Proactive Supports for Students With Challenging Behaviors

CHAPTER 6

Proactive Supports for Students With Challenging

Behaviors

Ten practices that can help

F

Annaisafourthgraderwithexceptionalintellectualpotential.Butshe's preoccupiedmuchofthetimeinclass,seeminglydaydreaming.When notdaydreaming,she'soendisruptive.Whensheisontask,she's easilydistractedbyotherchildren.Shecomplainsthattheworkisboringand stupid,orthatsomeonetookherpaper.Whenherteacherremindsherof whatshe'ssupposedtobedoing,Annaactsannoyed,sometimesstomping awayandyelling"Leavemealone!"

HerparentsreportthatathomeAnna'sonlyfocusedwhenwatchingTV orusingthecomputer,bothofwhichshespendsagreatdealoftimedoing. Whenplayingwithotherchildrennearherhome,sheoengetsintoargumentsandphysicalfights.

Atschool,AnnawasdeemedineligibleforanIndividualEducationPlan whentestedattheendofthirdgrade.Sheisbeingconsideredfor504accommodations.

RecentlyAnnawassuspendedforadayforahair-pullingfightinthe girl'sbathroom,whereshehadgonewithoutpermissionto"geteven"with someonewhohad"stolenoneofherfriends."Severalgirlsinfourthgrade

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reportbeingafraidofAnna,sayingshe'sabully.eprincipalhasheard fromanumberofparentsaboutAnnaandhowshemakesithardfortheir childrentofeelsafeandtolearnwellinschool.

A Common Story in Our Schools

ChildrenlikeAnnaarenotuncommoninourschools.Accordingtothe CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,inarecentsurvey,tenpercent ofparentsofchildrenagesfivethroughseventeenreportedthattheirchildrenhaddefiniteorseveredifficultieswithemotions,concentration,behavior, orgettingalongwithothers(Pastor,Reuben,&Loeb,2009).Andofcourse, bullyingcontinuestobeaseriousconcerninourschoolsnationwide.

Indailyschoollife,weknowthatworkingwithstudentswhostruggle withbehaviorrequiresadisproportionateamountofschooladults'time andenergy.Buttheextrainvestmentinhelpingthesechildrensucceedis wellworththeeffort,becauseleunaddressed,theirbehaviorscanseriouslyinterferewiththeirlearningaswellasthelearningofothers.

Brian

Brian,afirstgrader,isanotherchildwithbehaviorchallenges.Hisstory isquitedifferentfromAnna'sbutnolesscommoninourschools.Brianwas referredforachildstudyevaluationinkindergartenbecauseofhisdefiance ofadultsandphysicalaggressiontowardclassmates.Aertheevaluation, Brianwasassignedaone-on-oneaide.Inkindergarten,Brianspiton,hit,bit, andscratchedotherchildrenandfrequentlyhadtobephysicallyrestrained bytheschoolinterventionistandoncebyhisaide.Hehadsixdaysofsuspensionathomethatyear.Now,infirstgrade,Brainstillhastoberestrained frequentlywhenhegetsangrybecausehekicksorpunchesotherchildren withoutwarning.

Brian'spediatricianhasplacedhimonmedication.Hehasabehaviorplan andisrewardedwhenhecansustainnonaggressive,cooperativebehaviorfor fieenminutes.Hisacademicperformanceisstillatapreschoollevel. Other childrenarecautiousaroundhimanddonotwanttoworkorplaywithhim unlessanadultispresent.

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Chapter 6 n Proactive Supports for Students With Challenging Behaviors

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Brianenjoysworkingwithhisaidebutismakingslowprogresson schoolworkandoenhassignificantdifficultycontrollinghisbehavior whenhegoestoart,music,orcomputerclass.Histeacherhastalkedwith theschoolpsychologisttoseeifBrianmightqualifyforaself-contained resourceroom.She'stroubledbythelackofsafetytheotherchildreninthe classfeelandstruckbyhowdifferenttheroomfeelswhenBrianisabsent.

Asforhishomelife,Brianmovedintohisgrandmother'ssmallapartmentduringhiskindergartenyear.Hismotherisincarcerated,andhehas neverknownafather.Hevisitshismotherinjailandislookingforwardto hercominghomenextyear.Hisgrandmotherworksinalocalrestaurantas acookandisworriedaboutlosingherjobifBrianhastobesuspendedfor anynumberofdaysthisyear.Shegoestoworkearly,beforeschoolstarts, droppingBrianoffathersister'shouseontheway,butalwayspickshimup atschoolattheendoftheday.BrianloveshisNanaandtalksaboutherwith hisaideallthetime.

