Reducing Disruptive and Dangerous Behaviors in Schools: A Multi-Level Approach

Schools should be safe havens for learning and growth, but disruptive and even dangerous behaviors can pose significant challenges. The need for effective crisis management has never been greater. The solution? A comprehensive approach grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and structured through a multi-level Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) lens.

Understanding the Three Levels of Analysis in OBM

Before we delve into strategies, it's crucial to understand the framework within which they operate. OBM typically analyzes performance issues and opportunities for improvement at three distinct but interrelated levels:

1. Organizational Level: Focuses on the broader organizational systems, policies, and culture.
2. Process Level: Examines the specific tasks, workflows, and procedures that employees follow.
3. Performer Level: Zeroes in on individual behaviors and skills, looking at the actions of specific employees.

With this framework in mind, let's explore how to effectively mitigate disruptive and dangerous behaviors in schools.

Why Current Methods Fall Short

Traditional methods often react to issues instead of proactively preventing them. But what if you could get ahead of the problem? .Let's look at it by analyzing a school through an OBM lens.

The Three Levels of OBM Analysis:

Organizational Level:

Goal: Create a school-wide culture that minimizes triggers for disruptive behaviors.

Strategies:

1. Define clear behavioral expectations school-wide.
2. Engage with the broader community, including parents, to reinforce these behavioral norms.

Accomplishments to Measure:

• Reduction in the number of behavioral incidents reported.
• Increased parental involvement in behavioral programs.

Process Level:

Goal: Implement standardized crisis intervention procedures.

Strategies:

1. Conduct a functional assessment to identify triggers and antecedents to disruptive behaviors.
2. Develop a Crisis Management Handbook for staff, outlining preventive and responsive steps based on ABA principles.

Accomplishments to Measure:

• Percentage of staff trained in crisis management protocols.
• Demonstrable decrease in crisis incidents requiring drastic interventions.

Performer Level:

Goal: Equip individual teachers and administrators with the skills to prevent and manage crises effectively.

Strategies:

1. Offer training in ABA-grounded crisis management.
2. Conduct regular role-playing sessions to simulate crisis situations.

Accomplishments to Measure:

• Increase in the number of staff demonstrating proficiency in managing crises.
• Post-training assessments showing effective application of ABA principles.

The Compelling Case for ABA-Grounded Crisis Management Instructor Training

While many programs offer a one-size-fits-all approach to crisis management, an instructor-led training program grounded in ABA offers tailor-made solutions. By focusing on the observable behaviors that precede crises, and leveraging the proven framework of ABA, even during an actual crisis, you can enact real, substantive change.

Why Should You Invest in Instructor Training?

1. Evidence-based: ABA has a long history of producing reliable and effective outcomes.
2. Tailored to Your Needs: Unlike generic courses, our training is made to fit seamlessly into your existing environment so that you can focus on the specific challenges your school faces.
3. Long-term Benefits: This isn’t just about managing a crisis today; it’s about building a positive culture grounded in a robust system that positively teaches skills and prevents future crises. The cost savings associated with physical and emotional pain, drain on human resources, and litigation are immeasurable.

Conclusion:

School safety isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. The multi-level OBM framework, enriched by ABA principles, offers a roadmap to that transformation. So why settle for superficial fixes when you can go for lasting change? Isn’t it time you invested in instructor crisis management training that delivers results?

For further details and to make the best investment in your institution’s safety, Click Here to Learn More About Our ABA-Grounded Crisis Management Instructor Training.

Ready to make a change? The journey starts with you.

About the Author

Specializing in human performance, coaching, and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni is a behavior scientist and educator who has worked across education and human services for almost three decades. In this capacity, he has served the needs of children and adults through various positions, including COO, Vice President, Director of School Improvement, Leadership Director, Professor, Assistant Principal, School Turnaround Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Therapist, District Behavior Analyst, and Director of Progam Development and Public Relations at?PCMA. Dr. Gavoni is passionate about applying Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), or the science of human behavior, to make a positive difference in establishing safe, productive, and engaging environments that bring out the best in faculty and staff so they can bring out the best in the learners they serve. He is an active board member of the?Opioid Awareness Foundation?and?World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance.

Known for his authenticity and practical approaches, Dr. Gavoni is the host of the Top 1.5% globally ranked?Crisis in Education Podcast?and a sought-out speaker at various Educational and Behavior Analytic Conferences Internationally. He a the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling co-author of The Scientific Laws of Life & Leadership: Behavioral Karma; Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership; Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance; and MMA Science: A Training, Coaching, and Belt Ranking Guide. Dr. Gavoni is proud to introduce OBM and Applied Behavior Analysis to worldwide audiences through his numerous publications and his work with PCMA to create productive, safe, and positive cultures.

Beyond his work in education and human services, Dr. Gavoni is also a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and a highly respected striking coach in combat sports. Coach “Paulie Gloves,” as he is known in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, has trained world champions and UFC vets using technologies rooted in the behavioral sciences. Coach Paulie has been featured in the books?Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams a the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts, A Fighter’s Way, and the featured article Ring to Cage:?How four former boxers help mold MMA’s finest. He is also an author who has written extensively for various online magazines such as Scifighting, Last Word on Sports, and Bloody Elbow, where his?Fight Science series?continues to bring behavioral science to MMA. Finally, Paulie was also a featured fighter in FX’s highest-rated show at the time, The Toughman, and as an MMA coach in the Lifetime reality series?Leave it to Geege.