reflected on your strategies and yourself, and have concluded that it is one of those ‘if all else fails’ situations.

Situations we will talk about: 1. The exceptionally difficult child

2. The exceptionally difficult class 3. The forgotten behavioural concerns

The difficult child These children, once identified, are classified often by the severity of the

condition. Mild - can be dealt with in the regular classroom Moderate - with support these students can remain in the regular school setting Severe - usually placed in special classes or special Profound schools

Often come to professional attention in middle-childhood or the teen years. Behavioural concerns are most common in the middle grades then in the primary

grades and also declines from junior high school to the last years of high school

Children from lower socio-economic levels are more likely to be seen as difficult A higher proportion of those considered with a behaviour disorder are from

minority groups

Boys outnumber girls 2:1 in every classification from mild to profound In more serious disorders, boys have been estimated to outnumber girls 12:1 First-born males more likely to be classified Boys are 8 or 9 times more likely to be placed in a special education class

Why?Why?

Options for the difficult child Contingency Contracts

A written contract that describes the child’s goal and the reward

Both child and teacher (and parent and if agreeable the principal) sign but only after the child understands the obligations involved

Combine with Behaviour Charts Make sure you have some sort of Token

reinforcement The child is rewarded for appropriate behaviour with some

small thing such as a star, a checkmark, a poker chip. These in turn are exchanged for a reward.

The difficult child

There is a whole continuum of behaviour disorders

There is a lack of agreement as to what qualifies as a behavioural issue

Different boards and organizations have different definitions

Why is it so difficult to define?

• Inadequate definition of mental health – because human emotions can vary, a precise definition of normalcy is hard to derive

• Deviant and unusual behaviours can be part of the repertoire of ‘normal’, healthy children. At the same time, disturbed children can behave quite ‘normally’.

• Differences in behaviours and triggers make it hard to define

• Different professional perspectives – each have their own theories

• Varying reactions to different behaviours

• Social and Cultural expectations

• Co-morbidity

The difficult child To help them, the first step is to determine what is wrong. This is difficult to do. No single test can pinpoint symptoms or causes

•Aggressive: Conduct Disorder – acute, chronic aggression (intention to harm or injure another human being)

•Can develop deviant or anti-social behaviour problems

•Can violate social norms, rights of others, refuse to comply with requests, school rules, conventional limits on behaviour

•Behaviour is resistant to change through the usual forms of discipline – they have been in trouble so often that they are inured to scolding and punishment

•They do not have inner controls; behaviour is impulsive, distractible, hyperactive, disruptive; a variety of behaviours: hitting, biting, kicking, non-compliance, dependency, crying, whining;

•short attention spans;

•have difficulty showing understanding of right and wrong; lack social skills;

•personality traits which make others dislike or reject them;

•non age-appropriate behaviours (e.g., a 12 year old having a temper tantrum)

“Children are more likely to be aggressive if they have opportunities to practice aggression, especially if no unpleasant consequences follow.” (Winzer, 1990, p.432)

Therefore – Students with conduct disorders respond “well” to:

consistency and follow-through

explicit redirection

You Have a Choice statements

Contracts

– expect testing by student to verify consistency & follow through, to test your word

In your classroom they need structure and routine; also benefit from lessons which adhere to the affective domain (are interesting and motivating, inspire them and thus persuade them to stay on

task)

Options for the difficult class Attention to affective needs Token Economy Bonus Time

- a pleasurable activity is dependant on the completion of a less enjoyable task – time to participate in reinforcing activities is contingent on the occurrence of acceptable behaviour

P.A.T. time Social Skills Training

Terminology

Section “20” Class Behaviour Modification (look up Skinner) Conduct Disorder - see earlier slide Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ADHD & ADD - can only be diagnosed by a

physician Medication discussion Uni-polar vs. Bi-polar

You’re Done !

Assignments:

I will grade and hand back your management plans in an upcoming class or put them in your section’s mailbox. I am available to discuss any element of these with you – contact me by e-mail and come with specific questions.

You’re Done !

Evaluations:

For the part on assignment return, please mark not applicable not the mid point in the rating scale, as I just got the assignment today and you don’t know yet how fast I get these back yet

I ask that you consider signing the written part. For those of you who worry…I am not given these back from the dean’s office until after I submit your final grade.

The idea of asking you to sign your name is because as teachers we take our professional accountability seriously. It is why we also, as professionals, sign our names to any assessment, evaluation or learning strategy agreement (ie., IEPs, report cards, etc…).

You’re Done !

I want to wish you all the best in your new careers. For all of you I hope that it eventually becomes more than a career – that it becomes a passion.

If you have any questions this year or in the years to come, give me a shout. My door is always open.

All the Best !

Will the class rep please come up to get the evaluations.

Bye !