Establishing a Classroom Environment to Minimize Behavior Interference and Maximize Learning

1. Establishing a Classroom Environment to Minimize Behavior Interference and MaximizeLearning Michelle R. Pasko Clinical Instructor Department of Special Education Towson University

2. START TIMER TIME’S UP! TIME LIMIT: 2 minutes Introduce yourself If you could be anywhere in the world, other than in this room, where would it be? 120 10 110 20 100 30 90 40 80 50 70 60 Introductions

3. Participants will: • Describe variability in today’s community college classrooms • Identify fundamentals of course and classroom design that promote learning • Determine strategies to prevent and minimize disruptive behaviors • Identify possible causes and potential solutions for difficult or challenging behaviors

4. Survey of behaviors: • https://tinyurl.com/y8keuoat

7. Important to remember! Variability among learners People First Language

8. START TIMER TIME’S UP! TIME LIMIT: 1 minute 60 10 50 20 40 30 Numbered Heads Together: What variability do we have in our classrooms?

11. Before Day 1: • Syllabus: a map and a contract • Clearly state expectations for course, timelines, grading, etc. • Course Policies include behavior expectations and impact/consequences: focus on PROFESSIONALISM and being “INTELLECTUALLY PRESENT”

12. Day 1: Set the Stage for the Course • Begin to establish relationships with students • Ice Breakers • Learn preferred names and pronunciations • Instructor’s modeling and enthusiasm for teaching and the content are important • Engaging/effective review of syllabus, explicit mention of behaviors expected • DSS Statement (ADA/504 Compliance; accommodations not retroactive) • Meet privately- and plan to follow up • Emphasize needs, not the disability (“In your own words”) • Show understanding and kindness • Survey students (*Key questions) • May enlist help from class to create “ground rules”

13. Meeting ALL Students’ Needs During Instruction • Instructional Activities: • Universally Designed • Options for representing information: multimedia, graphics, guest lecturers • Engaging instruction; relevance of material; use of checkpoints and rubrics • Instructional strategies promote active learning and engagement • StructuredRoutines; PostedAgenda with objectives • Materials provided in advance • Give clear directions; provide step-by-step directions • Confirm comprehension: Ask students to repeat directions • Encourage students to ask questions before moving on • Consider creating separate FAQ document to supplement assignment • Concrete language • Use of timers • Visualsto support learning

15. Meeting ALL Students’ Needs in Assignments • Assignments are Universally Designed • Provide options for expressing knowledge (reduce barriers while accomplishing the learning goal) • Consider allowing students to work independently if group-work is uncomfortable • Use of rubrics/scoring tools; “chunk” assignments into smaller tasks with checkpoints or specific due dates

16. Checking-In: • Daily Exit Tickets/Formative Assessments/Temperature Checks • Anonymous Mid-Point Survey: What is going well? How could this course be improved? Be open to making reasonable adjustments Share results with class and explain changes (or justify not changing)

17. “An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” -Ben Franklin

18. START TIMER TIME’S UP! TIME LIMIT: 2 minutes Recap: What strategies might instructors use to promote a positive learning environment and prevent challenging behavior from occurring? 120 10 110 20 100 30 90 40 80 50 70 60 Round Table

20. Specifics for managing the classroom environment • Record behaviors/keep documentation • Use Proximity • Address sensory needs (breaks, cool down space, preparation for fire drills or routine changes, etc.) • Address communication needs (simplify language, avoid sarcasm and abstract, use visuals, etc.) • Assist with social situations (facilitate groups) • Allow preferential seating (near door, front, etc.) • Collaborate with Colleagues/Peer Observations • Avoid public embarrassment; Talk privately

23. A closer look: Scenario 1 • A student, who is possibly on the Autism Spectrum, continually disrupts the learning environment. He is very bright and seems to learn material quickly, but displays immature behavior such as calling out, blurting out inappropriate or irrelevant comments, and asking a high number of questions. He does not seem to pick up on cues from his peers that imply their irritation/impatience with his behaviors. • What strategies might the instructor employ to: • A) prevent the behaviors from occurring? • B) minimize the behaviors once they occur? • C) further address the behaviors so that the learning environment is not disrupted? Think-Pair-Share with Point of View

