Teach With Confidence ebook - Education by Nicolette Lara Design

Teach With Confidence:

CPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Handbook for Educators

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

INTRODUCTION

Minimize misbehavior. Maximize instruction time. This eBook pulls 100+ of our best tips, tools, and expert insights into one handy resource—designed just for you. WHY YOU NEED THIS RESOURCE: “Kids behave in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons, and effective behavior intervention has to be individualized to meet their circumstances and their needs,” says veteran educator Cyndi Pitonyak. She poses this challenge to her colleagues: “Do you want to spend your time creating support and helping kids connect and teaching them new skills, or do you want to spend your time reacting and isolating and punishing?” Teachers expect students to come to class equipped and ready to learn—so it’s important for school staff to arrive equally prepared to lead by example. No matter your role, you have a part to play in helping students engage in their learning environment

successfully. Effective behavior management minimizes disruptions and maximizes classroom time. You can make a measurable difference right away with these best practices, expert tips, and activity ideas from a wide range of subject matter experts throughout the world of education and here at CPI. WHAT YOU’LL GET FROM THIS RESOURCE: Your work is demanding, and your days are full. We’ve gathered some of our best CPI school supplies in one place—and organized a targeted blend of tools for a range of key topics. In each chapter, you’ll find strategies, activities, and tips that will enhance your skillset, enrich your instruction time, and empower you with positive, effective approaches for the tough challenges you can face in your work.

Hear our full interview with Cyndi Pitonyak on episode 44 of Unrestrained, a CPI podcast.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

INTRODUCTION

What's Inside: More than 100 tips. Subject matter experts galore. Topics that matter to everyone on staff. Read through at your leisure or jump right to the good stuff.

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ICON When you see this, you’re about to get great insights from a trusted education expert who’s generously shared their knowledge with CPI.

CPI PODCAST ICON When you see this, that means there’s more to the story—tune in to a specific episode of Unrestrained, CPI’s podcast, to dive deeper.

Contents Student Management

Embrace time-tested strategies for addressing challenging behaviors, preventing disruptions, and meeting students where they are to help them get where they need to go, including: 4 Keys for Successful Student Management..................................................................................................7 6 Ways to Maximize Direct Instruction Time...................................................................................................8 A Foolproof Formula for Remaining Calm & Responding Right..................................................................10 6 Preventive Measures for Trauma-Sensitive Behavior Management.........................................................14 Matching Misbehaviors: Test Your Understanding........................................................................................16 4 Steps to Better Emotional Self-Regulation..................................................................................................18

Classroom Design

Enhance your environment to make the most of direct instruction time, encourage restorative and prosocial behaviors, and strengthen safety, featuring: Simple Ways to Situate Your Classroom for Success.....................................................................................26 Follow These 6 Steps to Successful Classroom Integration.........................................................................28 3 Steps to Navigating Classroom Conflict Restoratively...............................................................................32 Lead a Calming Classroom Activity: Glitter Jar Construction......................................................................35

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Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

INTRODUCTION

Staff Developmentp

Empower all layers of school staff with the skills and confidence to deliver consistent caring and safety and stay focused on executing their goals, with these time-tested tips (and more): Some Guidelines for Designing an Interdisciplinary Staff Approach to Supporting Self-Regulation.....41 10 Great Behavior Management Tips for Educational Assistants................................................................43 4 Things I Know for Sure About Behavior Management..............................................................................46 5 Behavior Management Mantras for School Staff........................................................................................47 Palm Cards for Bus Drivers...............................................................................................................................49

School Climate and Culture

Empower all layers of school staff with the skills and confidence to deliver consistent caring and safety and stay focused on executing their goals, with these time-tested tips (and more): Self-Assessment: How Will You Own Your Part of the Integrated Experience? ........................................59 Self-Assessment: What Can You Do About School Climate and Culture?.................................................60 6 Solid Strategies for Minimizing Misbehavior and Maximizing Instruction Time.....................................62

About CPI

Back Cover

We’ve been working in education since 1980. Learn more about the solutions we provide for students, staff, and school districts.

Student Management

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Student Management Meet your students where they are, so you can help them get where they need to go. The right behavior management is essential to supporting student success. Learning how to accurately interpret and appropriately respond to disruptive and challenging student behaviors can help you make constructive choices that set the stage for optimal outcomes. Behavior management can be a challenge for even the most experienced teacher, so it’s vital to establish a foundation of best practices for constructively managing student behavior. With a plan in place, you won’t need to wonder what to do when challenges, disruptions, or crises occur. You’ll have the confidence to know what to do to make the most of direct instruction time and minimize misbehavior.

“Constructive responses to disruptive behavior such as calling on the student more frequently, asking the pupil to read aloud, or asking [them] to put work on the board offer alternatives that may actually PROMOTE learning.” Finn, Jeremy D., Gina M. Pannozzo, and Kristin E. Voelkl. "Disruptive and Inattentive-Withdrawn Behavior and Achievement among Fourth Graders." The Elementary School Journal 95, no. 5 (1995): 421-34. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/1001656.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

4 Keys for Successful Student Management Subject Matter Expert: Dr. Robert Kizlik Set your expectations—and plan for the best- and worst-case scenarios—to help make the most of your direct instruction time. Start by determining for yourself what you expect of your students, and how you’ll respond when your expectations are met—and what you will do when they’re not.

Know what you want and what you don't want.

Show and tell your students what you want.

When you get what you want, acknowledge (not praise) it.

When you get something else, act quickly and appropriately.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

6 Ways to Maximize Direct Instruction Time Minimizing misbehavior is vital to making the most of classroom time, but sometimes it needs to be addressed in a constructive way to help a student move forward successfully. Keep these strategies in mind when you’re planning for the best- and worst-case student scenarios.

Don’t Take Disrespect Personally You can’t control what other people do, but you can control how you respond to disruptive or challenging behaviors.

Set Limits Effectively Keep your guidelines simple, clear, and positive—and post them prominently.

Stick to a Schedule Lead by example, and model timeliness and productivity by staying organized. This empowers students to make the best use of their own time in the classroom.

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Understand Your Students Nurture individual relationships with trust and understanding—and walk your talk by making sure your nonverbal and paraverbal communication matches your message.

Learn to Spot Precipitating Factors Learning the causes of challenging behaviors, and how to interpret those behaviors correctly, can help you proactively address these triggers and prevent disruptions and power struggles.

