The Individual Student Focus of the Safe and Civil Schools Initiative Involves Coordinated

The individual student focus of the Safe and Civil Schools Initiative involves coordinated, multi-tiered approach to problem-solving and intervention design. Teacher Encyclopedia of Behavior Management and Interventions: A Multi-Tiered Approach to Problem-Solving (in press).

TEACHERS: Implement each intervention for at least two weeks before making a judgment about efficacy.

NOTE: If the problem involves physically dangerous behavior or behavior that is so disruptive that you CANNOT teach, immediately ask for assistance from an interventionist in your building, and bypass the suggestions below.

•FIRST Implement InterventionA--PlannedDiscussion, and ensure consistency with the teacher’s basic classroom management plan.

•IF INEFFECTIVE Implement InterventionB--AcademicAssessmentand Assistance and/or InterventionC--GoalSetting.

•IF INEFFECTIVE Implement InterventionD--Data Collection andDebriefing and Intervention E--Increasing Positive Interactions.

•IF INEFFECTIVE Conduct an Intervention F--STOICAnalysisandIntervention.Be sure to analyze the function of the misbehavior and address that function with each component of STOIC; structure, teach, observe, interact positive, correct calmly.

STOIC Intervention Planning

Stoic: Someone admired for patience and endurance in the face of adversity.

On the following pageworksheet followed by a template that can be used when developing a behavior improvement plan. This can be utilized by a classroom teacher who wishes to improve the behavior of one or more students, or by a school-wide leadership team wishing to improve the behavior of an entire student body. Below is a brief explanation of the types of variables that can be modified.

Structure for Success

Identify any changes in physical arrangements, scheduling, procedures, supervision patterns, and so on that may have a positive effect on behavior.

Teach Expectations

Identify a plan to teach students to function successfully in the structure you have created. This can be as simple as a goal discussion or as involved as daily modeling and rehearsal of responsible behavior. The intervention plan MUST address when, where and how the positive expectations will be taught to the student(s).

Observe

Short term—continuously circulate and visually scan.

Longer term—collect data to determine progress (or lack of) across time

Interact Positively

Provide non-contingent attention by greeting and showing an interest in the student(s).

Provide frequent positive feedback on behavioral and academic effort. When students are meeting your expectations, following your procedures, and engaging appropriately in academic tasks, provide age-appropriate positive feedback. This can be verbal, written, or to a limited extent, nonverbal. Your positive feedback should be specific, contingent, and non-embarrassing. In particular, look for opportunities to praise student(s) for exhibiting the expectations that have been taught.

Maintain 3:1 ratios of positive interactions. Insure that student(s) is/are getting at least three times more attention when exhibiting the expected behaviors, than when violating expectations.

Correct Misbehavior Fluently

React to misbehavior calmly, briefly, consistently, and immediately. Determine how you will react to each type of misbehavior that may be related to this problem. Your goal is to be on “automatic pilot” when correcting any chronic misbehavior, so you can keep your focus on instruction and on building positive relationships with targeted and non-targeted students.

STIOC Intervention Plan

What is the problem?

What is goal for the student to strive toward?

Have academic difficulties been assessed and either ruled out as a factor, or a plan is in place to remediate and/or accommodate the difficulties? If not, implement Academic Diagnosis and Interventions--Intervention B.

Has a goal conference been implemented to clarify for the student precisely what you want him/her to strive toward? If not, implement Goal Setting--Intervention C.

Analyze the function of the misbehavior—that is, why might the behavior be occurring on such a chronic basis? What is the student achieving or avoiding by exhibiting this misbehavior?

Below is list of possible functions with one or more preliminary considerations to consider.

Ability—Determine if the student is physiologically/neurologically capable of exhibiting the expected behavior (records review, physician, school psychologist). If the student is physiologically/neurologically capable, set up a STOIC plan. If the student is not capable, develop a plan that adapts to the disability/situation.

Awareness—If the student is unaware of the problem behavior, your corrective strategy should include teaching component and keeping data (or having the student keep data) to determine progress across time (Cueing and Monitoring--Intervention H).

Attention-seeking—Insure that the student is getting more attention for positive behavior than for misbehavior (Ratios of Interactions--Intervention E). Consider planned ignoring (Intervention G).

Competing reinforcers—Establish stronger reinforcers for the goal behavior and reduce access to the competing reinforcers.

Power—Find a pro-social position of power for the student. Define limits and consequences (Defining Limits and Establishing Consequences--Intervention G).

Venting frustration or anger—analyze the cycle of escalation and design a plan to interrupt that cycle (Managing Escalation--Intervention I).

Escape—Determine what the student is escaping from and develop a long-term plan to teach the student the skills to handle those situations without needing to escape. Maintain a reasonable level of accountability (reduce the chance of escape) while the long-term plan is being implemented. Be sure that the problem is not a function of the student escaping work that is too difficult (Academic Diagnosis and Interventions--Intervention B).

Identify how you will address each category below. Remember that doing something differently in each category will enhance the chances of a positive change in student behavior.

Structure for Success

Teach Expectations

Observe

Interact Positively with Students

Correct Misbehavior Fluently

© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools