Transcript Moving in a Positive Direction: Supporting the Behaviors that

BEHAVIOR BASICS &
BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES
Rona Novick, PhD
“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we…
…teach?
…punish?”
“Why can’t we finish the last sentence as
automatically as we do the others?”
Tom Herner (NASDSE - National Assoc of State Directors of Special Ed,
President ) Counterpoint 1998, p.2
Some Considerations
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The best way to change student behavior is to
change adult behavior
Prevention is worth several tons of cure
Discipline as education NOT punishment
The more structure, pre-taught routines, etc in place,
the less reactive responses necessary
The more tools everyone has, the more likely they
will succeed (students, teachers, administrators)
Traditional Strategies for
Addressing Problems
Time Out
Demerits
Writing
Assignment
Detention
Calll Home
Why Aversive Techniques Do Not Work
Not aligned with function of behavior, student
may escape what they want to avoid or may
obtain desired attention/activity/item
 Student is not being taught replacement
skill/desired behavior
 May agitate student
 More use = less effect
 May embarrass the student
 Student/Teacher Relationship affected
 Can not always be immediate
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An Introduction to Behavior science
What Is Behavioral Science?
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The scientific study of the laws and principles that
impact behavior
Behavioral science has been used to explore why
animals and people behave as they do
Behavioral science draws its evidence both from
laboratory and real life studies
What Does Behavioral Science Teach Us
About Learning, Classrooms, Teaching
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Behavior can change – it can
increase or decrease
How teachers behave can impact
student behavior
Understanding what helps behavior
grow, or what suppresses behavior
can help teachers understand
children, structure their classroom,
and support children’s growth.
Behavior =Learning
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Just as it takes time, effort, and a partnership
between teacher, student and family to support the
development of a reader, it takes time to support
the development of appropriate behavior
A teacher’s knowledge of his/her students, and of
sound pedagogical practices, means teachers are in
an ideal position to support behavioral growth.
Behavior science principles
Operant Conditioning
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We do what
provides us with
rewards or
satisfaction and
don’t do those
things that do not
provide rewards or
satisfaction
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Jenny is a fluent reader and
loves stories. She reads
every free moment. Jacob
is struggling with his phonics,
both teacher and parents
report that he never reads
unless pressured, or offered
a chance to sit in Dad’s
recliner while reading
Shaping
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Shaping/successive
approximation –
you can help
develop new
behavior by
providing
reward/satisfaction
for small steps
towards the goal
behavior
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Moshe’s teacher provided
a thumbs-up each time he
left his coat near his cubby.
After a week, the thumbs
up sign was delivered
when the coat was in front
of the cubby. A week
later, thumbs up was given
when the coat was in the
cubby.
Extinction
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When a behavior that
was previously
satisfying or rewarding
no longer provides
satisfaction or reward.
There may be an initial
“burst” of behavior (an
increase in frequency) –
but it will decrease or
extinguish over time
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Shani’s classmates
used to laugh at her
silliness. They have
now begun ignoring
her. She initially
became even sillier,
walking to their desks
and standing on chairs.
When they ignored
her she returned to her
work.
Premack Principle
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Grandma’s rule – you
can have a cookie
AFTER you eat your
broccoli – Less
preferred tasks will be
completed if followed
by preferred tasks
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Mrs. Cohen promises
the class that once
everyone cleans up
their art project and
puts the supplies away,
the class can listen to
the music they enjoy
Generalization
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Generalization – what
is learned in one
setting will transfer to
some extent to another
setting. The more
similar the two settings
are – the greater the
transfer
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Joey follows class rules
well, but his gym
teacher complains that
he does not follow
instructions. Joey’s
teacher and gym
teacher met with him
to problem solve and
explain that gym is a
class too.
Modeling/Vicarious Learning
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Learning and
behaving based on
imitating others
More likely to imitate
models who are not
perfect
More likely to imitate
models we see
reinforced
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Dani sees Josh, not
usually the best player,
knock a classmate
down on the way to
first base. His team
cheers him on. When
it is Josh’s turn, Josh
knocks someone down
on his way to base.
Habituation
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Over time, and with
familiarity, becoming
less sensitive or less
responsive to a
stimulus
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Mr. Gold has been
yelling at the class for
weeks about lining up
quickly. At first,
students responded by
racing to the door.
Lately, lining up has
become a problem,
even when Mr. Gold
loudly reminds
students.
Learned Helplessness
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When put in a negative
situation, and feeling
that no action you could
take would result in
improvement or escape
from the negative
situation. As a result, no
effort is put forth and
listless, “depressed”
behavior occurs
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Hannah struggles with math
calculations. Her teacher
gives timed power tests every
week which she does very
poorly on. She has had
resource room help, assistance
from the teacher, tutoring at
home, but usually gets a zero.
She no longer writes anything
on her paper for the test.
Add
Positive
Reinforcement
Punishment
Overcorrection
Take
Away
Time Out
Response Cost
Negative
Reinforcement
THE REINFORCEMENT
DEBATE
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If behavior management systems work so well, why
aren’t they used more often?
Misinformation that using external rewards is
detrimental and will undermine innate student
motivation (Kohn, 1993)
Students do not have the “right” to be rewarded for
what they should be doing in the first place.
