Guiding and Managing Children’s Behavior

Developed and Presented By

Kari LewinsohnSummer, 2008

Welcome to Guiding and Managing Children’s Behavior Please do the following tasks BEFORE

we get started at _12_:_30_• Go to station A and write a scenario of a

challenging student you’ve had in the past. List what you tried. Be sure to put your name on it. When finished put the card in the basket.

• Go to station B and write your name on a 3x5 card and decorate it. Give it to the instructor.

• (Note: For school, I’d take your picture)

Introduction Kari Lewinsohn Special Services Director, Libby Public

Schools, 2nd year Former teacher, K-1 four years, 6-8th grade

math/science/sped for seven in Washington. Have 2 Masters Degrees, and am 1/3 of the

way through a PhD in Special Education Leadership.

Text Beyond Behavior Management: The six

life skills children need to thrive in today’s world.

Author: Jenna Bilmes 2004

Assignment #1Read

Please read the Introduction story.

Activity #2 Write Answer “Exercise question

#1” found on page 13• Take a closer look at a

challenging child you’ve had in the past. Which of the six strengths are they lacking? What is the relationship between the behavior that is driving you crazy and that missing strength? Which strengths is the child already developing?

Share Share your answers

with your group. On the chart paper

fill-in what all your example students seem to have in common, and what is unique to that child.

Reflection Throughout this workshop you will be

asked to reflect upon your own classroom management and experiences.

Quote by Peter Druker

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even MORE effective action.”

Assignment #3: ReflectionWrite

Answer the Journal Assignment on page 14, this is your own personal reflection.• Think of yourself in relation to the

six strengths. How have these strengths helped you to get to where you are today? Are you still working to develop one or more of these strengths? If so, how has lacking a strength had an impact on your life?

Activity #4 Opinion On the chart, place a

yellow dot under the life skill you think is the most critical for children to have for success in school.

Activity #5Reward vs Punishment With your group list out the pros and

cons for using rewards and punishment as classroom management strategies.

Share

Think about it Think about your classroom rules and

routines. If those were imposed upon you as a worker, would you want to work in that environment?

Planning for the incoming class Reflect:

• Do my rules and routines encourage children to learn from their mistakes and guide them toward making a better future?

• When I redirect students, is it with problem solving or punishment in mind?

• Is my classroom building children’s strengths and guiding them to overcome their weaknesses?

Classroom communities

Resources http://www.teachingstrategies.com/conte

nt/pageDocs/BPC_Ch2.pdf Beyond Behavior Management By Jenna

Bilmes: Pages 87-101 http://www.ethicsed.org/consulting/Class.

htm

Classroom Community Basics Establish a regular routine

• Song or story

• Special activities scheduled for the day

• Play a transition game

• Warm “fuzzies”

• Discussion box

Classroom jobs (see handout)

Emphasize the Community Promote friendliness and caring

• Friendship tree, Create a class scrapbook of events throughout

the year, complete with student work. Class made “big books” Class newsletter sent home each week Class pledge Inverted musical chairs: as each chair is

removed, children have to figure out ways for everyone to find a seat!

Break

Take about 10 minutes.

Find your Name Card! You now have a new group! Please find your name and

corresponding group location.

Maintain Chart Use the 6 life skills chart I’ve provided

you . Write down the ideas that strike you as

important. This will provide you with a quick

reference for each of the 6 Life Skills.

Attachment p. 38

Description• Looks to adults for love

and affection

• Depends on adults for safety and security

• Seek out adults for conversation and play

• Accept adult’s help and comfort

Children’s needs• Nurturing classroom

community

• Recognition for arriving and leaving

• Opportunities to engage adults and peers in conversation

• A dependable adult they can access for help

• Validation of feelings

Attachment Teaching Strategies Use a “getting to know you” worksheet Learning styles inventory Meet parents and ask what they think

child’s strengths and weaknesses are Use opportunities for relationship

building: peer work, partner read, partner jobs

Soren Kirkgard quote

“To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner. I am not a teacher, only a fellow student.”

Affiliation p. 63

Description• Interacts and plays

with other children

• Develops meaningful relationships with at least one other child.

Child needs• Successfully

progressed through steps:• Solo play

• Adult assisted play

• Parallel play

• Dyad play (one friend)

• Small group play

• Large group play

Affiliation teaching strategies Friendship skills and opportunities Social scripts: What to say when this happens.

