Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.

POSITIVE STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVENESS

2017 Embrace Civility in the Digital Age

EMBRACE CIVILITY

APPROACH

Focus on Embracing Civility• Shift from a negative focus on preventing

bullying to a positive, empowerment perspective

• Seek to reduce all forms of hurtful behavior, not just “bullying”

Focus on Embracing Civility• Implement an approach that focuses on

the positive social norms held by the majority of students, building important relationship skills, and restoration of hurtful incidents, along with effective interventions by staff

Ensure Student Voice• Provide for the meaningful participation

of students in the development of school community expectations and values for how everyone will treat each other

• Establish an inclusive Student Leadership Team to guide student actions to foster a positive school climate

Support Success• Adopt approaches that are grounded in

current research insight

• Conduct effective evaluation

Ensure Staff Effectiveness• Provide professional development for staff

to ensure they gain insight into strategies to assist students in fostering positive relations and respond effectively to minor incidents

Ensure Staff Effectiveness• Ensure appropriate policies are in place

clearly establish staff responsibility to intervene in the hurtful incidents they witness and to forbid staff abuse or denigration of students

Empower Students• Provide effective student instruction in

positive, empowering strategies to foster positive relations and respond effectively in any hurtful situation as the one treated badly, who has been hurtful, or a witness using an approach grounded in positive social norms and restorative practices

Empower Students• Empower students to effectively prevent

and respond to hurtful incidents and build their underlying self-confidence and social skills to reduce the likelihood of being targeted and increase their effectiveness in responding if treated badly

Empower Students• Empower students to avoid engaging in

hurtful behavior

• Increase students ability to accept personal responsibility and take steps to remedy the harm if they have been hurtful

• Reduce impulsive retaliation

Empower Students• Increase positive intervention actions by

students who witness hurtful incidents by empowering them to reach out to be kind and supportive of those who were treated badly, resolve conflict, encourage those who were hurtful to stop and remedy the harm, and report serious situations to an adult who can help

Intervene Effectively• Implement a MTSS intervention approach

to address to characterize and effectively intervene in hurtful incidents involving students or staff- Tier I minor level incidents

- Tier II serious or chronic situations that require more comprehensive investigation and intervention for students or staff

Intervene Effectively- Tier III for students being chronically targeted

for whom a Tier II intervention has not resolved the situation and for marginalized students who engage in hurtful behavior and have also been treated badly or excluded

- Tier III also includes students who are receiving special education services

DEFINITIONS AND FOCUS

Confusion• On one hand, the

term “bullying” is being applied to many hurtful incidents

• On the other hand, statutes have a very strict definition of “bullying”

• Impact: Significant confusion

Bullying• Pervasive or persistent hurtful acts

directed at another student that have caused the student to feel distressed and that has resulted in an interference with the student’s ability to receive an education or participate in school activities

Bullying• How StopBullying.Gov defines bullying:

- Unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time

- “Power imbalance” is not sufficiently objective

- This is not how statutes define bullying

Harassment• Bullying, relying on the above definition,

that is based on sexual orientation or identity, race, national origin, disabilities, or religion or other protected identity- This could constitute a civil rights violation

Cyberbullying• Bullying or harassment that occurs using

digital technologies- Regardless of language in statute, schools have

the constitutional authority to respond to off-campus online speech if such speech is interfering or could interfere with a student’s ability to learn and participate in school activities

If All• If all a school focuses on is hurtful

behavior that meets these statutory definitions

• This will undermine the ability of the school to establish a positive school climate that is safe and welcoming for all students. school

Hurtful Behavior• Sexual Harassment

- Unwelcome sexual comments, gestures, or touching, could constitute discriminatory harassment under civil rights laws

• Disrespect or Denigration- Putting someone down. Using insulting terms or

symbols that communicate that a person or group of people is inferior

Hurtful Behavior• Relational Aggression

- Harm is caused by damaging someone's relationships or social status, excluding others from social activities, damaging reputation humiliating, exclusion

• Conflict or “Drama” - Two-way interpersonal social conflict, may

involve romantic relationships, often includes supporters

Hurtful Behavior• Physical Harm or Threat

- Physical assault, destruction of property, or a threat to do so

• Dating Abuse- Being hurtful, controlling, or abusive to

someone within a dating relationship

Hurtful Behavior• Retaliation

- When a student who has been bullied, generally chronically, fights back to try to get this to stop

- Often the chronic bullying is more subtle and the act of retaliation was more obvious‣ Often students who retaliate are the ones

punished, and nothing happens to address the underlying hurtful acts that are being directed at them

Hurtful Behavior• Hazing or Involving Athletics

- Being hurtful to new or younger members of a team or group as a form of initiation or intimidation of team members

• Hurtful by Mistake- Jokes or pranks that weren’t meant to be hurtful,

but were—or impulsive, angry outbursts followed immediately by remorse

Focus on Positive• It is recommended that schools not focus

on these “negatives”

• Rather to maintain a focus on establish a positive school climate and fostering positive relations, inclusion, and civility

FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENTS

Foundational Components• Important foundation for Embrace Civility

- A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools- Positive School Climate- Trauma Sensitive Schools- Social Emotional Learning- Cultural Competence- Likelihood of Success

Foundational Components• The following approaches are also

foundational, but will be revised in key ways- Positive Behavioral Supports

- Multiple Tier System of Supports

- Restorative Practices

Safe and Successful Schools• 2013 release of A Framework for Safe and

Successful Schools- National Association of School Psychologists- National Association of Elementary School Principals- American School Counseling Association- National Association of School Resource Officers - National Association of Secondary School Principals- School Social Work Association of America

Safe and Successful SchoolsEfforts to improve school climate, safety, and learning are not separate endeavors. They must be designed, funded, and implemented as a comprehensive school-wide approach that facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration and builds on a multitiered system of supports.

