Changing Behavior - Gladys Oberle School teachers

[Norah Hooper]

On Monday we talked about defining behaviors, determining reinforcers, and increasing or decreasing behaviors. I have attached some of the documents and links we used. Tell us about your successes and struggles as you have worked on changing your students' behaviors. This is not just for Oberle teachers - all are welcome to join in.
Reinforcement menu link:
http://www.jimwrightonline.com/php/jackpot/jackpot.php

[Bill Wilson]

This is a pretty cool website. I wonder if this could help with setting up annual goals or benchmark goals? I like the survey portion of the site. A lot of the things to chose from. It would probably take me a while to come up with a list like this. There is also a space where you can add your own, but it does not save it though.

[Norah Hooper]

You're right - it's an excellent website. You could definitely use it to get some ideas for IEP goals. You can add your own and print it out. There are other useful things on the site as well.

[Norah Hooper]

Here is another site that helps train you to design basic interventions for students who have minor but annoying behavior issues. Click on"challenge" to begin and then clik on the next page down on the right. Lots of good information here.
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/sr/challenge.htm

[Jennifer Weinfeld]

I found this sight very interesting. I have a student on my caseload who is non-compliant most days and completely unmotivated to learn. I am meeting tomorrow morning with my ICT case manager to hopefully get the process started to implement a new behavior plan. He has had a plan in place in the past. There are lots of issues that need to be sorted through. Any other resources anyone can suggest will be appreciated.

[Michele Hofmann]

Changing behavior can be so tricky but yet wonderful when you see some success. I have found in my experience that students need to experience success, have consistent positive encouragement, and lots of posititive reinforcement. I know that whenever I am looking to develop a Behavior Plan and/or intervention for a student's behavior I utilize Reinforcement Surveys, student interviews, teacher interviews, and observations. I really try to look into the behavior and leaern where, when, who is around, and how often is it occurring. I think it is vital to find what is ultimately driving the behavior. I feel once you find out the purpose of the behavior you can then develop a really individualized intervention and/or behavior plan. I also have found that a lot of the reinforcement surveys, teacher/student interviews, and observations help me determine effective reinforcers as well as define the behavior. However, I do not always find this process very easy. I would have to say that my biggest struggle when dealing with problems of motivation. I have had to really do some digging into the behavior and think outside the box when it comes to some of my unmotivated students. I quickly learned that one of the hardest things to do in my job is develop a plan to motivate a student with emotional disabilities who so academically low that they do not see passing nor graduation anywhere in their future. I am getting better at this though as I gain more experience with this population.

[Norah Hooper]

Good points, Michelle. I know it's tough, but digging deep like you are doing is the only way to really change behavior that is serving an important purpose for the student (like getting him out of doing work) but not helping him in the long run.

[Jenna Anderson]

I work with behavior on a day to day basis. I am the Behavior Support Program Instructor and my main focus is aiding students in noticing and changing problem behaviors. Students will not be able to adequately progress if they have not overcome behavioral barriers. Changing behavior takes time and practice. As I tell my students, "If you were to change overnight, I would think that there was something wrong with you!!" Some behaviors take weeks or years to change. The key to change is continually setting and building upon goals. I have each of my social skills students make "Goal Plans". They each make a week , month, and year plan in which they include a goal, goal purpose, and goal time limit. They also are given behavioral tracking sheets that they fill in for both their week and month plans. I go over their tracking sheet each time I have them for social skills. This gives them a concrete way to see how they are progressing.

Hope this helps!!

[Elizabeth F. Mark]

Thanks for coming to the school and talking with us. It was nice to have the refresher, and I believe most of the other teachers felt that way as well. I really like the Jackpot website, and just made one to print out! I am still struggling with one particular student, and I'm just coming to my wit's end. The program coordinator observed my class today, to specifically observe him. She wants to get a Behavior Plan set asap. What was funny, is that she couldn't believe I considered it a "good day" for him!

[CS]

I thought this was a good resource for how to reinforce behavior. I use a "token economy" system.

In this system the students are paid to do their warm-up, homework, attend, and behave in class; fined (or as my kids say 'ticketed') for referrals to ISS, detentions and OSS. They are also responsible for paying desk rent and utilities.

Then they have a choice of purchasing popcorn and movie tickets on paydays (2wk pay period); or saving their "tokens" for a long term goal of a class meal paid for by me and doing extra credit in the hall while movie is playing.

The kids keep a bank balance sheet and always know where they stand. It worked really well and curbed two of the most troublesome girls in school. While in my class, neither one of them got a detention or ISS referral after the first few weeks from any of their teachers and all students got their work in on time for me.