24. START TIMER TIME’S UP! TIME LIMIT: 2 minutes • A student, who is possibly on the Autism Spectrum, continually disrupts the learning environment. He is very bright and seems to learn material quickly, but displays immature behavior such as calling out, blurting out inappropriate or irrelevant comments, and asking a high number of questions. He does not seem to pick up on cues from his peers that imply their irritation/impatience with his behaviors. • What strategies might the instructor employ to: • A) prevent the behaviors from occurring? • B) minimize the behaviors once they occur? • C) further address the behaviors so that the learning environment is not disrupted? 120 10 110 20 100 30 90 40 80 50 70 60

25. Disclaimer! “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” -Dr. Stephen Shore

27. Scenario 2: • During a lesson, an instructor informs students they will take an unannounced, ungraded “quiz” on lecture material. A student gets frustrated and begins to express frustration outwardly. He raises his voice and begins to bang his head on his desk. Prior to the “outburst,” the instructor lectured on a difficult topic for more than 45 minutes. The student also did not have direct access to the PowerPoint and was unable to keep up with notetaking. • What strategies might the instructor employ to: • A) prevent the behaviors from occurring? What might have caused this? • B) minimize the behaviors once they occurred? • C) further address the behaviors so that the learning environment is not disrupted? Think-Pair-Share with Point of View

28. START TIMER TIME’S UP! TIME LIMIT: 2 minutes • During a lesson, an instructor informs students they will take an unannounced, ungraded “quiz” on lecture material. A student gets frustrated and begins to express frustration outwardly. He raises his voice and begins to bang his head on his desk. Prior to the “outburst,” the instructor lectured on a difficult topic for more than 45 minutes. The student also did not have direct access to the PowerPoint and was unable to keep up with notetaking. • What strategies might the instructor employ to: • A) prevent the behaviors from occurring? What might have caused this? • B) minimize the behaviors once they occurred? • C) further address the behaviors so that the learning environment is not disrupted? 120 10 110 20 100 30 90 40 80 50 70 60

30. Additional Specific Behaviors • Begin on time, every time • Make first 5 minutes valuable • Keep seats by door, acknowledge student by name • Keep records, have clear expectations in syllabus • Meet with student to discuss challenges • “Stuff happens” card

31. Michelle Paskompasko@towson.edu

32. Today we: • Described variability in today’s community college classrooms • Identified fundamentals of course and classroom design that promote learning • Determined strategies to prevent and minimize disruptive behaviors • Identified possible causes and potential solutions for difficult or challenging behaviors Your Takeaways: Plus/Delta

33. References and further reading: CAST. (2018). UDL in higher ed. Retrieved from http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/udl_landing#.WlN_ZkxFxPY Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University. (2015). Address problematic student behavior. Retrieved from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/problemstudent.html Clark, K. R. (2017). Managing the higher education classroom. Radiologic Technology, 89(2), 210-213. Deering, C. (2011). Managing disruptive behaviour in the classroom. College Quarterly, 14(3), 1. Finnegan, E. & Finnegan, M. (2016). Students on the Spectrum. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/09/13/making-college-work-students-autism-essay Gonzalez, J. (2014). Managing misbehavior in the college classroom. Retrieved from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/misbehavior-college-classroom/ HEATH Resource Center at the National Youth Transitions Center. (n.d.). Students with Autism in the college classroom. Retrieved from https://www.heath.gwu.edu/students-autism-college-classroom Keaton, A. (2015). Teaching students the importance of professionalism. Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/teaching-students-importance-professionalism/ Seeman, H.(2010). Preventing disruptive behavior in colleges. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield. Wheeler, M. & Chapin, B. (n.d.). Academic supports for college students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An overview. Retrieved from https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/IRCA/Academic%20Supports%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20an%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder%20%20Quick%20Overview.pdf