Safe and Successful Schools• Policies

- Allow for blended, flexible use of funding streams in education and mental health services

- Improve staffing ratios to allow for the delivery of a full range of services and effective school–community partnerships

- Develop evidence-based standards for district-level policies to promote effective school discipline and positive behavior

Safe and Successful Schools- Fund continuous and sustainable crisis and

emergency preparedness, response,and recovery planning and training that uses evidence-based models

- Provide incentives for intra-and interagency collaboration

- Support multitiered systems of support (MTSS)

Safe and Successful Schools• Recommendations for principals

- Establish a school leadership team that includes key personnel

- Assess and identify needs, strengths, and gaps in existing services and supports

- Evaluate the safety of the school building and school grounds

- Review how current resources are being applied

Safe and Successful Schools- Implement an integrated approach that connects

behavioral and mental health services and academic instruction and learning

- Provide adequate time for staff planning and problem solving

- Provide professional development for school staff and community partners

- Engage students and families as partners

Positive School ClimateSchool climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of students', parents' and school personnel's experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributing and satisfying life in a democratic society.

Positive School Climate• National School Climate Center has

excellent resources- Strong focus on collaboration and Student Voice

Trauma Sensitive School• Profoundly harmful impact of trauma,

including being bullied, on students- Impacts learning, behavior, and relationships

- Respond with fear because they do not trust others care

- Interferes with ability to handle emotions and behavior

Trauma Sensitive School• Three key approaches to assist young

people who have experienced trauma are - Increasing positive connections with trusted

peers and adults

- Helping them to learn skills of self-regulation through mindfulness practices

- Increasing their problem-solving skills

Trauma Sensitive School• Many schools are implementing school

wide mindfulness practices- Documented positive results in students’

physical health, psychological well-being, social skills including emotional regulation, and academic performance

- Can help to reduce overreaction that fuels more aggression and impulsive retaliation

Social Emotional Learning• In 2017, National Commission on Social,

Emotional, and Academic Development released a unified statement about the urgency of integrating social, emotional, and academic dimensions of learning to improve student outcomes - (T)he success of young people in school and

beyond is inextricably linked to healthy social and emotional development

Social Emotional LearningSocial and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Social Emotional Learning• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and

Emotional Learning SEL competencies- Self awareness

- Self management

- Social awareness

- Relationship skills

- Responsible decision-making

Social Emotional Learning• Meta-analyses have demonstrated

- Immediately improves mental health, social skills, and academic achievement

- SEL interventions continue to benefit students for months and even years to come

• Embrace Civility should be considered a component of a larger SEL program

Cultural CompetenceWhile all bullying is harmful to America’s youth, some experts believe that bullying based on young people‘ identities—such as their sex, race, ethnicity or national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, or religion—can be particularly damaging. Unfortunately, these forms of bullying are all too common in American schools.

Cultural CompetenceCultural competence is having an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families It is the ability to understand the within-group differences that make each student unique, while celebrating the between-group variations that make our country a tapestry.

Cultural Competence• NEA Diversity Toolkit

- Valuing Diversity

- Being Culturally Aware

- Dynamics of Difference

- Knowledge of Students' Culture

- Institutionalizing Cultural Knowledge and Adapting to Diversity

Trauma Sensitive SchoolA trauma-sensitive school is one in which all students feel safe, welcomed, and supported and where addressing trauma’s impact on learning on a school-wide basis is at the center of its educational mission. An ongoing, inquiry-based process allows for the necessary teamwork, coordination, creativity, and sharing of responsibility for all students.

Likelihood of Success• As there are no evidence-based programs

it is important to focus on requirements that support a likelihood of success

Likelihood of Success• Principles of Effectiveness derived from

meta-analysis of effective programs- Comprehensive Services

- Varied Teaching Methods

- Sufficient Dosage

- Theory Driven

- Positive Relationships

Likelihood of Success- Appropriately Timed

- Socioculturally Relevant

- Outcome Evaluation

- Well Trained Staff

Likelihood of Success• Safe and Drug Free Schools guidelines

- Needs assessment based on objective data

- Description of performance measures

- Rationale for the program

- Risks and protective factors

- Implementation plan

- Evaluation plan

Likelihood of Success- Evidence to support “likelihood of success”

‣ Research and principles the program is based on

‣ Effectiveness in other implementations OR

‣ If has not been evaluated, a plan to do so

• These components and requirements have been incorporated into Embrace Civility

KEY APPROACHES IN EMBRACE

CIVILITY

Key Components• Key components of Embrace Civility

- Empower Student Voice and Leadership- Update Positive Behavioral Supports- Expand Use of Multiple Tier System of Supports- Revise Approach for Restorative Practices

EMPOWER STUDENT VOICE AND LEADERSHIP

Empower Student Voice• Three reasons

- Hurtful behavior to achieve dominance appears supported by the social norms of the school

- Students treated badly are cast as “deviant” by a powerful group of students

- Hurtful behavior often is not witnessed or detected by staff

• Empowering student voice is essential!

Empower Student VoiceMeaningful student involvement is the process of engaging students as partners in every facet of school change for the purpose of strengthening their commitment to education, community and democracy. Instead of allowing adults to tokenize a contrived “student voice” by inviting one student to a meeting, meaningful student involvement continuously acknowledges the diversity of students by validating and authorizing them to represent their own ideas, opinions, knowledge, and experiences throughout education in order to improve our schools.