Use Your Physical Presence Thoughtfully Your body language can have a powerful effect on a student who’s being disruptive—move mindfully and use your physical presence to take a supportive stance.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Understanding the common themes of challenging behaviors can help you maintain your composure, rapidly redirect disruptions, and keep a student on track. No two students are alike, but there are some common themes in the challenging behaviors they display. You’ve probably heard at least a few of these before!

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Past History – “My last teacher never made me show my work.”

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Defending Credibility – “Why does this even matter? When will I ever need to use algebra in real life?”

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Button Pushing – “Those who can’t do teach, right?”

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Threats and Ultimatums – “Go ahead, suspend me!”

These behaviors can provoke an emotional response from even the most experienced teacher.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

A Foolproof Formula for Remaining Calm & Responding Right Subject Matter Expert: Rick Dahlgren You can train yourself to keep your cool and keep the focus where it belongs—on teaching. Try this three-step approach:

Don’t take the bait.

Disrupt the disrupter.

Keep your cool. Losing control of yourself is the same thing as losing control of your classroom. An emotional or angry response on your part is understandable, but it diminishes your credibility and compromises your authority.

Silence can be your secret weapon; wait a moment before you respond. A disruptive student who’s expecting to spark a rapid round of back-and-forth banter with you will be thrown off their game when you take a supportive stance and act like you’re thinking up the answer to a very difficult calculus problem. Respond with redirection. You can implode a potential disruption by redirecting the exchange before it has a chance to escalate. When a student challenges, redirect in the moment, return to your regularly scheduled teaching, and then address discipline later, if appropriate, at a better time.

Keep it moving. Challenging behavior can derail direct instruction time—if you allow it to. Choose to respond in a way that redirects with respect, and you’ll get back to the task at hand without skipping a beat.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

A trauma-informed approach empowers students to develop better coping skills and successfully participate in school. Meeting students where they are also means accepting that they don’t always arrive at school with some of the most fundamental skills, abilities, or support they need to succeed. This requires you to employ an additional layer of support and thoughtfulness in addressing challenging behavior. For example, in South Sioux City Community Schools, student services

director Becky Eckhardt has identified a definite relationship between the socioeconomic challenges that families are facing in her community and the behavioral issues students experience at school: “At the beginning of the day, some of our kids really struggle coming off long weekends and breaks. And so it is especially important that our staff are mindful of the subtle behaviors that our kids are presenting and how can we use those de-escalation strategies to help support the student and avoid the escalation that comes with stress or adjusting from home life to school life.”

Hear our full interview with Becky Eckhardt on episode 39 of Unrestrained, a CPI podcast.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have the potential to cause long-term harm to children when they go unaddressed, by evolving into serious health concerns when they become adults. Below, you’ll find the outcomes of a CDC study of 17,000 individuals and their exposure to ACEs:

What are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)?

What health risks do they pose later in life?

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Physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.

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Alcohol and drug abuse

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Physical and emotional neglect.

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Depression

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Having a parent struggle with substance abuse or be diagnosed with a mental illness.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Ischemic heart disease

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Witnessing a parent experience abuse.

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Liver disease

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Losing a parent to abandonment or divorce.

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Intimate partner violence

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Having a family member in jail.

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Suicide attempts

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STUDENT MANAGEMENT

BUT YOU’VE PROBABLY RECOGNIZED THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF ACES IN YOUR CLASSROOM. Research done at Washington State University found that compared with children with no known ACEs, those who have three or more are: •

Almost three times more likely to experience academic failure

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Nearly five times more likely to have severe attendance problems

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Six times more likely to have severe school behavior problems

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Almost four times more likely to report frequent poor health

IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT KIDS WHO EXPERIENCE ACES ARE NOT DOOMED TO FAIL. Adverse outcomes can be mitigated if school staff are willing to apply trauma-sensitive strategies to behavior management. Schools that choose to take a trauma-informed approach to recognizing and addressing ACEs have seen the following positive changes: •

Significant improvements in behavior

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Fewer suspensions

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Fewer expulsions

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Significant improvements in academic achievement

Kids who experience ACEs are NOT doomed to fail: adverse outcomes can be mitigated if school staff are willing to apply trauma-sensitive strategies.

There are practical ways to enhance your behavior management approach with a trauma-sensitive perspective that prevents, manages, and helps improve the behaviors that stem from the struggles children face outside of your classroom.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

6 Preventive Measures for Trauma-Sensitive Behavior Management Subject Matter Expert: Dr. Mitch Abblett

Crisis training.

Feedback/communication training with staff.

Children who have experienced trauma have the potential to lash out when “triggered” and may not provide significant warning. Your crisis management training is crucial for helping you develop skills that are automatic and consistent. The more your responses are “overlearned,” the less you will tend toward reactions that inadvertently feed the trauma cycle. Keep these skills current and revisit them often.

Trauma-reactive youth can make your program setting the “canvas” on which they paint their inner turmoil. They push and pull at those they’re connected with, and overreact to minor stressors. They irritate, frustrate, and intimidate. Your patterns of staff-to-staff communication will be strained in working with such clients. You will step on each other’s toes, undo each other’s limits, make promises you shouldn’t, and any of an infinite number of other communication snafus. Emotions can run high among staff in such situations. Proactive attention to training each other in how to give authentic, constructive (though at times awkward) feedback, and how to manage the morass of difficult communication, will be time and money well spent. CONTACT US! Toll-Free: 888.426.2184 • solutions@crisisprevention.com • crisisprevention.com © 2018 CPI. All rights reserved.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Taking individualized “trigger” inventories with kids.

Training in conceptualizing trauma.

Training in sensory strategies for self-regulation.

Spend the time with kids to learn their unique patterns. Through observation and interaction, find out what buttons they carry that, when hit, spark trauma reactivity. The more you learn to recognize their patterns, the more you can intervene early to shift the cycle. Here’s where it can also be crucial to involve parents and family members. Their collaboration is key to forming a strong therapeutic alliance, and for learning about the child.

It is tempting to get stuck in viewing these children as “intentionally” acting out and being disruptive. Doing so sparks your own negative reactivity, and decreases your effectiveness. Learn all you can about the “big picture” and the process of trauma, its manifestation for kids, and how relationships (such as with you) can become a primary battleground for them as they struggle toward healing.

Occupational therapy techniques have been shown to be extremely beneficial for children whose nervous systems work in overdrive due to traumatic disruption. Make sensory strategies universally and readily available to kids, and make them interactive and engaging. Used early in the cycle, such interventions can make the difference between meaningful learning and meltdowns.

