Incredible Years Training & Positive Behaviour Strategies

This week has presented many behaviour challenges. In this I have been incredibly grateful to have fantastic, supportive colleagues and the Incredible Years Training to help our class progress. 

I am in the process of developing a behaviour plan for one child (MH) 
I learnt some great whole class strategies. My goal is to document here and revisit if used and how effective they were:

Whole class strategies

Seating plan

Silent statements – move if….

Calm area

Class song

Focus praise on learning

Continue celebrating the great, and share with parents too

Kete awards

Circle time 

Hands on / developmental play time and options in learning

Science

Poetry

Games – all in tag, guess the voice, the balloon

Treaty revisit daily

For tricky behaviours, I have the following ideas for progress, based on each child's needs. Again, I will see how strategies progress (and focus on one / two children at a time). This blog post is a post in progress...I'm looking forward to revisiting and reflecting. 

Who	Possible Strategy	Reflection What worked? When?
MH Refusal to participate Attention seeking e.g. yelling. Targeted students with differences and encouraging them to run away, yell etc (control?)	Individual chat – morning Project area? – when instructions are followed Clear routines – timetable High expectations – focus praise on learning Learning related to building (his interest)	20/2 positive morning, supportive to others. Completed tasks with reminders. Pm – very tired. Joined in handwriting and art. Calling others names, encouraging them to run away. ·       Clear routines: moved timetable so its clearer. Revisited throughout day. ·       Action station set up – construct a playground. Michael loves the Margaret Mahy playground, and construction. ·       Clear expectations for learning. Reminder of consequence (work at playtime) for repeated refusal ·       1 to 1 chat about home life
JL Language (inappropriate) seeking peer approval? Very reluctant to speak Distracting others	Buddy with LD for most tasks & build friendship? Perhaps give them a role / job?	20/2/17 Buddyig with LD? Came out of shell more today.
ZH Gross body control Distracting/touching others	Carpet square Poss eye issue? Continue to liaise with home Praise Hands on tasks - planes, cars, building	Clear expectations and modelling. Seating mat for class.
OH Developmental/learning issues Emotional control Communication	Short simple tasks Can do box & area (gradually expand as OH demonstrate self management) IEP Referral Praise Class circle time – for others, to understand needs	Ear muffs High expectations e.g. not scribbling on book. Lots of modelling around using words to solve problems.
AVE	Speech bubble story Give roles & responsibilities Hands on tasks	Buddied with AM; encourage friendship. Supportive parents.
IS	Continue with carpet square Praise Liaise with Mum Cultural sharing	Talking about culture with him. Praising his quality work
LD	Work on teacher-student relationship Friendships? Clear expectations and follow through

Functional Behaviour Planning, Meeting with Coach & Chapter Readings

Functional Behaviour Assessment: MH, February 2017

STEP ONE

The Negative Behaviour

• Not following instructions
• Targeting easily lead students and encouraging them to copy his behaviours
• Yelling in class e.g. “I am a baby. I am not doing it.”
• Refusing to share resources with others, e.g. pointing glue sticks at students 23.2.17 and not letting them sit down

STEP TWO

Positive Opposite Behaviour

• Follows instructions
• Supports/encourages others
• Help in class
• Shows confidence and participates fully in learning, especially writing

STEP THREE

Possible reason for behaviour?

• To gain attention
• To vent frustration
• Avoid work
• Finds the behaviour fun
• Home environment unpredictable? – separated parents, maybe inconsistent expectations
• Child may feel their work is not good enough e.g. writing
• Enjoys physical play. He may be unclear on what is appropriate and inappropriate e.g. running outside is fine; but not in the class

STEP FOUR

Relationship building & when/how this will be put into place

     

• Giving choice eg science, hands on construction – e.g. lego, playground making
• Peer praising – with a focus on good learning choices
• Greeting and talking with him at start of each day, and throughout sessions
• Circle time on feelings & relationships
• Talking with Mum most days after school, and before (incidental chats; also re: behaviour)
• In writing, scribing or spelling tricky words for him and asking him, “Is this helpful?”
• In all subjects, asking “How can I help?” when he is reluctant to participate
•   MH loves to be helpful. I notice and praise this, and find jobs for him (compost, desk cleaning etc)

STEP FIVE  

Pro-active Strategies

• Safe, predictable routines -  schedule on board, run through at start of day and revisiting throughout changes
• Consistent consequences – stop and state positive behaviour. Give a clear consequence if negative behaviour continues.
• Choices e.g. writing then playdough/construction etc
• Rewards: dot chart
• Immediate praise when MH joins in, helps etc       
• Non-verbal instructions: hands on heads; showing finger count down
• Calm repeating of expectation, ignoring bad behaviour and making space for Michael to quietly (i.e. without being noticed) join the group e.g. saying “I can see a perfect space for anyone who hasn’t found a seat yet” when MH is walking around room yelling and class is in a circle.

Future Goals after Meeting with Coach 

• ·        Try a run (with others) to vent out inattentive behaviour
• ·        Use/explain my own feelings when things are tricky
• ·        Empathy – show that I understand how he feels e.g., “I know it is hard, how can I help?”
• 
  

…And my own reflections and reading of Chapters 1-3 of the guide:

• Rather than use voice commands, I want to move around the room more this week…e.g. shoulder tap and praise on task behaviour, to redirect, to get my next group for teacher time etc.
• Positive forecast of what I will see for that session e.g. I will see children whispering and playing literacy games, or making a really cool poster about bugs
• If I am giving an instruction, command, I will aim to make it simple and action based e.g. ‘Pick up the pencils….’  I have found that allocating tasks to certain students very effective e.g. “x, x,x are in charge of picking up the pencils….”
• I have maintained communication with Mum, but only briefly with MH's father. I spoke with MH's Dad in week 5 and will email more often with progress on behaviour.

Coach Feedback

Workshop 1 Proactive Teaching Strategies and Relationship Building

I spent time in your class on the 28th of February.    

I recall your behaviour plan is well written and you have identified some key relationship building and proactive strategies to use with your targeted child.  You have also focused on building the relationship with him & you know his mother is having similar issues at home. We discussed a group of students who are hard to motivate / engage. We discussed empathizing with their emotion and leaving the conversation with positive belief for / about them.

When spending time in your class, I noted the following principles in your practice:

• A sense of fun was evident in the break for a minutes dancing
• Clear simple instructions were evident
• Relationship building – smiles, encouraging, touch on the upper arm, giving individual time to the children writing on the carpet, calling them ‘sweetie’ as
• a term of endearment
• Transition times – structured & clear, getting children to hold up an activity at a table as pre-teaching
• Good use of non-verbal prompts, fingers beckoning them, zipped lips, crossed arms + head shake
• Visuals provide predictability & security – the class dot system, showing 5
• Clear routines were evident with the jelly bean table writers, carpet group & other choice activities,
• Attention Principle; increase positive behaviour by showing attention & appreciation of aspects - you gave dots for, ‘love your work E…’

Great work Charlotte, you have several students who are providing challenges and yet you are projecting positivity & connecting proactively with them and others constantly. I like the way you are partnering with a parent who is having similar issues at home and seeing if you can be consistent across settings. You also told me about Kete Bear & beginning of the day & farewell rituals.

Remember if there is anything that you are unsure of, or would like someone to brainstorm ideas or model with, please feel free to contact me. 