Empower Student VoiceListening to student voice—that is, listening closely to what students say about their school experiences—can help educators understand topics or problems and rethink practices to inform school improvement efforts.

Empower Student VoiceWhen you take time to listen, you’ll find that students’ aspirations can drive your school toward exciting new goals. And when students know they’re being heard, they develop self- worth, engage meaningfully in their own academic success, and become purposeful in their educations.

Embrace Civility Strategy• Student Leadership Team

- Delivery of instruction and activities

- Involvement with planning

• Focus groups with all students

• Peer Assistance and Accountability Team

UPDATE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS

Positive Behavioral Supports• Originally included in 1997 Individuals

with Disabilities Education Act

• Technical Assistance Center Funding to Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)- Renewed in 2013 with an expanded focus on

School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS)

Positive Behavioral SupportsPBIS is a framework or approach for assisting school personnel in adopting and organizing evidence-based behavioral interventions into an integrated continuum that enhances academic and social behavior outcomes for all students.

Six Core Features• Evidence-based approach

• Multiple Tiered System of Supports

• Standardized problem solving protocol

• Data-based decision-making

• Ensuring implementation integrity

• Screening for early identification

PBIS Recommendations• 3 to 5 positively stated school-wide

expectations regarding student behavior

• Posted across settings

• Direct teaching of those expectations

• Reinforcement through praise and tangible rewards

PBIS Recommendations• Traditional PBIS is grounded in behavior

management, which wisely- Focuses on adult behavior

- Counsels against punitive responses

- Encourages focus on positive acknowledgement of positive behavior of students

• But token rewards are a huge concern

Need to be More Holistic• Framework for Safe and Successful Schools

- In a growing number of schools (RIT and PBIS) constitute the primary methods for implementing an MTSS framework. Ideally though, MTSS is implemented more holistically to integrate efforts targeting academic, behavioral, social, emotional, physical, and mental health concerns

Concerns and Revisions• Expectations are

developed in an authoritarian manner and dictated to students

• Engage Student Voice and collaboratively develop values and expectations for how everyone will treat each other

Concerns and Revisions• Direct instruction

of some expectations is entirely reasonable

• In addition, students require comprehensive Social Emotional Learning and school community requires Cultural Competence

Concerns and Revisions• Behavior

management approaches are harmful for students who have experienced trauma or other challenges

• Integrate Trauma Informed Care, Cultural Competence, and Social Emotional Learning

Concerns and Revisions• Traditional PBIS

envisions use of suspensions at Tier II and III level

• Increase reliance on Restorative Practices- Revise Restorative

Practices approach

Concerns and Revisions• Reliance on Office

Disciplinary Reports may be invalid- Pressure to reduce

suspensions

- Staff do not see hurtful incidents

• Add the use of an annual survey and focus groups to assess school climate

Concerns and Revisions• Many concerns

associated with reliance on token rewards- Ineffective,

decrease intrinsic motivation, model relational aggression, bias

• Prohibit use of token rewards and implement other approaches to motivate- Especially Student

Voice

PBIS Framework• Fortunately, PBIS is viewed as a

“framework” within which approaches that are grounded in more current research insight can be integrated

EXPAND USE OF MULTIPLE TIER

SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS

Multiple Tiers of Support• Tier I Universal prevention efforts

directed at all students

• Tier II Targeted supplemental interventions required by students who need additional support

• Tier III Intensive interventions required by students who face significant challenges

Tier I• Education of all students and staff into

how to foster positive relations- For staff on how to effectively intervene

• Applies to all minor hurtful interactions that students resolve on their own or with low level staff intervention- Staff intervention must assess if this is a Tier I

level incident or Tier II level situation

Tier II• Generally applied when students have

greater challenges- Hurtful students who have greater challenges

- Targeted students have challenges that appear to be contributing to the situation

• Perspective must be expanded

Tier II• Important component of Tier II is

ongoing monitoring

• Often school interventions are often not effective in resolving the hurtful situation

• Ongoing monitoring of any serious or chronic hurtful situation is necessary!

Tier II• Consider all serious or chronic situations

Tier II level situations - Requires a more comprehensive investigation

and a more extensive intervention approach

- The effectiveness of which is monitored until such time as all students will indicate that things have gotten better

Tier II• Regardless of level of personal challenges

- Positive Action Plan for any student who has been treated badly in a serious or chronic manner

- Accountability Agreement for any student who has been engaging in serious or chronic hurtful acts

Tier II• Any situation where a staff member has

been accused of being hurtful or routinely present and has not intervened effectively- Most likely overwhelmed and/or lack of skills

• Requires a full investigation- Intervene with corrective action, not discipline

Tier III• Intensive prevention strategies in any

situation where- Students are known to have significant

challenges

- Tier II intervention has not been effective

• Fully integrate Trauma Informed Care

Embrace Civility Strategy• Tier I Components

- Embrace Civility ‣ The student instruction program

- Effective Staff Interventions in Hurtful Incidents ‣ Outlines strategies for staff to assist students in

resolving Tier I level incidents and questions to ask to determine if the situation is more serious or chronic, a Tier II level situation

Embrace Civility Strategy• For Tier II or III situations

- Serious or Chronic Hurtful Situation Investigation Protocol

- Positive Action and Accountability Assessment and Plans

• Further insight on Tier II or III investigation and intervention approach in this presentation

REVISE APPROACH FOR RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Restorative Practices• Restorative Practices is grounded in

effective shame management- Shame is a central feature in social regulation

- Response can be adaptive or maladaptive

- Adaptive response is to accept responsibility and engage in remediation

- Maladaptive response leads to attacking self or others, withdrawal, avoidance

Restorative Practices• Key factor determining whether shame

becomes adaptive or maladaptive is whether wrongdoing is treated in a way that is stigmatizing or reintegrative- Punishment is stigmatizing

- Restorative approaches foster accountability and reintegration

Restorative Practices• Punishment based approach seeks to

determine who to blame:- Who did it?