Community development. A treatment milieu that puts the premium on quality of connection as opposed to compliance will have fewer trauma-reactive crises to manage. Kids will feel supported and contained, and you (by the way) will feel more engaged and supported as well. Go out of your way to note and build up the strengths in these children. Champion them and watch them look to you for support when their strengths are less evident.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Matching Misbehaviors: Test Your Understanding Subject Matter Expert: Signe Whitson

You might recognize challenging and disruptive behaviors, but do you know the best responses? Passive-aggressive behavior is a way that students can act on emotions they’re not able to appropriately express. Test your skills: can you match the bad behavior with the best response?

The Bad Behavior:

The Best Response:

1. Temporary Compliance

A. Set Clear Expectations

A student initially agrees to do what they’ve been asked to do, but then finds every excuse they can not to do it.

If a person’s behavior is belligerent, defensive, or disruptive, give them clear, simple, and enforceable limits. Offer concise and respectful choices and consequences. Be clear, speak simply, and offer the positive choice first.

2. Intentional Inefficiency

B. Model Better Behavior

A student initially agrees to do what they’ve been asked to do, but they intentionally complete the task below the expected standards.

Students who display this kind of passive-aggressive behavior are doing so because they don’t have a better way of communicating anger and frustration. Model the right approach by keeping your cool and communicating about frustration and anger appropriately.

3. Letting Things Escalate

C. Early Recognition

A student lets a situation get worse through their inaction, even though they know better.

This student is testing your patience to provoke a response from you. Learning to spot and redirect the behavior early on helps you keep your composure.

4. Hidden but Conscious Revenge

D. Professional Intervention

A student engages in surreptitious behavior intended to cause harm or damage to the person they’re angry with.

If a young person is willing to do lasting harm to themselves in an attempt to harm somebody else, it’s essential to recognize that deep distress is fueling the destructive behavior. It’s time to bring in the right professionals to intervene before more damage is done.

5. Self-Deprecation

E. Remove the Reward

A student fixates on getting back at the person they think has wronged them, a student behaves in a self-destructive way that can lead to their own personal rejection or alienation.

Eliminate the audience—don’t give the student the satisfaction of seeing that their actions have provoked you. Follow up with implementing the appropriate logical, or even legal, consequences for destructive or harmful behavior.

1. C, 2. A, 3. B, 4. E, 5. D

ANSWER KEY:

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

“Do as I say!” doesn’t work. Modeling emotional self-regulation and prosocial behaviors shows students how to make better choices.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

4 Steps to Better Emotional Self-Regulation Subject Matter Expert: Leah Kuypers

Understanding that behaviors are expressions of needs and emotions, it’s essential to promote emotional self-regulation and model prosocial behaviors that help students communicate clearly, make constructive choices, and achieve optimal outcomes.

Acknowledge the importance of emotional control in student success. As adults, we’re all familiar with the moments when our emotions have gotten the best of us—and the unexpected and unfortunate consequences. Not all children develop this awareness at the same pace, however, and this can have a negative impact on their likelihood of success as students. It’s vital to understand that emotional self-regulation is just as critical as any other skill in becoming adaptive and functional.

Learn and share a framework for communicating about and regulating feelings.

Collaborate with the other adults in a child’s life to support the best practices of self-regulation.

Blend the best practices of emotional self-regulation into core curriculum.

One example of such a framework is “The Zones of Regulation”—a color-coded group of four zones that helps children appropriately gauge their emotions so that they can more effectively communicate and choose an appropriate behavioral response.

There are many key players in a child’s life, and the responsibility for their emotional development cannot be left at the feet of a single professional or parent. When there is consistency in the approach of the adults a child interacts with, they’re able to apply the principles of emotional self-regulation across a range of settings and situations within the school environment—and beyond.

With all the demands placed upon teachers to accomplish the objectives of core curriculum, it can seem daunting to find the additional classroom time to devote to emotional development. Weaving the common language of the selfregulation framework into academic coursework can help establish a sense of awareness and consistency without losing out on critical instruction time.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Use limit setting to constructively redirect a range of challenging behaviors. When confronting challenging behaviors, good limit-setting strategies can help you redirect, sidestep a power struggle, and create opportunities for students to make constructive choices and re-engage with the classroom. Additionally, limit setting can be an effective way of helping children with behavioral issues (such as those stemming from ACEs or similar struggles) constructively cope and participate in school productively. Along with helping children develop better self-regulation strategies, Dr. Mitch Abblett recommends limit setting as part of any trauma-sensitive approach to behavior management.

WHY SET LIMITS WITH STUDENTS? Because setting a limit isn’t the same thing as issuing an ultimatum, so your odds of a positive outcome improve. •

Limits aren’t threats—they’re choices, offered with the logical consequences of failing to make a positive choice.

Because limits are for teaching, not punishing—and teaching is the priority. •

Limits help students identify the relationship between their behavior and its consequences, and provide the opportunity to make the right choice.

Because limit setting gives you a chance to learn where your students are coming from, and improve your relationship. •

You’ll have an opportunity to better understand what students are thinking or feeling.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

5 Steps to Setting Effective Limits Try CPI’s approach to setting limits, and you’ll be able to help your students make positive behavioral choices that develop their skills and improve their odds of success.

Identify the inappropriate behavior.

Explain why the behavior is inappropriate.

Telling a student to stop might not be enough—be specific.

Don’t assume they know—take time to explain.

Give reasonable choices with consequences.

Allow time.

Be prepared to enforce the consequences for the choices offered.

Explain options available and the logical outcomes for each choice—this helps you sidestep a power struggle and removes the perception of an ultimatum.

Give the student a few minutes to make a decision. Particularly if they’ve been upset, they may need a little extra time to process what you’ve said.

Limits don’t mean much if the consequences aren’t enforceable, but those consequences should also be reasonable, within the scope of your authority, and within school policy.

Before you set limits with a student, ask yourself: are these limits clear, simple, reasonable, and enforceable? BONUS! HERE ARE FIVE MORE HELPFUL POINTERS FOR BETTER LIMIT SETTING:

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Use calm and neutral body language, facial expression, and tone of voice.

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State what’s allowed, without issuing orders.

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Weigh the choices, and try to offer two positives.

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Always state and encourage a positive choice first—before introducing consequences or negative choices.

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Be ready to redirect back to the topic at hand—and help the student focus on the desired outcome.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

You can’t always prevent misbehavior—but you can keep it from escalating. CPI’s time-tested de-escalation tips can help you redirect a student through challenging behavior and restore calm before chaos takes over. Training staff in the best practices of de-escalation not only improves the consistency of your team approach, but it improves the safety of all students by reducing the likelihood that traumatic interventions like restraint or seclusion are employed. Most importantly, practicing safe and caring de-escalation strategies is a way to model positive and restorative behaviors to students that they can use in their own life, ultimately empowering them to contribute more constructively to the community around them.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Teach Your Staff CPI’s Top 10 De-Escalation Tips

Be empathic and nonjudgmental.

