TEACHERS RESPONSE IS THE LEARNERS BEHAVIOR!!!

Behavior is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with themselves or their environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the (inanimate) physical environment. It is the response of the system or organism to various stimuli or inputs, whether internal or ex ternal, conscious or subconscious, overt or covert, and voluntary or involuntary.

Taking a behavior informatics perspective, a behavior consists of behavior actor, operation, interactions, and their properties. A behavior can be represented as a behavior vector.

What are the positive behavior?

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a behavior management system used to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behavior. People's inappropriate behaviors are difficult to change because they are functional; they serve a purpose for them. These behaviors are supported by reinforcement in the environment

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a behavior management system used to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behavior. People's inappropriate behaviors are difficult to change because they are functional; they serve a purpose for them. These behaviors are supported by reinforcement in the environment. In the case of students and children, often adults in a child’s environment will reinforce his or her undesired behaviors because the child will receive objects and/or attention because of his behavior. Functional behavior assessments (FBAs) clearly describe behaviors, identify the contexts (events, times, and situation) that predict when behavior will and will not occur, and identify consequences that maintain the behavior. They also summarize and create a hypothesis about the behavior, directly observe the behavior and take data to get a baseline. The positive behavior support process involves goal identification, information gathering, hypothesis development, support plan design, implementation and monitoring.

In order for techniques to work in decreasing undesired behavior, they should include: feasibility, desirability, and effectiveness. Strategies are needed that teachers and parents are able and willing to use and that affect the child's ability to participate in community and school activities. Positive behavior support is increasingly being recognized as a strategy that meets these criteria. By changing stimulus and reinforcement in the environment and teaching the child to strengthen deficit skill areas the student's behavior changes in ways that allow him/her to be included in the general education setting. The three areas of deficit skills identified in the article were communication skills, social skills, and self-management skills. Re-directive therapy as positive behavior support is especially effective in the parent–child relationship. Where other treatment plans have failed re-directive therapy allows for a positive interaction between parents and children. Positive behavior support is successful in the school setting because it is primarily a teaching method (Swartz, 1999).

Behavioral strategies available

There are many different behavioral strategies that PBS can use to encourage individuals to change their behavior. Some of these strategies are delivered through the consultation process to teachers.The strong part of functional behavior assessment is that it allows interventions to directly address the function (purpose) of a problem behavior. For example, a child who acts out for attention could receive attention for alternative behavior (contingency management) or the teacher could make an effort to increase the amount of attention throughout the day (satiation). Changes in setting events or antecedents are often preferred by PBS because contingency management often takes more effort. Another tactic especially when dealing with disruptive behavior is to use information from a behavior chain analysis to disrupt the behavioral problem early in the sequence to prevent disruption. Some of the most commonly used approaches are:

• Modifying the environment or routine, using the three term contingency, particularly antecedents (such as curriculum), behavior, and/or consequences
• Providing an alternative to the undesired behavior (not the same as a reward; it should be an alternative that is readily available to the person. The thought behind this is that the person may, over time, learn to more independently seek out appropriate options rather than the undesired behavior(s)).
• Tactical ignoring of the behavior (also called extinction)
• Distracting the child
• Positive reinforcement for an appropriate behavior
• Changing expectations and demands placed upon the child
• Teaching the child new skills and behaviors
• Graded extinction and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) such as desensitization
• Provide sensory based breaks to promote an optimal level of arousal and calming for increased use the replacement/alternative behavior
• Changing how people around the child react
• Time-out (child)
• Medication

Behavior management program

The main keys to developing a behavior management program include:

• Identifying the specific behaviors to address
• Establishing the goal for change and the steps required to achieve it
• Procedures for recognizing and monitoring changed behavior
• Choosing the appropriate behavioral strategies that will be most effective.

Through the use of effective behavior management at a school-wide level, PBS programs offer an effective method to reduce school crime and violence. To prevent the most severe forms of problem behaviors, normal social behavior in these programs should be actively taught.

Consequential management/contingency management

Consequential management is a positive response to challenging behavior. It serves to give the person informed choice and an opportunity to learn. Consequences must be clearly related to the challenging behavior. For example, if a glass of water was thrown and the glass smashed, the consequence (restitution) would be for the person to clean up the mess and replace the glass. These sorts of consequences are consistent with normal social reinforcement contingencies.

Providing choices is very important and staff can set limits by giving alternatives that are related to a behavior they are seeking. It is important that the alternative is stated in a positive way and that words are used which convey that the person has a choice. For example:

• Coercive approach – "If you don't cut that out you'll have to leave the room."
• Positive approach – "You can watch TV quietly or leave the room."

Implementation on a school-wide level

The current trend of positive behavior support (PBS) is to use behavioral techniques to achieve cognitive goals. The use of cognitive ideas becomes more apparent when PBS is used on a school-wide setting. A measurable goal for a school may be to reduce the level of violence, but a main goal might be to create a healthy, respectful, and safe learning, and teaching, environment. PBS on a school-wide level is a system that can be used to create the "perfect" school, or at the very least a better school, particularly because before implementation it is necessary to develop a vision for what the school environment should look like in the future.