- What “rule” was broken?

- How should the offender be punished?

• Disciplinary code violation approach is punishment based

Restorative Practices• Restorative Practices ask these questions

- What is the harm to all parties involved and to the community?

- What needs to be done to repair the harm?

- Who is responsible for this repair?

- What needs to occur to prevent similar harm in the future?

Restorative Practices• Restorative Practices thinking is sound

• Concern about “restorative circles” when a student has been hurtful to another- Targeted student may be considered “deviant”

- Marginalized student needs Tier II or III

- Socially dominant hurtful student would “rule”

- Other students not challenge dominant student

Restorative Practices• “Restorative conference” could be useful in

some situations- But is time consuming and requires trained

mediator

• Embrace Civility encourages an Accountability Process

Accountability Process• Achieve benefits of Restorative Practices

- Easier to implement

- Incorporates Principles of Influence and Rationalizations

- Ensures that challenges are also addressed

• Follows a comprehensive investigation

• Student-student, staff-student, student-staff

Accountability Agreement• What happened and their thinking

• Identify rationalizations

• Identify any challenges and make plans to address

• Develop educational plan that relates to hurtful behavior- Study, talk, report

Accountability Agreement• Remedy of harm by service to school or

community

• Remedy of harm to one treated badly- Statement of acknowledgement of wrongdoing,

acceptance of personal responsibility, commitment to avoid hurtful acts in future, apology

Restorative Practices• Embrace Civility teaches restorative

practices to students

Restorative Practices• In Effective Staff Interventions to Hurtful

Incidents staff are provided with recommendations on how to respond to Tier I incidents that they witness in a restorative manner

• The Accountability Process and Agreement is a Tier II or III level Restorative Practice

RESEARCH INSIGHT THAT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED

Research Insight• Positive Social Norms

• Psychology of Influence

• Motivation

• Rationalizations

• Impulsive Retaliation

POSITIVE SOCIAL NORMS

Positive Social Norms• School staff and student leaders must

reinforce the positive social norms, held by the majority of students, ensuring that all students fully understand that being kind and respectful and stepping in to help when someone is being treated badly is the path to being liked and admired

Social Norms Theory• Suggests that people misperceive the

attitudes and behaviors of others and this influences their own actions

• When people learn about the actual positive norms of their peer group, they are more willing to abide by those norms

Social Norms for Bullying• Youth Health and

Safety Project- Surveyed students

about norms

- Created posters with student data

- Rate of bullying declined

Embrace Civility Survey• The vast majority of students disapprove

of their peers being hurtful to others

• Students admire those who are kind and respectful to others, step in to help if they witness hurtful situations, respond to hurtful situations in a positive way, and stop themselves if they have been hurtful and strive to remedy the harm

Embrace Civility Survey• Students do not admire those who are

hurtful, support others being hurtful, laugh when they see hurtful situations, create hurtful drama to get attention, or think it is “cool” to denigrate others

Embrace Civility Survey• Students most highly approve responses to

hurtful situations that reflect a high amount of personal power, as well as personal responsibility, such as apologizing if they have been hurtful

Embrace Civility Survey• The most important reason students

indicated they would not be hurtful was how they would feel if someone did this to them

• Students describe those who step in to help with such words as: Brave, Kind, Hero, Nice, Courageous, and Caring

Embrace Civility Survey• The majority of students indicated that

when they witnessed a hurtful situation, they stepped in to help- However, those who were treated badly reported

a lower level of receiving assistance from peers

- These combined findings indicate that there is a desire to help, but apparent barriers to doing so

Embrace Civility Survey• The key barriers students identified to

stepping in to help were - Not knowing what they could do and their

perspective that the social norms at the school would not support such intervention

- When in fact, such norms would support intervention

- Must both increase skills and focus on actual norms

Embrace Civility Survey• All students appear to have mixed feelings

about retaliation- That is, they think retaliation may be an

appropriate response in some circumstances

• They also think that those who are treated badly should immediately respond

• Significant importance and will be discussed below

Conclusion• The social norms of students are highly

supportive of positive relations at school

• Students can be empowered as leaders in the efforts to foster positive relations and reduce hurtful behaviors in their schools

Embrace Civility Strategy• Use of the local survey is exceptionally

important

• In pilot implementations, students “leaned in” to learn what the survey findings showed they think about these issues

• Allows staff to shift to “guide by the side”

Psychology of Influence• Ways in which people or businesses can

influence the behavior of others- Developed with a focus on business and

marketing

- But is research-based and “influence” is “influence”

PSYCHOLOGY OF INFLUENCE

Reciprocity• We generally try to return favors, pay back

debts, and treat others as they treat us—or as we want them to treat us- This is the “golden rule”

• “How would you feel if someone did that to you?”

Commitment Consistency• Humans have a desire to be consistent

• If they have made a commitment, they are more inclined to go through with it

• “How does this fit with your personal values?”

Social Proof• This is the social norms approach that has

already been discussed

• “What would others think of your actions?”

Liking• People are more likely to follow the lead of

those they know and respect

• “What would those you admire think of your actions?”

Authority• We feel an obligation to follow the

leadership of those in positions of authority or who have earned out respect

• “What would your mom or dad or other adult who you respect think of your actions?”

