“Can you hear me now?”

“Can you hear me now?” How Student Behavior Informs Instruction ASCD Annual Conference Orlando, FL 2005 clarkdi@gvsu.edu garriotp@gvus.edu

Session Objectives • How we respond to behavioral deficits vs. how we respond to learning deficits. • Identify ten common student behaviors that interfere with learning and teaching • What inappropriate student behaviors tell teachers, administrators and parents. • How schools can use information from student behaviors to create classrooms that foster academic success and positive social interaction between students, teachers and the community.

Assume student is trying to make correct response Assume error was accidental Provide more practice Assume student has learned incorrectly Assume student is not trying to make correct response. Assume error was deliberate Practice not required Assume student refuses to cooperate Compare procedures for academic and behavior problems

Assume student has been taught the wrong way Diagnose the problem Determine more effective manner to present material Assume student knows what is right and has been told often. Provide negative consequences Withdraw student from normal context.

Top ten Behaviors* • Student does not work on assigned tasks unless closely supervised. • Student engages in physical activity inappropriate according to frequency situation, and setting. • Does not follow (or is slow to follow directives expected of all students) • Student engages in disruptive behavior when seeking attention from peers or adults.

Additional behaviors… • Student engages in tantrum behavior when requests are not met. • Student makes demands of others and threatens negative consequences if compliance is slow or demand is not met. • The student handles property of others in destructive manner. • The student engages in aggressive behavior when provoked.

More behaviors… • Student engages in verbally aggressive behavior without provocation • Student engages in physically aggressive behavior without provocation. • * Taken from Beyond Functional Behavior Assessment by J. Kaplan

“I don’t understand what you expect of me.” • Ask the student to tell you what you have asked him to do. • Ask the student to show you what you have asked him to do. • Ask the student to model or demonstrate for another student • Give an example • Give a non example

“I don’t know how to do what you are asking me to do” • Has the student been taught and had the opportunity to practice the task? • Has the student demonstrated that she is capable of completing the task or engaging in the required behavior? • Does she need to learn how to practice the desired behavior in a new setting? • Does she need feedback for approximating the task?

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong” • Ask the student what she is supposed to be doing • Ask the student what she is doing • How is that different from what you asked her to do? • Ask her what she needs to fix it. • How will you help her? • How will she know when she is doing the right thing?

“I really can’t control my behavior” • Are there any medical situations that would prevent the student from controlling his behavior? • Are there environmental situations (people, situations, conditions) that make it difficult for the student to control my behavior? • Does the student know he is engaging in an inappropriate behavior? • Set up a signal system to alert the student to inappropriate behavior.

“It works better for me to mis-behave.” • Are the consequences of engaging in the maladaptive behavior more rewarding than than engaging in the positive behavior? • Can you work together to identify some rewards that would be a motivation for engaging in the positive behavior? • Check along the way to see if compliance is working out better for the student than non-compliance.

“My beliefs are contrary to your behavioral expectations.” • Do you know what beliefs your student has regarding her behavior? Have you asked during a time when there is no conflict? • Can you help her separate her belief structure into “school” context and “out of school” context? • Do you have parental support? • Is there a way you can get peer support?

“I don’t want to be a loser” • Make sure you offer a positive setting • Create “win-win” lessons • Celebrate every student’s success • Make sure students know how to celebrate the success of others • Encourage and facilitate group work • Create a sense of community in your classroom.

“I’m not in control.” • Students believe that other people and situations control their destiny • Students need an internal locus of control. • Create opportunities for choices • Assign responsibility for good decisions and poor decisions to the student • Children who feel powerless are not motivated to change their behavior, they don’t believe they can.

“I don’t believe I can do it” • Encourage the student to repeat, recognize and acknowledge success • Provide opportunity for success as often as possible • Provide opportunity for the student to demonstrate or share her skill • Divide the task into small parts so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. • Be sure to let her know when she completes the task as requested.

Maslow’s basic human needs • Physiological Needs-Coping information • Security Needs-Helping information • Social Needs, affiliation-Enlightening information • Ego Needs, self esteem-Empowering • Self-Actualization

Reclaiming youth at Risk* • Spirit of Belonging, shared community • Spirit of Mastery, competence • Spirit of Independence, autonomy • Spirit of Generosity, helping others • *Brendtro, Brokenleg, and Van Bockern

Some final thoughts • Every student wants to succeed • Every student wants to belong and be liked. • Students who don’t know how to make that happen, do what they know how to do • Non, compliant behavior is hard work. • If we took the same approach to build success with behavior that we do with academics, behavior would improve.

“Can you hear me now?”