Respect personal space.

Use nonthreatening nonverbals.

Avoid overreacting.

Focus on feelings.

Whether or not you think a student’s feelings are justified, they’re real to the student. Try not to judge or discount their feelings.

If possible, try to stand 1.5 to three feet away from a student who is escalating— providing space tends to reduce anxiety and discourage greater escalation. If you must enter a student’s personal space, explain your actions so that they’re less confused and frightened.

The more out of control somebody is, the less they can cognitively process your words. So keeping your tone and body language neutral can really help calm a student in distress.

You’re the adult in the situation—so you need to be calm, rational, and professional. You can’t control a student’s behavior, but you can choose your response to it.

Young people may not always be able to identify or articulate their feelings. Watch and listen carefully for their real message, and offer support that shows you understand their distress.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

STUDENT MANAGEMENT

Ignore challenging questions.

Set limits.

Choose wisely what you insist upon.

Allow silence for reflection.

Allow time for decisions.

Don’t pick up the rope! Answering challenging questions is a great way to lock yourself into a power struggle. When a student challenges your authority, redirect their attention to the issue at hand.

A person who’s upset might not be able to focus on everything you’re saying—so be clear, speak simply, and offer the positive choice first.

Consider what’s negotiable— if you can offer a student options or flexibility, you can avoid further escalation.

Give a student time to reflect on what’s happened—this is crucial for them to collect themselves and make a positive choice about how to proceed.

When you’re stressed out, it’s tough to think clearly. The same goes for your students. Give them a few moments to think through what you’ve said.

Classroom Design

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Classroom Design A thoughtful approach to rules, seating, and activities will pave the way for optimal outcomes. Classroom components like rules and seating charts deserve the same strategic consideration that you devote to your lesson plans, because the orientation of these structural elements can impact the likelihood of behavioral issues when class is in session. STRATEGIC SEATING CHARTS PUT STUDENTS IN THE BEST POSITION TO SUCCEED. When thinking about the layout of a classroom, veteran educator Jane Butke recommends first reading up on your students and considering what factors might be minimized or improved with the proper seat placement: “Who might display evasive behavior, or aggressive behavior? Who might need more personal space, or the safety of a study carrel? How could the seating pattern be developed to provide quiet areas, learning centers, and a socialization section?” Butke points out that it’s also imperative to consider the varying levels of anxiety that students can experience, particularly those with different neurological needs, and supply the classroom with the tools to provide calming interventions as needs arise. Particularly as schools continue to bring differently-abled students together in integrated classrooms, stocking the learning environment with such supplies is more imperative than ever.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Simple Ways to Situate Your Classroom for Success Subject Matter Expert: Dr. Robert Kizlik

Situate yourself to monitor the work and behavior of all students at all times.

Position your desk so that the door is in view at all times.

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Make sure frequently used areas of the room and traffic lanes are easily accessible.

Seat students so that they can see you, and your presentation area, without undue turning or movement.

Keep a ready supply of commonly used classroom materials like books, attendance pads, absence permits, and student reference materials.

Add some degree of decoration to the room to add to its appeal.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Inclusion and integration empower students to stay in sync with their peers. Integration is another way in which student success can be fostered—by bringing students of differing needs and abilities into mainstream environments, collaboration and community are nurtured. Successful integration requires an additional strategic perspective in which teachers collaborate with their colleagues and continuously assess the classroom to make sure it is functioning as a truly inclusive and productive learning environment.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Follow These 6 Steps to Successful Classroom Integration Subject Matter Expert: Laura Seckington

Establish goals. Some students integrate to work at grade-level curriculum and some purely for socialization and exposure to classroom structure—specific goals for integration will help you develop a program that’s truly effective for a student.

Determine a grade level. Many factors can influence a grade level placement, including the maturity of the mainstream peers, the particular subject or unit they are working on, or their own physical and emotional maturity. By collaborating with your colleagues and staff, you can determine the appropriate grade to integrate into.

Collaborate with other teachers. Once you have your goals and a grade level in mind, it is time to start collaborating with a mainstream teacher. Meet with them and develop a schedule for integration that will reflect the student’s best interest. Share IEPs, strengths, needs, accommodations, and modifications for the student’s success—and keep the lines of communication open for ongoing teamwork.

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CLASSROOM DESIGN

Collaborate with students. Integration helps mainstream students learn about tolerance, acceptance, and teamwork amidst differing ability levels. At the beginning of the year, meet with the students in the integration classes and teach them about our exceptional students, from their likes and dislikes to the ways they learn. Establishing a “buddy system” fosters teamwork and inclusion among students.

Provide accommodations and modifications as needed. Accommodations are things given or added to an expectation that will help the student to be successful. The curriculum expectations themselves are not modified. Modifications are changes to the actual curriculum expectations that will make the task more achievable for the student.

Dedicate time for continuous reflection and troubleshooting. A plan is only as good as its execution, and follow-through is critical. Speaking with teachers, parents, and classmates; conducting observations; and gathering data are all essential to making sure that a student integrates successfully.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Class rules are the roadmap to better behavior—so have that destination in mind when you design them. Jane Butke recommends that rules should be practical to enforce and stated in positive terms: “Think about the behaviors you want to reinforce, and how you identify those when you state your rules.” For example, which of the following statements is easier to communicate to students?

as part of the overall class agenda, and presented with corresponding consequences:

“NO RUNNING IN HALLWAYS!” or “All students must WALK in the hallways.” One rule leaves itself full of loopholes—does “no running” also include hopping, skipping, and jumping? The other sets a clear, simple, enforceable, and practical expectation in a positive tone. This advice aligns well with that of another trusted expert, Dr. Robert Kizlik, who concurs that rules are best kept few and simple, introduced early on 30

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A small number of general rules that emphasize appropriate behavior are helpful.

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Rules should be posted in the classroom.

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Compliance with the rules should be monitored constantly.

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Don’t develop classroom rules you are unwilling or unable to enforce.

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School-wide regulations—particularly safety procedures—should be explained carefully.

Set students up to succeed: provide examples of what you expect, and establish guidelines that encourage students to make cooperative behavioral choices.