Scarcity or Possible Loss• Things are more attractive when their

availability is limited, or when we stand to lose the opportunity to acquire them on favorable terms

• “How could this damage your reputation and friendships with other students?”

• “How might this get you into trouble?”

Embrace Civility Survey• What are the top three most important

reasons why you would not be hurtful to another?- 78% How I would feel if someone did this to me

(Reciprocity)

- 50% How I would feel about myself (Commitment and Consistency)

- 36% What my parents would think (Authority)

Embrace Civility Survey- 33% That I might hurt my future opportunities

(Scarcity or Possible Loss)

- 29% That I might get into trouble (Scarcity or Possible Loss)

- 19% What this would do to my reputation (Social Proof)

- 14% What my friends would think (Liking)

- 9% Other reason that is important to you

Embrace Civility Survey• Analysis of “other reasons” revealed a high

number of responses essentially stating “How I would make the other person feel”- Empathy, which is a really good thing

- This option has been added to the survey

• Note only 29% indicated that the potential of getting into trouble was important

Embrace Civility Strategy• Emphasize the importance of treating

others as you would like to be treated

• Ask students to make a commitment to five key components of Embrace Civility

• Emphasize positive social norms

• Focus attention who students admire and use student leaders to deliver messaging

Embrace Civility Strategy• Encourage students to think about

whether strategies they are considering are in accord with their values, which incorporates family values

• Stress to students who are being hurtful and to their friends the potential loss of a positive reputation or opportunities

MOTIVATION

Positive Behavioral Supports• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What

Motivates Us- Reward based approaches are only effective for

simply, straightforward tasks, like following instructions

- For tasks requiring a greater degree of creativity, that require solving more complicated, complex challenges, reward-based motivators are ineffective and sometimes harmful

Behavioral Science• Rewards and consequences may have

worked for 20th Century skills

• Three primary motivators for performance in the 21st Century are- Autonomy

- Mastery

- Purpose

Autonomy• Our desire to be self-directed

- Contrary to the traditional view that what we want from students is “compliance”

- If we want students to be more engaged, we have to give them greater autonomy

• Embrace Civility focuses on increasing Student Voice and Leadership

Mastery• The urge to gain better skills

- A sense of progress in our work and capabilities provides inner drive

• Embrace Civility’s perspective is that it is a desire of all students to gain better social relationship skills

Purpose• The desire to do something that is

meaningful and has importance- Connecting to a cause larger than yourself drives

the deepest motivation

• Embrace Civility empowers students to foster more positive relations in school, their online community, and hopefully the world

RATIONALIZATIONS

Rationalizations• Moral disengagement

- Generally, an individual’s moral code provides internalized standards that help them regulate their actions

- Through the process of moral disengagement, people can create rationalizations to support their self opinion that they are ethical, while engaging in behavior that is unethical

Rationalize• Reconstrue Conduct (Spin It)

- Actions are portrayed as serving some larger purpose or euphemistic terms are used to describe the action

- “Someone needed to speak out” “I was just joking around” “It was a prank” “Boys will be boys”

Rationalize• Displace or Diffuse Responsibility (Deny

Personal Responsibility)- If many are engaging in behavior or if someone

else can be blamed or held responsible

- “Everybody does it” “Someone else started it” “It wasn’t my fault” “School staff should have stopped this” “Off-campus, not our job” “Does not meet the statutory definition”

Rationalize• Disregard or Misrepresent Injurious

Consequences (Deny the Harm)- This allows people to minimize the harm they

have caused

- “What I did or what happened wasn’t that bad” “He or she is overreacting”

Rationalize• Dehumanize or Blame the Victim

(Blame the Other)- Those who are targeted have characteristics that

make it easier to blame or dehumanize them

- When someone is dehumanized, it is easier to rationalize that hurtful actions were justified

- “He deserved it” “If she would stop ___, this would not happen

Who Rationalizes• Students who are hurtful

• Students whose friends are hurtful who do not stop their friend

• Students who do not step in to help

• Staff who do not step in to help

• Staff to whom problem is reported who do not respond effectively

Embrace Civility Strategy• Students and staff are taught about

rationalizations so they can better recognize them

• Integrated into Accountability Process

IMPULSIVE RETALIATION

Impulsive Retaliation• Embrace Civility Student Survey

question of students who were hurtful “What were thinking when you did this?”- 47% I acted too fast when I was angry

- 44% This person had been hurtful to me or to a friend of mine

• Impulsive retaliation!

Impulsive Retaliation• Survey also revealed mixed feelings of all

students about who they admired and how to respond if targeted- Did not support overtly harmful responses

- Supported those who respond in positive ways

- BUT 52% appeared to indicate retaliation may be appropriate in some cases and 30% admired those who retaliate

Impulsive Retaliation- If treated badly, 52% said it was important to

respond immediately and 44% thought it was important to calm down before doing anything‣ May think immediately responding shows strength

• Mixed feelings about retaliation grounded in what students see happening in society where retaliation is frequent and applauded

Non Retaliation“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” - Gandhi

“We were expected to destroy one another and ourselves collectively in the worst racial conflagration. Instead, we as a people chose the path of negotiation, compromise and peaceful settlement. Instead of hatred and revenge we chose reconciliation and nation-building.” - Mandela

Research-Based Strategies• There are research-based strategies to both

reduce impulsive behavior and retaliation- Mindfulness Practices have shown effectiveness

in increasing the ability to self-regulate

- Those with a fixed mindset likely to retaliation

- When introduced to a growth mindset, knowing people can change, retaliation decreases