According to Horner et al. (2004), a colleague of Julie Ann Racino supported living, family support, community integration, as cited in (Miller, Nickerson, & Jimerson, 2009). once a school decides to implement PBS, the following characteristics require addressing:

1. define 3 to 5 school-wide expectations for appropriate behavior;
2. actively teach the school-wide behavioral expectations to all students;
3. monitor and acknowledge students for engaging in behavioral expectations;
4. correct problem behaviors using a consistently administered continuum of behavioral consequences
5. gather and use information about student behavior to evaluate and guide decision making;
6. obtain leadership of school-wide practices from an administrator committed to providing adequate support and resources; and
7. procure district-level support.

If adequate support and consistency using a positive behavior support program exists, then over time a school’s atmosphere will change for the better. PBS is capable of creating positive changes so pronounced that alumni would mention the differences upon a visit to the school. Such a program is able to create a positive atmosphere and culture in almost any school, but the support, resources, and consistency in using the program overtime must be present.

School-wide Positive behavior support (SW-PBS) consists of a broad range of systematic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behavior with all students.

Such school-wide use of PBS has not been approved other than for special populations, and the work of Dr. Robert Horner, a leader of a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Positive Behavioral Supports, was approved on the basis of non-use of aversive technology (e.g., restraints, electric shock, transfers to criminal justice) with any students, including individuals in the most restrictive placements. His 1999 book, Positive Behavioral Support for People with Developmental Disabilities, with our Beach Center on Families colleague Dr. Ann Turnbull of the University of Kansas, and traditional special education/mental retardation group (Dr. E.G. Carr) was reviewed by another behavioral specialist (recommended by special education) who uses a lifestyle approach, Wade Hitzing of Ohio.

How do you promote positive Behaviour?

Tips for good behaviour

1. Be a role model.
2. Show your child how you feel.
3. Catch your child being 'good' When your child is behaving in a way you like, give her some positive feedback. ...
4. Get down to your child's level.
5. Listen actively. ...
6. Keep promises. ...
7. Create an environment for good behaviour.
8. Choose your battles.

How to encourage good behaviour in your child

A positive and constructive approach is often the best way to guide your child’s behaviour. This means giving your child attention when he behaves well, rather than just applying consequences when he does something you don’t like.

Here are some practical tips for putting this positive approach into action.

Tips for good behaviour

1. Be a role model

Use your own behaviour to guide your child. Your child watches you to get clues on how to behave – and what you do is often much more important than what you say. For example, if you want your child to say ‘please’, say it yourself. If you don’t want your child to raise her voice, speak quietly and gently yourself.

2. Show your child how you feel

Telling your child honestly how his behaviour affects you helps him see his own feelings in yours. And if you start sentences with ‘I’, it gives your child the chance to see things from your perspective. For example, ‘I’m getting upset because there is so much noise that I can’t talk on the phone’.

3. Catch your child being ‘good’

When your child is behaving in a way you like, give her some positive feedback. For example, ‘Wow, you’re playing so nicely. I really like the way you’re keeping all the blocks on the table’. This works better than waiting for the blocks to come crashing to the floor before you take notice and say, ‘Hey, stop that’.

This positive feedback is sometimes called descriptive praise because it tells children specifically what they’re doing well. Try to make six positive comments for every negative comment. And remember that if children have a choice between no attention or negative attention, they’ll often seek out negative attention. 

4. Get down to your child’s level

When you get close to your child, you can tune in to what he might be feeling or thinking. Being close also helps him focus on what you’re saying about his behaviour. If you’re close to your child and have his attention, you don’t need to make him look at you.

5. Listen actively

To listen actively, you can nod as your child talks, and repeat back what you think your child is feeling. For example, ‘It sounds like you feel really sad that your blocks fell down’. When you do this, it can help young children cope with tension and big emotions like frustration, which sometimes lead to unwanted behaviour. It also makes them feel respected and comforted. It can even diffuse potential temper tantrums.

6. Keep promises

When you follow through on your promises, good or bad, your child learns to trust and respect you. She learns that you won’t let her down when you’ve promised something nice, and she also learns not to try to change your mind when you’ve explained a consequence. So when you promise to go for a walk after your child picks up her toys, make sure you have your walking shoes handy. When you say you’ll leave the library if your child doesn’t stop running around, be prepared to leave straight away.

7. Create an environment for good behaviour

The environment around your child can influence his behaviour, so you can shape the environment to help your child behave well. This can be as simple as making sure your child’s space has plenty of safe, stimulating things for him to play with. Make sure that your child can’t reach things he could break or that might hurt him. Your glasses look like so much fun to play with – it’s hard for children to remember not to touch. Reduce the chance of problems by keeping breakables and valuables out of sight. 

8. Choose your battles

Before you get involved in anything your child is doing – especially to say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ – ask yourself if it really matters. By keeping instructions, requests and negative feedback to a minimum, you create less opportunity for conflict and bad feelings. Rules are important, but use them only when it’s really important.