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

Take a restorative, not punitive, approach to discipline and watch your classroom dynamics measurably improve. Teacher and restorative practices coordinator Drew de Lutio finds that a punitive approach to maintaining order in the classroom is a surefire recipe for professional burnout. It also doesn’t support students in getting the most out of their classroom time:

“I was blinded by belief that my compliance-driven disciplinary style was getting results. Students were seated. Students were afraid to disobey me. Disruptive students were avoiding my class—but disrupting the office, the halls, the cafeteria, or the parking lot instead. If an administrator walked into my room, it was quiet and orderly—but wholly devoid of genuine community.” Replacing his punitive approach with restorative practices became a way for staff and students to develop genuine communities within their classrooms. “Based on my experience as a high school teacher, I think there are many students who feel their lived experiences are not valued by their schools or classroom teachers. As a result, they feel as if they don’t belong in their schools, and their subsequent behavior reflects this perspective . . . Restorative processes help us build, maintain, and repair our relationships with each other.”

Teach With Confidence: CPI’s Handbook for Educators

CLASSROOM DESIGN

3 Steps to Navigating Classroom Conflict Restoratively Subject Matter Expert: Drew de Lutio

Take a moment to reflect. Think about how you would feel on the other side of this conflict, and how you communicate when you’re in disagreement with somebody you care about.

Choose intentional language. Try to resolve the issue by clarifying what you need and what you’re willing to do to support the other person.

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Use the pronoun “I”.

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Add a feeling word.

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Explain what happened.

Respect vulnerability by building trust. When delivered genuinely, the vulnerability modeled in restorative language lays the foundation for a trusting relationship between students and teachers—which are the cornerstones of genuine community within the classroom.

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Try it out: Facilitate a restorative circle with students after a disruptive classroom event. Restorative circle practices are another way to develop respect and trust within the classroom community. Incorporating these values into your behavior management approach helps students make better choices and participate more constructively in classroom instruction. In a restorative circle, students and teachers sit together and discuss what’s happened and how to move forward appropriately. A “talking piece” is passed to give each person a turn to communicate and be heard. The goal is to acknowledge and make amends for wrongdoing, build community, and improve behavior for the long-term.

Here are some sample rules and guiding values for facilitating a restorative circle: CIRCLE RULES: •

Remain in the circle

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Honor confidentiality

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Use the talking piece -Listen to others -Wait your turn

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Be respectful

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Be honest

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Speak from your heart

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You can opt not to speak

CIRCLE VALUES:

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Respect

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Trust

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Honesty

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Encouragement

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Support

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Honoring feelings

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Valuing one another

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Listening

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Understanding

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The Horicon Van Brunt Elementary and Middle School saw a 60% reduction in referrals over three years when they implemented restorative justice practices in their classrooms. They offered a few sample talking points for facilitating restorative dialog within a circle below.

QUESTIONS FOR WRONGDOERS: •

What happened?

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What were you thinking about at the time?

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What have you thought about since the incident?

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Who do you think has been affected by your actions, and how?

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What do you think you need to do to make things right?

QUESTIONS FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY WRONGDOING: •

What did you think when this happened?

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What effect did the incident have on you?

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What has been the hardest thing for you?

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What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

By facilitating these talking points within the restorative circle’s rules and values, interactions between students and teachers improved, and instruction time lost to referrals and suspensions decreased. The school principal notes that he found such a program actually changes negative behaviors, rather than simply managing them.

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Try it out: Creative classroom activities can foster collaboration, model prosocial behaviors, and facilitate calm. Glitter jars are a great calming technique—and teaching tool—when it comes to helping kids learn how their cognitive abilities can be impacted by chaos or clarity. They’re also an affordable project (all the key ingredients can be found at dollar stores) that fosters creativity and connection among classmates.

Lead a Calming Classroom Activity: Glitter Jar Construction Subject Matter Experts: Pamela Hansen, MSW, APSW; Travis Pinter, Ed.S.; Drew de Lutio What you need: •

A jar with a water-tight lid

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Glitter

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Water Optional: Food coloring Optional: Hot glue gun

What to do: •

Fill the jar about one-third to half full of warm water

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Add a few tablespoons of glue (the more glue, the longer it takes for your glitter to settle)

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Whisk the glue and warm water together

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Add plenty of glitter!

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Fill the remaining part of the jar with warm water, leaving about an inch of space at the top of the jar for movement Optional: add a few drops of food coloring to match the water to the glitter Optional: seal the lid with hot glue to secure it in place

How it works: When a student begins to feel overwhelmed, shaking up the glitter jar and then watching the glitter settle is a powerful calming technique. The initial chaos of swirling glitter resembles the feeling of the fight-or-flight response that can overwhelm the senses when a student is distressed—which Pamela Hansen refers to as “the doing brain,” where stress response clouds thoughtfulness. Watching the glitter settle symbolizes the restoration of clarity, or the return to “the thinking brain” in which a student reaches calm and can think rationally about the best course of action to choose.

Staff Development

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Staff Development No matter your role, you have an important part to play in helping students succeed. Several stakeholders help students achieve their best: from administrative leadership to teachers to assistants to facility staff to transportation teams. Nurturing collaboration among these talented and hardworking individuals creates a consistently safe and caring environment in which students and staff can thrive. A team approach to basic behavior management strategies is a way to empower all staff with the skills and confidence to address a crisis. Leaving it up to just one type of role—such as only teachers or counselors—to understand how to safely and effectively manage behavior is a recipe for a crisis to escalate when one of those individuals isn’t on-site to intervene: One morning, educator Carleen Doucet was met on the doorstep of her elementary school by a panicked assistant principal. “We have a crisis! It’s an emergency!”

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Carleen trailed after her principal to find a line of students evacuated into the hallway outside of a classroom, where a lone student was angrily turning over desks and chairs. “What are you going to do?” the principal asked Carleen. “I’m going to sit,” Carleen replied, and did just that, taking a seat at one of the few remaining desks that hadn’t been turned over. “Shhh,” she whispered to her principal. “Sit down!” To the student, she asked: “Are you done?” “No ma’am,” he replied, throwing another desk.

“It’s easier to talk than throw desks.”

“Continue,” Carleen said calmly. And at that instant, the student seemed to run out of steam. He walked over and sat down next to Carleen.