Embrace Civility Strategy• Self-regulation

- Stopping impulsive behavior requires self-regulation—stopping yourself and remaining calm

- Take a deep breath

- “I will remain calm”

Embrace Civility Strategy• Keep Your Power

- Not allowing what happens to you control how you feel about yourself or respond can reduce desire for retaliation

- “I choose not to let that person control how I feel about myself or act”

Embrace Civility Strategy• Growth Mindset

- Belief that others can change reduces the likelihood of retaliating

- “I know people can change”

Embrace Civility Strategy• Problem-solving

- Knowing how to engage in effective problem-solving to Think Things Through and decide how best to respond can reduce retaliation

- “I will Think Things Through to decide how best to proceed”

SPECIFIC STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS

Specific Strategies• More fully set forth in Fostering Positive

Relations- Targeted students

- Hurtful students

- Witnesses

Targeted Students• Connectedness

- Increasing connections with peers and adults

• Self-Regulation- Practice mindfulness

- Take the time to calm if treated badly

• Problem-Solving- Things Things Through

Targeted Students• Personal Power

- “I choose not to give you the power to control how I think about myself”

• Positive Focus- Think about the good things that are happening

• Character Strengths- Build your strengths

Targeted Students• Focus on Future

- Focus on future goals and actions to achieve goals

• A Powerful Presence- Learn how to stand tall

• Being Kind to Others- Reaching out to be kind leads to kindness in

return

Targeted Students• Positively Responding

- Stand with power and remain calm- Think to myself “I choose not to give you the power to

make me feel bad”- Decide whether I can and should respond

immediately - If I respond, keep it short, calm, and powerful—or

hold my head high and walk away with pride- Connect with a friend or trusted adult to decide on

the best next steps- Within the next hour, be kind to three other people

Hurtful Students• Emphasize Positive Social Norms

- To increase understanding of peer disapproval of hurtful behavior

• Integrate Psychology of influence- To encourage adoption of positive values

• Recognize Rationalizations- As excuses for hurtful behavior

Hurtful Students• Reduce Impulsive Retaliation

- In response to being treated badly

• Engage in Restorative Practices- To be held accountable to remedy the harm

- And reintegration into community

Witnesses• Students have a choice

- Hurtful Participant who joins in or supports the harm

- Passive Observer who ignores what is happening or walks away

- Helpful Ally who steps in to help

Witnesses• Helpful Allies

- Reach Out Reach out to be kind to the person being hurt or left out and help friends resolve conflict

- Say, “Stop” Publicly or privately tell the person being hurtful to stop

- Report Concerns Tell an adult who can help.

Witnesses• Personal Factors

- Increase Motivation through focus on values of personal responsibility for well-being of others, acceptance of differences, empathy and compassion, and a feeling of personal connection to the community of others

Witnesses- Increase and address Personal Power by

emphasizing how students admire those who step in to help and by teaching safer private strategies

- Increase Self-Efficacy by teaching many different skills to step in to help

Witnesses• Social-Environmental Factors

- Increasing understanding of how to help Friends by supporting them and helping them stop and going outside of friendship circles

- Improve School Climate by welcoming Student Voice

- Increase understandings of Perceived Social Norms about helping through a Positive Social Norms approach

Witnesses• Perceived Barriers and Rationalizations

- Teach effective skills

- Increase understanding of Positive Social Norms supporting helping

- Recognize Rationalizations if they do not step in to help

TIER I EFFECTIVE STAFF INTERVENTIONS

Objectives• The intervention approach takes into

account the reality of how staff can respond, given their other job responsibilities

• The focus is on helping students resolve all kinds of hurtful situations, not simply identifying when “bullying” has occurred, reporting this, and imposing punishment

Objectives• Staff recognizes the hurtful incidents

where when socially skilled students are seeking social dominance

• Staff involvement empowers targeted students to reduce the potential of lasting emotional harm and to assist them in learning skills to better respond to similar situations that may occur in the future

Objectives• Staff involvement empowers hurtful

students to accept personal responsibility for their wrongdoing, take steps to remedy the harm, and discontinue in any further hurtful acts

• Staff interventions increases the probability of positive actions by students who witness similar incidents in the future

Objectives• Staff remains engaged until all involved

students report that things got better

District Processes• In accord with statutory requirements

- But staff should respond to all hurtful incidents they witness, regardless of whether the incident meets the statutory definition of “bullying”

District Processes• Designation of one or more staff members

at the school who are responsible for investigating and intervening in the more serious or ongoing situations

• Designation of one or more district staff personnel who are available to provide assistance to the school-level personnel

District Processes• A reporting process that can be used by

students, parents, witnesses, or staff

• Standards for staff regarding their intervention and reporting responsibilities- Classified ~ seek to stop, then report

- Certified ~ seek to stop, investigate, intervene in minor, report serious, follow-up

- Designated ~ serious or unresolved situations

Challenges to Address• Many hurtful incidents occur when staff

members have other responsibilities

• Incidents could range in seriousness, which is not entirely evident- Minor incident

- Moderately significant incident

- Serious ongoing hurtful situation involving a student who is quite vulnerable

Challenges to Address• What the staff member witnessed may not

have been the initial hurtful act- May have witnessed hurtful retaliation to what

was a prior hurtful act by the student who now appears to be targeted

“Players”• When a staff member witnesses a hurtful

incident, he or she should be considered a “Player” until all involved students report that “things got better”

MTSS Approach• Tier I minor incidents that staff can help

students resolve by themselves

• Tier II staff need to ask questions to determine if incident is Tier I or if there is evidence of Tier II