Role play these situations Teacher and students look for friendly behavior

and comment on it, or acknowledge it Buddy jobs or activities “You can’t say can’t” in certain areas Class meetings Class jobs

Activity #6 With your new group, develop a group

motto using the word on your table. Write and decorate your motto on the

chart and hang it on your table. Share motto with class

Self-Regulation p 105

Description• Manage emotions

• Control behavior

• Make effective choices

• Take ownership

Child’s needs• Opportunities to

demonstrate control

• Time for reflection on actions

• Choices

Self-regulation teaching strategies Positive Behavior Supports: School and Class Broad guidelines for classroom behavior with

specific routines that are practiced, modeled, and reinforced.

Time out or recovery time Validate the child, explain how the action was

incorrect, provide the alternative correct action. This should preceed any type of punishment or consequence. Consequences should be enforced when you are sure the child has learned the routine.

Self-regulation continued Beginning-middle-end stories and talk about

the child’s feelings and choices and analyze whether they could have done something differently.

Self-serve snacks/lunch with portions and parameters for using the area.

Use a puppet to help children learn code phrases and words to use in different situations. “I don’t want to, but I’ll do it anyway” for example.

Activities #7 and 8

1. Write down your classroom rules.

2. Think of someone you greatly admire and write down a guiding principle for what you think this person lives by.

Guiding Principles We take care of ourselves. We take care of each other. We take care of our stuff. We try our best. We help others learn. We make good choices.

Activity #9 Think and compare

Compare your rules to the guiding principles of this person. Does each of your rules teach or emphasize a life skill? Write down some changes you might want to think about for establishing your classroom community.

Albert Einstein quote

The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty, and truth.”

Time out

Time out Have a quiet spot in the room. Have a quiet spot in a neighboring

teachers room. Have a location in the building for

students to “recover” briefly before returning. Key is no adult interaction.

Send to the principal for overt offenses.

Initiative Description

• Can persist, focus, and complete a task, even if frustrated.

• Competent and confident about learning new things.

• Look forward to the future.

Child needs• To be recognized for

their persistence or accomplishment.

• Understand when a task is complete.

• Do it themselves, not have it “done for them”. (don’t take the pencil out their hands!)

Initiative Teaching Strategies Rather than praising or criticizing the child’s

work, the teacher should offer feedback that is specific.

Facilitate the child solving the problem. Acknowledge the child’s attempts. Practice sitting quietly to finish a task. Self-correcting work. Making a checklist. Finishing a long term project

Problem Solving &Conflict Resolution Description

The ability to manage and resolve problems and conflicts effectively.

Child Needs• A problem solving

attitude.

• Have skills to manage emotions and discuss the problem.

• The ability to choose a solution and carry it through.

Problem Solving &Conflict ResolutionTeaching Strategies Teach the 4 steps to problem solving:

• What is the problem?, define issue, brainstorm, select a solution.

Teacher models defining the problem, and helps brainstorm solutions.

Provide time for child to solve problem and take ownership.

Model assertive language. Use scripts, puppets, stories. “At school we….” Problem solving center with peer mediators.

Activity #10

Survival on the Moon group activity.

Dr. Robert Schuller quote

"Again and again, the impossible decision is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made."

Respect Description

• Recognize and appreciating the gifts of self and others.

Children need• Understand when its

competition or cooperation.

• Recognize others have feelings.

• Realize that we are unique, but have things in common.

• Understand that we can be different, but still be friends.

Respect Teaching StrategiesFamily involvement

Include a family wall with pictures, stories, etc. Have parents volunteer to read a book onto a

tape and place in the reading center. Celebrate the culture of each family through

food or art projects. Encourage family participation by sharing a

special skill or talent with the class.

Respect Teaching StrategiesClassroom involvement

Pictures of the children Post work Class experts Goal charts Group projects Consensus voting for certain issues Class books Community project

Activities #11 and 12 Look over your worksheet. Using the

blue dot, select the life skill you believe is the most valuable for students to possess. (It’s okay if you pick the same one).

Draw a scenario from the basket. Offer a solution based upon what you’ve discovered. Find the owner and share your ideas with them.

Tom Connelly quote

“He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes, but he who never asks a question remains a fool forever.”

Hint: any questions???

Thanks for coming