Hear our full interview with Cyndi Pitonyak on Unrestrained, a CPI podcast

“It’s easier to talk than throw desks,” she told him. He apologized, helped clean up the classroom, and after receiving some restorative discipline, hasn’t acted out in school since. Carleen’s story is a perfect example of keeping calm, taking a nonviolent approach, and modeling behaviors that a student can adopt and improve upon. But another key takeaway is that it should never be up to just one staff member to facilitate or guide behavior management—the best approach is one in which all staff work as a team. Regardless of how much experience you have working with children, focusing on the behavior displayed instead of the person displaying it can help you interpret it correctly and respond to it appropriately. Otherwise, misbehavior can easily be misinterpreted or inappropriately responded to. Carleen’s story is a success story because she was on-site to facilitate a successful intervention. But what happens if a student acts out in the lunch room? At the playground? With a paraprofessional? On the school bus? Behavior management isn’t just one person’s job. It’s a team responsibility.

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Reach beyond the classroom to build your behavior management team. To support a culture of safety and caring that’s inclusive of all staff, bring as many key players as you can into your huddle, and you’ll discover how many team members make light work. Who should be on your behavior management team?

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Administrators

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Aides

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Behaviorists

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Bus drivers

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Caregivers

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Childcare providers

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Counselors

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Facility staff

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Social workers

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Teachers

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Therapists

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STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Principles of emotional self-regulation can solidify an interdisciplinary team. When a student is struggling with self-regulation, their misbehavior is likely to span more of the school than just their classroom. The best way to help a student improve their behavior is to provide interdisciplinary staff support for practices like student self-regulation.

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Some Guidelines for Designing an Interdisciplinary Staff Approach to Supporting Self-Regulation Subject Matter Expert: Leah Kuypers Set aside time to meet as a team and establish a plan of action for helping a student improve their self-regulation skills. Determine the roles each staff member will play. For example: •

One team member focusing on learning to identify emotions.

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Another team member focusing on learning calming techniques.

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Another team member focusing on perspective-taking and social awareness.

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And another team member supporting the student in identifying triggers and problem-solving skills.

Follow appropriate guidelines, such as HIPAA, and gain consent from caregivers to communicate with other staff about supporting the student. Remember, an interdisciplinary behavior management perspective is an organic extension of the same team approach that would be involved in addressing other academic challenges. Collaborating with colleagues should feel contiguous with the culture of caring and safety you wish to nurture for all other aspects of the educational experience.

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Educational assistants and paraprofessionals can be among your most vital allies in supporting student success. By any name—educational assistants, teacher’s aides, paraprofessionals—the individuals partnering with teachers in the classroom each day can be outstanding allies in supporting a proactive behavior management approach. When building your team, look to these trusted staff to help you make the most of classroom time.

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10 Great Behavior Management Tips for Educational Assistants

Subject Matter Experts: Jennifer Taylor, Michael Edward, Abu Jabbie

Listen actively. Try engaging in a Genuine Encounter Moment: •

Give the student your complete attention.

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Establish eye contact and maintain a friendly and open expression.

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Listen closely for feelings, not just facts.

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Withhold judgment.

Set clear limits. Avoid using fear, intimidation, or guilt. Set positive limits that offer choices instead of ultimatums.

Avoid power struggles. Tactics like providing choices, establishing an agenda at the start of the day, or using one-word directions can be great detours around disruptive behavior.

Make sure the student’s physical and emotional needs are met. Teach students to consider the physical needs that might be driving disruptive behaviors with the acronym “HALT”—are they Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?

Include physical activity in your school day. A little exercise can be transformative for mental and physical health—lead by example by joining in these activities with students.

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Try mindful breathing exercises. One example is “balloon breathing”: •

Place your hands on your belly and inhale fully through your nose.

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Feel your belly fill up like a giant balloon.

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Open your mouth and exhale fully.

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Let your belly deflate.

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Repeat five times.

Catch a student being good! Sometimes negative behavior is the only way that students can communicate their needs or get your attention. Instead of reinforcing the negative behavior, try to catch them being good: praise the positive behaviors and neutralize or ignore the negative behaviors.

Model prosocial skills. Students with behavior disorders often have not developed strong prosocial skills—skills like cooperation, sharing work, sharing toys, and emotionally supporting others who are in distress. Ways to model prosocial behavior include: •

Be a positive role model.

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Talk through challenging social situations.

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Role-play challenging social situations and appropriate interactions.

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Encourage structured play to develop sharing, cooperation, and helping skills.

Offer choices instead of issuing orders. It all goes back to the beginning of this resource—limit-setting strategies aren’t just for teachers. Try a “first/then” approach, which enforces the idea that work comes before reward.

Adjust your tone of voice. Behavior can impact behavior—when adults are anxious, irritated, or excited, these emotions can increase the likelihood of a student’s disruptive behavior escalating. Try these tactics:

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Lower the volume of your voice and speak more quietly. As you do so, your student will have to become quieter to hear you.

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Alter the cadence of your voice and speak more slowly.

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Modulate your tone of voice and be calm and supportive.

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Simplify your vocabulary.

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The best practices of behavior management pros can be embraced by staff at every level. Safety assistant Maria Navone has spent more than 20 years working with children and teens, and as time goes by, she’s found that modeling positive behavior has transformed her approach to working with students: “The more time I spend with kids, the less I want to argue with them. ”I really have no desire to use physical intervention, and would much rather talk my way out of any given situation. The more disrespectful and disruptive the child, the more intent I am on finding a way to reach this child. The more I want to show them different ways of doing things that are more conducive to their well-being.” As she points out, if our children fail, our collective future is affected—we all fail together. Punitive responses like zero-tolerance policies, suspensions, restraint, and seclusion all serve to do more harm than good by never actually helping students to change or improve their behavior. Finding constructive, effective alternatives to a zero-tolerance approach provides staff throughout your school with the confidence to address challenging and disruptive behavior in a way that supports student success.

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STAFF DEVELOPMENT

4 Things I Know for Sure About Behavior Management Subject Matter Expert: Maria Navone

It helps when I seek cooperation—not compliance. A disconnected child is a discouraged child. And a discouraged child will struggle to succeed. But an encouraged child will begin to cooperate. Compliance is done when someone must do something: it’s required. Cooperation is done willingly—they do it because they want to do it.

I don’t take behaviors personally. Taking misbehavior personally pulls the adult into a power struggle, increasing their frustration to the level that they’re not able or willing to rationally detach, and as a result, they often become irrational and defensive themselves. This type of staff response most often results in a lose-lose situation.

I treat kids the way I’d like to be treated. And I speak to them the way I’d like to be spoken to. Many of the students I work with carry enormous burdens of trauma. So I often ask the staff I’m training to consider that if you’d never been shown care, compassion, and empathy, how would you know what it looks like? What it feels like? More importantly, how would you know how to give it to others?