• Tier III incidents are serious and should be immediately reported

Key Action Steps• Stop the incident

- Intervene or call for assistance

• Ensure the safety of all students- Target and other participants

• Assist all involved students self-regulate- Deep breathing

Key Action Steps• Assess the immediate situation

- Severity

- Ability of students to self-regulate

• Investigate and intervene, if not serious- At the time

- Arrangements to meet with both/all students, privately or together, at a later agreed time

Key Action Steps• Report as required or deemed important

• Follow-up- Until all involved students indicate “things got

better”

TIER II SERIOUS OR CHRONIC SITUATIONS

Statutory Flow Charts• In many states,

there is a flow chart created to allow principals to determine whether “bullying” has occurred

Entirely Insufficient• Seeking to determine whether the reported

incident meets the statutory definition will be entirely insufficient to identify the issues necessary to resolve the concern

• A Serious or Chronic Situation Investigation Protocol has been provide

Investigate• What is happening, where, and how?

• What kind of hurtful situation?

• Is student being hurtful motivated to achieve dominance or a marginalized “at risk” student who has other challenges?

• Is targeted student a member of a protected class?

Investigate• What are the precipitating events and the

involvement of other students?

• What are the mental health or other challenges faced by all parties involved?

• What is the potential the student accused of being hurtful was retaliating in response to being treated badly?

Investigate• Was any staff member present and, if so,

how did that staff member respond?

• Have there been any situations where any involved student thought that a staff member was being hurtful to him or her?

• Is there any connection to athletics or other organizations?

Investigate• Are hurtful digital acts involved?

• Is any student on an IEP or 504?

Hurtful Students• Marginalized “At Risk” Students

- Have many challenges that need to be addressed at a Tier III level

- Likely have or are experiencing trauma or other adverse situations

- May be excluded or denigrated by other students or staff

- May receive special education services or should

Hurtful Students• Students Hurtful to Achieve Dominance

- Because their hurtful behavior is fueled by peer norms, it is necessary to focus attention on the overall school climate, in addition to holding them accountable in a restorative manner

- Determine why targeted student is a target‣ Perceived as “deviant”

‣ A rival or perceived to be a rival

Hurtful Students• Bidirectional Hurtful Behavior

- Student accused of being hurtful may have originally been a target who is now retaliating

- Situation may be a battle between rivals

- All students who are hurtful must be held accountable for their hurtful behavior

Accountability Process• Accountability Process involves questions

to be answered by the hurtful student- Integrated with Restorative Practices, Positive

Social Norms, Principles of Influence, and Rationalizations

- Student could complete questions on his or her own, in discussion with Designated Staff Person, or with a Peer Assistance and Accountability Team

Accountability Process• Could be handled as “disciplinary

consequence held in abeyance” and to be dismissed upon successful completion

• Helpful approach as parents of socially motivated hurtful students likely also have significant social power and can be motivated to assist their child onto a positive path

Accountability Questions• Please describe what happened

• What were you trying to accomplish? What was your goal?

• Why, at the time, did you think that this was okay?

Accountability Questions• What challenges are you facing that might

have contributed to what you did or your thinking this was okay? Has any person at school been hurtful to you?

• Often when people are hurtful, they try to rationalize or make excuses that what they did was okay. These are common rationalizations: (listed)

Accountability Questions• Did you try to rationalize or excuse what

you were doing was okay to yourself or others? If so, how?

• Was anyone else supporting you in your thinking that acting like this was okay? If so, who and how?

• How do you think the student you were hurtful to felt?

Accountability Questions• How would you feel if someone treated

you or your best friend like you treated this student?

• If an adult you admire had seen what you did, what do you think he or she would have said to you?

Accountability Questions• What are your thoughts now about what

you did?

• Is there anything you want to add?

Accountability Agreement• Acknowledgement of wrongdoing and

expression of an understanding of the harmful impact of his or her wrongdoing of the other student

• Agreement to any Safe Passages or any other safety requirements of the other student

Accountability Agreement• What the student will say to friends about

this agreement and any strategies to address any concerns regarding friends or others who have been encouraging hurtful behavior

• Agreement and plan to take actions to remedy the harm to the other student

Accountability Agreement• Agreement to an educational study of an

issue that relates to the current situation that will help this student more fully understand their potential bias and the harmful impact of this behavior on others

• Agreement to fulfill community service to the school or local community to remedy the harm to the larger community

Accountability Agreement• Agreement to avoid engaging in hurtful

acts directed at this student or any other student

• Check in arrangements

• Agreed-upon time student will be subject to the check-in requirements or other requirements

Accountability Agreement• Acknowledgement that upon evidence that

student has violated the terms of this Accountability Agreement will result in disciplinary action

• To be signed by student and parents

• To remain in place for time to be determined

Positive Action Plan• For any student who has been chronically

treated badly

• Includes all of the Positive Empowerment strategies and specific plans to address the school environment

Positive Action Plan• Staff Supporter(s)

- Identification of one or more school staff members who this student feels most comfortable with for this student to check in with whenever he or she is feeling concerned.

- Should be required to check in with student on a regular basis, no less than 3 times a week

- Should be aware of the Positive Activities Plan and check in regularly on progress

Positive Action Plan• Safe Passages

- Identification of places within the school building or within the context of school activities where the student is most at risk and development of a Safe Passages Plan for when the student is in these locations

Positive Action Plan• Place of Refuge

- The identification of a Place of Refuge where this student can go to if he or she has feelings of concern, especially during any more free times‣ Includes permission for student to leave any class

or activity if feeling distressed

‣ Counselor’s office or school library

Positive Action Plan• Response Plan

- A Response Plan for the student to follow if someone is hurtful

• Positive Activities Plan - This Plan identifies and implements Positive

Empowerment activities that will help this student form positive relations with other students

Positive Action Plan• Staff Training

- Any staff members who are in any of the designated locations or are involved in any way should receive special instructions regarding strategies to assist this student in increasing positive interactions with peers and strategies to intervene in any hurtful situation, with a requirement to report these incidents

Positive Action Plan• Hostile Environment Correction

- Actions deemed necessary to address concerns that a hostile environment exists for this student and possibly others.