Ten Practices for Proactively Supporting Struggling Students

Asallschoolleadersknow,therearenoquickfixesforworkingwithchildrensuchasAnnaandBrian.eschooldisciplinestrategiesdiscussed throughoutthisbookareacrucialfoundation,asimportanttothesechildren astoallothers.Inaddition,however,childrenwhostruggleneedspecialized supportsiftheyandtheirclassmatesaretoexperiencesuccessinschool. Giventhelargeandgrowingnumberofdisabilities,disorders,andsyndromes typicallyidentifiedinthesechildren,understandingandidentifyingallthese additionallyneededsupportsiscomplexworkthatoenrequirestheexpertiseofadultsinmanyarenas,possiblyincludingbehaviorspecialists,doctors, andmentalhealthcareproviders.Addressingthisvastandimportanttopic initsentiretyisoutsidethescopeofthisbook.

ischapter,however,discussestenschoolpracticesthatprovideimpor-

tantgeneralsupportstochildrenwithchallengingbehaviors.eseten

practiceswillhelpanychildwho'sstruggling,regardlessofthechild'sdiag-

nosisandwhatotherspecializedservicesthestudentneedsorisreceiving.

You'llfindrecommendationsforhowtoleadyourschoolinimplementing

eachpractice.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 76

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Remembering Children's Need for Safety, Challenge, and Joy

Inhelpingstrugglingchildrenimprovetheirbehavior,keepinmindchildren's basicneedtofeelsafe,challenged,andjoyful.Althoughit'simportantfor schoolstomeettheseneedswhenworkingondisciplinewithallstudents,it's especiallycriticalwhenworkingwiththesechildren.

Safety

Inthehierarchyofchildren'sneedsatschool,safetyranksatthetop.Withoutasenseofbasicsecurity,students'abilitytothinkclearly,focus,andengage innormalactivitiescanbeseriouslyimpaired.

Ensuringaclimateofsafetyis,ofcourse,onereasonweleadeffortstobuild communityatourschoolsandtoestablishapositiveclimate.Institutingthe schoolwideuseofmorningmeetings,expectingteacherstoinstructtheirclasses inpeacefulconflictresolutionmethods,organizingcommunity-serviceactivities, andthelikeareallconcretewaystogivechildrenasenseofvalueandbelongingandtoteachthemfairness,civility,andrespect.Wehavefirmlyinmindthe goalofhelpingchildrenfeelsafeinschoolwhenwelaunchandsustainsuch initiatives.

Insupportingchildren'spositivebehaviorsandhandlingeachinstanceof misbehavior,wemustalsokeepfirmlyinmindthechild'sneedforsafety.is needcanbeespeciallystronginstrugglingchildrenbecauseoftheiroentenuousabilitytomanagetheiremotionsandbehaviors.Forthesechildren,asense ofsecurityusuallydoesnotcomeeasily,andtheytypicallyrequirestronger supportsthanothersifthey'retobesuccessful.

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Chapter 6 n Proactive Supports for Students With Challenging Behaviors

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Challenge

Oen,childrenwhostrugglewithbehaviorarenotbeinggivenappropriate academicchallenges.eirworkiseithertooeasy,whichleadstoboredomand misbehavior,ortoohard,whichleadstofrustrationandanger.Whenworking ondisciplinewiththesestudents,akeyistomakesuretheirworkisappropriatelychallengingforthem.

It'salsoimportantthatwegivethesechildrensocialchallengesthatareright forthem.Forexample,today'sbestpracticeshavestudentsdoingagreatdeal ofproject-basedlearningwithpartnersorinsmallgroups.Butformanychildrenwithbehaviorissues,workingwithclassmatesisdifficult.Soweneedto givethemextrahelpandmovethemincrementallytowardindependencein workingwithpeers.

Joy

Allhumanswantjoyintheirlives,andstudentsarenodifferent.Without joy,schoolfeelssterileanddull,andstudents'learningcanbegreatlydiminished.

Joyfulschoolsareschoolsfilledwithexcitement,laughter,andasenseof delight.ey'realsoschoolswithdisciplinebecausejoyiscloselyrelatedtoselfregulation:Whenchildrencanfocustheirattention,controltheirimpulses, persevere,andmasterskills,theyfeelmorejoyful.

Forchildrenstrugglingwithbehavior,feelingjoyatschoolisespecially importantbecausetheirlivesaresooenfilledwithturmoil.Inhelpingthese childrenbetterregulatetheirbehavior,we'rehelpingthemgainasenseofjoy intheirlives.

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