Emotional Responses
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Behavior management isn’t used more often
because teachers are ignorant.
If external rewards are so bad . . . Why don’t
teachers volunteer their services.
If people should not be receive consequences for
doing what they should – try highways with no
enforced speed limits!
Empirical Response – Deci Research
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Question: Does the use of reinforcement for
engaging in a task decrease interest in or
performance on the task?
Question: If reinforcement does increase interest or
performance, what happens when that
reinforcement is terminated?
Classic Anti-Reinforcement Study
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University setting
Students required to participate in studies to receive
academic credit
2 groups – 12 students each
All students given puzzle task – matching patterns
Subjects left unsupervised in room with puzzle task
and magazines
Motivation measured by minutes spent in puzzle task
Control
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Session 1: Work on
whatever you want – I
need to do something
Session 2: Free to
choose what you want
to do
Session 3: Work on
whatever you want
Experimental
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Session 1: Work on
whatever you want – I
need to do something
Session 2: You will be
given $1 for each
correct puzzle
Session 3: Work on
whatever you want
Hypotheses
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If extrinsic motivation negatively impacts
performance, the third session should show lower
rates of puzzle completion for the experimental
group.
The Data
350
300
250
200
Experimental
Control
150
100
50
0
Session 1 Session 2 Session 3
An Important Finding
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The experimental group clearly demonstrates
increased performance when reinforcement was
present
The experimental group with reinforcement
outperforms the control group in any session
Verbal vs. Monetary Reward
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24 additional subjects
Same experimental design
In place of dollars for correct responses, subjects
were told “that is very good”.
The Data – Verbal Reinforcement
250
200
150
Experimental
Control
100
50
0
Session 1 Session 2 Session 3
Discussion of Results
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Experimental group showed less increase in
performance, but less decay as well – effects of
verbal reinforcement is less dramatic
Enormous decrement in control group -
Positive behavior support
Critical Steps in Positive Behavior Support
Clear
Expectations
Teach
Expectations
Recognize and
provide
feedback
Provide
support and
additional
teaching when
needed
EXPECTATIONS
What Do You Expect?
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What are the expectations in your school? In your
class?
How were they developed?
How are they communicated?
How are they TAUGHT?
How are students acknowledged when they meet
expectations?
Classroom Expectations
During
seatwork
Be
respectful
Be a
good
friend
During
class
lesson
In hallways
Expecting is Never Enough
Once you have developed school, class or individually
based expectations . . .
You MUST share them with all involved
AND YOU MUST TEACH THEM!
The Critical Role of Feedback
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What happens to students when they meet
expectations?
What happens to students when they do not meet
expectations?
Do staff and students demonstrate clear
acknowledgement of and appreciation for students’
demonstration that they have learned to fulfill
expectations?
EVERY ACTION BY STAFF PROVIDES FEEDBACK –
EVEN INACTION
UNDERSTANDING AND
“TEACHING” BEHAVIOR
Why Do Some Children Misbehave?
Lack skills to behave appropriately
Communicate wants/needs
Avoid/Get something
Because it works
The ABC’s of Behavior
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Understanding the function of behavior can be
important for changing the behavior
Understanding comes from repeated observation of:
A – Antecedent (stimulus/trigger before the behavior)
B – Behavior (the observable and measurable act)
C – Consequence (occurrence after the behavior that
serves to maintain or increase frequency of behavior)
Antecendents - Slow Triggers
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May happen in or out of the classroom
Conditions that increase the likelihood that behavior
will occur
 Oversleeping
 Medication
or lack of medication
 No breakfast
 Conflict with…
Antecedents - Fast Triggers
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Examples:
• Changes to regularly scheduled events due to
holiday programs, fire drills etc…
• Teasing/sarcasm/threats
• Challenged by other
May be consistent
• Special Assembly Days
May be unique to one situation
• Field trip to the zoo
What is the Consequence
of the Behavior?
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What is the benefit/cost?
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What does the student get?
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What does the student avoid?
Teaching to T-E-A-C-H
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To support positive behavior change in students follow these
5 steps
T ell what the problem is – describe behavior
E xplain the function, what does student get or get away
from
A ppropriate, alternative – what do you want to see
C ultivate the appropriate – how will you grow the new
behavior
H ow did your plan work? What adjustments are
necessary?
In the Moment . . .
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Remind students of their choices in a calm,
positive manner prior to escalation in behavior
Give prompts and allow wait time
How adults react can escalate student’s behavior
- power struggles should be avoided
Acknowledge all efforts of student, even within
the context of poor behavior choices
Whatever You Do . . . Do it in the
context of caring relationship
 Humor
 Let
the student “save face”
 Re-direction/distraction
 Prompt & cue both verbal & non-verbal
 Reward alternate positive behavior
 Failure
to earn a privilege
 Restitution/Apology
What You Can Do
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Make your unspoken/unwritten curriculum clear
Start on the right foot with “lessons” to teach
students to succeed with the behavioral curriculum
(families can be included!)
Use the TEACH strategy – can you discover the
function of behavior, can you cultivate new
behavior?
Every teacher will be offered endless teachable
moments to congratulate, shape, and partner with
students to grow healthy behavior.
A Resource
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www.pbis.org
extensive practical resources for schools and links to
state-based websites for pbs. The Florida state site
is excellent.