- This could be in relation to this student’s protected class status or include the necessity of correcting what is happening within athletics

Students With Disabilities• More frequently targeted

• May engage in hurtful behavior

• Schools are required to address

• Should likely be considered Tier III

Three Federal Laws• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

• Americans with Disabilities Act

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Two Dear Colleague Letters• 2013, the Office for Special Education and

Rehabilitation Services called upon schools to address bullying of or by students with disabilities receiving services under IDEA

• 2014, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) addressed concerns of discriminatory harassment of students with disabilities

FAPE• It the responsibility of schools under

Section 504 and IDEA to ensure that students receive a Free Appropriate Public Education

• Bullying of student with a disability on any basis (whether based on the student’s disability or not) can result in a denial of FAPE that must be remedied

Harassment Questions• Was a student with a disability bullied by

one or more students based on the student’s disability?

• Was the bullying conduct sufficiently serious to create a hostile environment?

•

Harassment Questions• Did the school know or should it have

known of the conduct?

• Did the school fail to take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the conduct, eliminate the hostile environment, prevent it from recurring, and, as appropriate, remedy its effects?

FAPE Questions• Did the school know or should it have

known that the effects of the bullying may have affected the student’s receipt of IDEA FAPE services or Section 504 FAPE services?

FAPE Questions• Did the school meet its ongoing obligation

to ensure FAPE by promptly determining whether the student’s educational needs were still being met, and if not, making changes, as necessary, to his or her IEP or Section 504 plan?

Behavior Challenges• Too often, students with disabilities who

are being bullied end up being blamed for this because they often do have social skills challenges

• Staff may Rationalize what is happening by blaming the student with disabilities

Behavior Challenges• Having social skills challenges does not

justify being treated badly

• Or having concerns of being treated badly dismissed by staff

IEP or 504 Meeting• The concerns of any student with

disabilities who is being or engaging in bullying must be addressed in an IEP or 504 meeting- Address what additional services and supports

this student needs

• Concern: cannot address concerns of other students’ behavior

FBA• Social skills concerns of the student with

disabilities should be evaluated through a Functional Assessment of Behavior- Sufficiently comprehensive to assess all aspects

of the school environment that may be hostile

- Assess whether student has experienced trauma or adverse situations that are contributing

- Assess how staff are treating this student

Supplemental Supports• Each child’s IEP must contain a statement

of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services- It is within the context of this requirement that

all of the supports and services required by this student to address the concerns of the hurtful behavior of other students should be addressed

Process• Conduct a FAB that objectively looks at

what is happening in the entire situation

• Make sure the discussion focuses on the educational services the student needs to improve his or her social-emotional competencies and relationship skills- Develop a Positive Action Plan for this student

Process• If the student is engaging in bullying, this

student may be experiencing adverse situations at school and/or at home- May feel denigrated and excluded - Hold this student accountable with an

Accountability Agreement and assist with a Positive Action Plan

- Address how this student is being treated by others

Process• In the context of related supports and

services, address all issues related to how staff interact with this student- Especially including general education teachers

- Ensure all staff who interact with this student have received sufficient professional development to know how to support this student effectively

Process• Set up a monitoring approach that

documents every time that this student reports that someone was hurtful- Monitoring should include what the student

said about the situation, what the investigation found, and how the incident was handled

- Use a digital reporting systems that can easily track this kind of information

Process• Ensure the school is also effectively

addressing additional hostile environmental issues- Specifically address what is necessary to ensure

that all students with disabilities are well-supported by their peers

- Likely greater actions integration actions focusing on students with disabilities can be taken

PAAT• Peer Assistance and Accountability Team

- Combines components of peer mediation programs and teen court‣ Support greater accountability

‣ Strongly communicate Positive Social Norms

• A program of Student Leadership Team- PAAT members would receive additional

training

PAAT Members• Three members of a PAAT

- Member who has higher social status who will communicate “true” leadership”

- Member from a protected class group who will convey the message that students in these classes have power within the school

- Student who was hurtful and went through the PAAT process who will communicate the possibility of redemption

PAAT Activities• Meet with the targeted student

- Find out what happened

- Develop or review the Positive Action Plan

• Go through the Accountability Process and establish an Accountability Agreement with the hurtful student- Will increase compliance because the PAAT

knows the requirements and will monitor

PAAT Reconciliation• Important part of adaptive shame

management is reconciliation- The PAAT can communicate the essential

message that forgiveness and reconciliation within the school community is possible through this process

PAAT Confidentiality• Strict confidentiality required

• Because confidential information elated to discipline will be disclosed PAAT activities must be in compliance with the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act- Require signed consent of all students and their

parents

PAAT Office Hours• Other services could include

- Provide guidance to students who are being targeted or are involved in a conflict, where the students do not wish to pursue a more formal school intervention with an adult staff member

- Help resolve a conflict through peer mediation

- Be a sounding board for any student who is facing challenges to discuss the situation and identify possible approaches

PAAT Benefits• Incredible benefit for all students

• Excellent career building for PAAT members

Thanks for Your Attention