I model desired behaviors consistently. Compassion, empathy, and positive behaviors must be instilled and practiced consistently in order for children and teens to truly grasp the concepts and understand their value. We, as the adults, as the educators, as the parents of these children, need to first and foremost model the behavior we would like them to possess.

Hear our full interview with Maria Navone on episode 12 of Unrestrained, a CPI podcast.

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STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Use positive self-talk to maintain professionalism and perspective when handling challenging situations. Part of keeping your cool and maintaining a consistent team approach comes from embracing a supportive attitude with your professional colleagues as well as your students. Making these commitments to yourself at the start of each school year—or school day—can help you keep your priorities in place and encourage your peers to do the same.

5 Behavior Management Mantras for School Staff Subject Matter Expert: Jane Butke

“When a student gets anxious, I’ll be as supportive as possible.” “If a student gets disruptive, I’ll take a deep breath before reacting or responding.” “I will give lots of positive support when a student re-engages with the classroom after a crisis.” “Should a child’s behavior escalate, I won’t panic, because I have a plan in place, and I will follow it.” “I’ll remember to use every behavioral ‘hiccup’ as a learning opportunity for students AND staff.”

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STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Problematic behavior is preventable —even in off-campus settings like the school bus. Safely transporting students to and from school is demanding work all on its own, but adding in the responsibility of coping with disruptive behavior can make it incredibly daunting. A few proactive strategies can help transportation staff keep everybody safer and constructively address the risks of disruptive and challenging behavior. According to school transportation manager Doris Bean, sometimes the smallest gestures are the most powerful. For example, she suggests asking a student briefly about their day before they board—getting a bad grade or being bullied at school are examples of stressors that can spark disruptive behavior on the ride home, so a supportive gesture up front can reduce the likelihood of combustion.

Asking a student briefly about their day before they board...identifies stressors that can spark disruptive behavior on the ride home, so a supportive gesture up front can reduce the likelihood of combustion.

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Palm Cards for Bus Drivers Subject Matter Expert: Doris Bean

PALM CARDS FOR BUS DRIVERS (SIDE ONE) •

Learn about bullying.

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See something, do something—be assertive and calm.

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Start with verbal warnings, using the student’s name.

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Maintain your self-control.

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Speak clearly and calmly—do not yell. Use your P.A. system on the bus.

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Do not argue.

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Move affected students.

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Report incidents the minute you come into the bus terminal by filling out a student contact form.

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Call dispatch for help.

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Stop the bus in a safe place if you need to.

PALM CARDS FOR BUS DRIVERS (SIDE TWO)

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Establish a positive atmosphere on the bus.

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Be clear, fair, and consistent about rules.

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Treat students the way you want to be treated and the way you want them to treat each other.

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Learn and use their names.

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Introduce yourself.

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Get to know all the students on your bus—including students who bully.

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Use positive, nonverbal interactions—smile, nod, thumbs-up, high five, or a pat on the back.

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Notice something positive the students do and say something about it to them or someone else when they can hear it (perhaps a school staff member in the bus bay or a parent at the curb).

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If it’s your regular route, get to know what the students do (play a musical instrument, sports, spelling bee, dance, etc.).

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Show an interest in each student and their school. On Fridays you can wear a mascot T-shirt from their school.

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Submit a positive bus referral by choosing OTHER, or fill out an incident report of good behavior so the student can receive a good ridership certificate or prize from you.

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7 Tips for School Bus Safety Coping with problem behavior while transporting students is no easy feat, but a few best practices can help any bus driver keep things calm, positive, and SAFE. Try CPI’s time-tested pointers for school bus safety:

Get to know your students. Learn their names, and greet them with enthusiasm and interest.

Be a positive role model. Be friendly and polite—and compliment students for their good behavior.

Respect personal space. If you need to approach a student, try to stay at least one leg-length away.

Be aware of body language. Watch students’ body language and monitor your own—avoid scowling or shaking your finger, for example.

Establish rules. Keep rules simple, short, and positive—give a copy to every rider and post them on the bus.

Set limits when rules are broken. Explain the rule that’s been broken, and offer choices with consequences—emphasizing the choice you want the student to make.

Remain calm. Don’t take bad behavior personally—losing your selfcontrol will only escalate a disruption.

School Climate and Culture

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SCHOOL CLIMATE & CULTURE

School Climate & Culture A healthy school climate supports student success, sustains staff careers, and enriches learning environments with caring and safety. Your choices within a student’s learning environment factor significantly within the health and sustainability of your school’s overall climate and culture—as does your successful collaboration with your colleagues, your students, and their families. The National School Climate Center defines school climate as “the quality and character of school life,” and further states that a positive school climate includes the following attributes:

"Norms, values, and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally, and physically safe." "People are engaged and respected." "Students, families, and educators work together to develop and contribute to a shared school vision." "Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning." "Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the physical environment." Developing a robust and sustainable school climate isn’t just about student outcomes. It can also keep passionate educators anchored in meaningful careers by surrounding them with support. The Learning Policy Institute advises: “In times of shortage, policymakers often focus attention on how to get more teachers into the profession, but it’s equally important to focus on how to keep the teachers we do have.” Improving the work environment by enriching its culture is a surefire way to boost retention and staff development for the long-term.

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Expert recommendations are a solid place to start but school climate surveys can help you strategically target specific areas of concern. In 2014 the US Department of Education released valuable guidelines for actively sustaining a healthy school climate. This substantive package detailed a number of action points, including:

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Using evidence-based strategies such as tiered supports.

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Promoting social and emotional learning, as well as academic skills.

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Involving families and students in the development of discipline policies.

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Providing ongoing training for all school personnel in supporting positive behavior.

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5 Fundamental school climate strategies Understanding that physical, social, and emotional components are intrinsically linked to behavior management and academic performance, doing your part to support a healthy school climate is vital. These five fundamental school climate strategies are an excellent place to start:

Establish common values. From administration to teachers to support staff to students to parents, everyone should make courtesy and respect a priority. Even if students, parents, or other staff aren't immediately courteous in return, know that your own positive attitude will foster a school climate that values respect among everyone.

Assess your environment. How your school looks and feels lets staff, students, and visitors know what to expect. Are parking lots, hallways, and classrooms clean and free of litter? Is the lighting adequate everywhere? Do you have a solid reporting system in place, so safety concerns can be identified and resolved?

Pay attention to warning signs. Watch for cues that indicate distress. Changes in a student's behavior, routines, facial expressions, posture, or tone or volume of voice can alert you to their intentions—and help you take a supportive attitude that focuses on prevention.

