Summer Prep Time

Autism Specially Designed
Sep 20, 2018
4 min read

Summer in education means lonely days in an empty school surrounded by summer prep! This is the time I reflect on what was successful last school year, what plans and programs need to be tweaked, and what needs an all out overhaul for the next school year. This summer it seems like the ideas just won't stop. Here's to hoping there's enough time in the day to get them all out of my brain and into reality.

But seriously... is it really almost August?? ummm where did July go? And why oh why are there already school supplies in the stores? Don't they know those of us in education cherish our summer vacations?! Plus it just reminds me the clock is ticking down to teacher's returning and deadlines!

So today's prep is all about Professional Development... I know, I know. I might be one of the only ones excited about PD time. Maybe it's because I get to present on some of my favorite topics... Behavior... functions... environmental variables... ohhh all the fun! First up is Behavior Strategies for the Classroom and it's going to be awesome! (I might be biased😀)

A friend recently taught me the color coded folder trick at the bottom of the slide to indicate you have a handout... life changing

This is one of my favorite topics! And one of the most important... in my opinion. As educators we first need to teach behavior skills before focusing on academics. My question to you (and all my teachers): If the student's behavior is interfering with their learning or the learning of others will learning take place? The answer is no. And my second question: What actually takes less time away from instruction (ugh I hate that statement but I'm saying it anyways), teaching behavior skills or dealing with daily meltdowns and "frequent flyers"? Yup you guessed it, teaching behavior skills. And at the end of the day teaching socially significant behavior is a life skill and one that our kiddos need far beyond our classroom.

After a hasty special education placement for behavior problems, school officials were embarrassed to learn that Marty really did have ants in his pants.

That comic was thrown in just to get your mind spinning. As educators we often forget to look at the big picture. We can be so focused on our goals, deadlines, ideas, plans that we forget to look at everything that is happening around us (our environment). So as we move forward this year I am putting a huge focus on learning environments and the students' environment. We are diving headfirst into environmental variables... what are they and why they are important. We are looking at the ABC's of behavior and putting our focus on the As and Cs.

What is the observable relationship between the student's behavior and their environment. What is happening in the student's day that could effect their behavior? Did they sleep last night? Are they sick? Did dad or mom get deployed? Did they move? Did their parents get a divorce? These are all setting events. Can we as teachers control these? Absolutely not. But we can prepare for them and prepare the student. And when they happen we help the student learn behavior skills to help them be successful in life.

If the student is sick teach them to say "my stomach hurts" or "I need to lay down". You can teach them to request the nurse or a hall pass. Use visuals so they can point to a picture and tell you what hurts. Use tactile objects, Mr. Potato Head is always a hit, to teach body parts. AAC devices can be used to teach tacting (labeling) and manding (requesting).

Environmental variables we can control... routines, schedules, classroom structure, work tasks, adult interactions, peer interactions, low attention, and classroom conditions.

And in comes.... Modifying Antecedents

I have another PD coming on Designing an Effective Learning Environment... so stay tuned :)

As for today, we're going to continue our focus on environmental variables... so now for the Cs (consequences). Consequences are not always negative and they definitely aren't the same as punishment. When we talk about consequences in relation to the 3 term contingency (ABCs) we are talking about what is happening immediately following a behavior.

For example: A: I walk in the door B: My dog whines C: I pet him

The consequence: attention, sensory input (combination of both)

This is his "I need attention face". Oh and don't you know I reinforce that behavior every time. He whines, I pet him. Then guess what, he whines again when I stop... and the cycle never stops. But just look at that face! He has me under instructional control and I know it😀

Let's take a S.E.A.T. Sensory. Escape/Avoidance. Attention. Tangible. Our four functions of behavior.... remembering that there can also be combinations!

What interventions can we use that can serve the functions/purpose of the interfering behaviors?

Is the function escape? Teach requesting a break. Make a break accessible contingent on desired behaviors. Build non-contingent breaks into the students schedule.

Is the function attention? Provide attention! Provide behavior specific praise! Reinforcement in the form of a class job, game time with friends, "talk time with teacher", visit the office, get creative. Teach communication skills, requesting skills, and waiting skills. Build in social time into the students schedule. SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION!

Is the function sensory? What sensory items/activities can you build into the student's day? How can you modify the student's environment to add or remove sensory input? Light covers, headphones, fidgets, music, flexible seating, etc. Add in sensory time into their schedule. For active students add heavy work tasks (jumping on trampoline, crab walk, etc.) before work tasks.

Is the function tangible? Provide access to what the student wants! Sounds simple right? I find this one the easiest! If the student wants ipad... build it into his day! Make access to ipad contingent on desired behaviors (hands to self, stay in area, complete task)