Have policies and procedures in place. In order to ensure that everyone is a part of a shared vision, be sure to establish plans and outline expectations.

Have staff development plans in place. Staff come to the job with teaching skills, and become even more effective as educators when they have the skills and training to prevent and de-escalate challenging behavior.

Once you’ve embraced these general best practices, it’s important to meet with your colleagues to identify and strategically target the specific areas of your school climate that could use additional enrichment. This is where school climate surveys become essential. Several agencies and consulting firms have designed school climate surveys or can provide guidelines for creating your own—and they can help you analyze the data you gather.

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SCHOOL CLIMATE & CULTURE

Make sure to include students, staff, and families when surveying school climate. This can help you prioritize training and development in areas where it’s most needed and enhance dynamics between your school and your greater community. Accurately analyzing survey results will help you cut through hunches, best guesses, and anecdotal reports to confidently home in on specific pain points. While facing problems head on might feel daunting, remember that the truly exciting benefit of surveying your school climate is discovering how simple it can be to make positive changes.

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Here are some examples of seemingly small steps schools have taken to successfully improve their school climate, with big payoffs in staff and student outcomes:

Tutoring Teamwork Improved Orientations One school district made a minor change to their back-to-school orientation to address the intimidation factor of transitioning from elementary to middle school—an anxiety that many students reported on a school climate survey. Instead of having students introduce themselves to the entire class, teachers had students meet each other in small groups on the first day of class. Follow-up conversations with students and instructors confirmed that this seemingly minor gesture gave a major boost to student morale and improved their sense of inclusion and confidence. Not much later into the school year, these students were much more comfortable presenting to the entire class.

Another high school developed a program where teachers and honors students facilitated after-school tutoring—both tutors and participants earned extra credit for attending, boosting academic performance and improving morale.

Principal Participation In yet another school district, several principals began teaching one class a week to stay more connected to the demands of day-to-day instruction.

Environmental Enhancements One school that was having constant fights break out in its cafeteria during breakfast opted to make some environmental changes to reduce background noise, and saw a measurable decrease in aggressive and disruptive behavior.

"Measuring school climate can help us to understand what was and what is, so that we can move forward to what could be." H. Jerome Freiberg, School climate expert

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You can do something about school climate and culture. Your actions matter— you have the power to change lives and careers for the better. When it comes to making a positive difference, it’s never too late. Even the simplest change to your individual behavior management approach can make a profound difference in a student’s life, which means that it can positively impact the community of your classroom, and ultimately enrich the climate of your school. In these final pages, take some time to reflect on what you’ve learned in this resource, and renew your commitment to making a positive difference this school year. You don’t have to change the world—but you can make a real difference by choosing to focus on best practices that directly impact your behavior management approach. The two short self-assessments that follow are an opportunity to focus on practical, positive strategies that you can put to work right away. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD—BUT YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE BY CHOOSING TO FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT YOUR BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT APPROACH.

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SCHOOL CLIMATE & CULTURE

At CPI, we call the way that our personal behavior impacts the behavior of those around us the Integrated Experience. It is the cornerstone of everything we believe about behavior management. You cannot control what other people will do, but you do have the final say about your own behavior. And your behavior when working with children has the power to change the course of their lives as adults.

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Self-Assessment: How will you own your part of each Integrated Experience? In the educational setting, there are ostensibly four basic Integrated Experiences you stand to participate in each day, and how you choose to own your side of each one can absolutely influence their success.

STUDENT: How can I positively impact my interactions with students? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ CLASSROOM: How can I positively contribute to the classroom/school space in which I work? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ STAFF: How can I positively improve my collaboration with staff across my school? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ SCHOOL: How can I positively enrich my school’s climate and culture so that everybody has a better chance of success? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Self-Assessment: What can YOU do? Making positive behavioral choices can also help you avoid burnout and vicarious trauma in your own career. Too many education professionals leave their calling far too early because the stress and fatigue can become crushing. Bringing your coworkers on board and working together to support positive, preventive behavioral interventions across your school can make demanding work significantly more manageable. It can free you up to do the job you were hired to do—and keep the students you serve on track to achieve their goals.

What commitments will I make in my personal approach to behavior management? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ What strategies will I use to keep myself calm and keep my students on track? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ What approach will I take to de-escalate disruptive behavior, and help students re-engage successfully in the classroom after a crisis? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ What values will I anchor my attitude in so that I can make this school year my most successful yet? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ How will I bring staff, students, and their families together to collaborate on a positive and proactive approach to behavior management? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Now that you’ve taken time to reflect and plan, it’s time to put best practices into action, and set students up to succeed. You can minimize misbehavior, maximize instruction time, and make a real difference in the lives of your students and staff.

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6 Solid Strategies for Minimizing Misbehavior and Maximizing Instruction Time Subject Matter Expert: You! (Yes, You!)

LEAD BY EXAMPLE—model respect and caring in your actions.

SEEK TO BE RESTORATIVE, and not punitive, in handling challenging or disruptive behaviors.

SUPPORT INCLUSION by strategically integrating classrooms and activities wherever possible.

TRY TO COLLABORATE with all the key adults in a child’s life to establish the consistency that can help children master selfregulation.

As new generations experience new challenges, TAKE A TRAUMASENSITIVE APPROACH that meets children where they are and gets them where they need to go.

UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL HAVE A PART to play in sustaining a culture of caring and safety in schools.

Contact us now and a CPI training coordinator will connect you with the best mix of solutions for your school. Success starts with CPI training. crisisprevention.com 888.426.2184

Minimize misbehavior. Maximize instruction time with CPI training. Discover how CPI helps school districts and discover the benefits of our training solutions: Contact us today crisisprevention.com—or by calling 888.426.2184.

Who Is CPI? Prevention is our middle name. Founded in 1980, the Crisis Prevention Institute provides training and thought leadership in the best practices of behavior management, crisis resolution, and building sustainable cultures of caring and safety. More than 11 million professionals, nearly 50% of whom work in education, have relied on our training to enrich their skills and confidence in handling challenging situations. Within the educational setting, CPI training has been instrumental in helping school districts make measurable reductions in the use of restraint and seclusion with our Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® foundation training. We’ve championed the adoption of positive and restorative practices that help students make lasting, constructive behavioral changes, and developed a substantial library of additional training, tools, and resources to help enrich the careers and expertise of administrators, teachers, and support staff. We believe that cultures of caring and safety belong to all people, and that we have a responsibility to empower professionals to deliver the best possible support to the individuals in their care. The success of today’s students will directly impact the well-being of tomorrow’s society. We’re honored to help you in the vital work that you do.

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