9. Be firm about whining

If you give in when your child is whining for something, you can accidentally train her to whine more. ‘No’ means ‘no’, not maybe, so don’t say it unless you mean it.

10. Keep things simple and positive

If you give clear instructions in simple terms, your child will know what’s expected of him – for example, ‘Please hold my hand when we cross the road’. And positive rules are usually better than negative ones, because they guide your child’s behaviour in a positive way. For example, ‘Please shut the gate’ is better than ‘Don’t leave the gate open’.

11. Give children responsibility – and consequences

As your child gets older, you can give her more responsibility for her own behaviour. You can also give her the chance to experience the natural consequences of that behaviour. You don’t have to be the bad guy all the time. For example, if it’s your child’s responsibility to pack her lunch box and she forgets, the natural consequence is feeling hungry at lunch time.

At other times you might need to provide consequences for unacceptable or dangerous behaviour. For these times, it’s best to ensure that you’ve explained the consequences and that your child has agreed to them in advance.

12. Say it once and move on

If you tell your child what to do – or what not to do – too often, he might end up just tuning out. If you want to give him one last chance to cooperate, remind him of the consequences for not cooperating. Then start counting to three.

13. Make your child feel important

Give your child some simple chores or things that she can do to help the family. This will make her feel important. If you can give your child lots of practice doing a chore, she’ll get better at it, feel good about doing it, and want to keep doing it. And if you give her some praise for her behaviour and effort, it’ll help to build her self-esteem.

14. Prepare for challenging situations

There are times when looking after your child and doing things you need to do will be tricky. If you think about these challenging situations in advance, you can plan around your child’s needs. Give him a five-minute warning before you need him to change activities. Talk to him about why you need his cooperation. Then he’s prepared for what you expect.

15. Maintain a sense of humour

It often helps to keep daily life with children light. You can do this by using songs, humour and fun. For example, you can pretend to be the menacing tickle monster who needs the toys picked up off the floor. Humour that has you both laughing is great, but humour at your child’s expense won’t help. Young children are easily hurt by parental ‘teasing’.

What are the different types of behavior?

Examples of behaviors to refer may include, but are not limited to:

Worried about a student? Noticing changes in their behavior? Do you want to reach out and talk with them about what's going on, but you're not sure how to approach them? Are you worried that a student will "get into trouble" if you share your concerns? 

When you become worried about a student, deciding when to intervene and when to refer can be confusing. Additionally, the number of resources available to assist students can be overwhelming. The CARE Team is here to help. If you are worried about a student here are some guidelines to help you decide when to refer concerning behavior to the CARE Team. 

Examples of behaviors to refer may include, but are not limited to:

• Clear signs of distress
• Erratic behavior
• Paranoia
• Threatening words or actions
• Violent or aggressive behavior
• Classroom disruptions
• Excessive absenteeism
• Lack of responsiveness
• Lack of emotional expression
• Relationship violence
• Alienation / isolation from others
• Writings that convey clear intentions to harm oneself or others
• Suicidality, including threats, gestures, ideations, and attempts
• Observed self-injurious behavior (such as cutting or burning)
• Extreme rudeness or insubordination toward university officials, staff, faculty, or administrators
• Postings on social media outlets that are threatening
• Overreaction to changes in policies / procedures
• Extreme or sudden changes in behavior

What is the meaning of challenging Behaviour?

A person's behaviour can be defined as " challenging" if it puts them or those around them (such as their carer) at risk, or leads to a poorer quality of life. It can also impact on their ability to join in everyday activities. Challenging behaviour can include aggression, self-harm, destructiveness and disruptiveness.

Dealing with challenging behaviour

A person's behaviour can be defined as "challenging" if it puts them or those around them (such as their carer) at risk, or leads to a poorer quality of life.

It can also impact their ability to join in everyday activities.

Challenging behaviour can include:

• aggression
• self-harm
• destructiveness
• disruptiveness

Challenging behaviour is often seen in people with health problems that affect communication and the brain, such as learning disabilities or dementia.

What can you do to help?

As a carer, try to understand why the person you look after is behaving in this way. For example, they might feel anxious or bored, or be in pain.

If you can recognise the early warning signs, you may be able to prevent behavioural outbursts.

For example, if being in a large group of people makes the person you care for feel anxious and they become agitated, you could arrange for them to be in a smaller group or have one-to-one support.

Some people find a distraction can focus a person's energies elsewhere and prevent them displaying challenging behaviour.

The person you care for might behave in a challenging way to get your attention.

If this is the case, consider not responding directly to their behaviour – although you shouldn't ignore them completely.

But if their behaviour puts them or someone else at risk, you'll need to intervene as calmly as possible.

Professional help

If you're finding it hard to cope with the behaviour of the person you look after, ask your GP to refer you to a specialist.

The specialist will want to know what situations or people trigger the behaviour, what the early warning signs are, and what happens afterwards.

In extreme circumstances – for example, if the person's behaviour is harmful to themselves or others and all methods of calming them have been tried – a doctor may prescribe medication.

If you're concerned about the side effects of medication, speak to the person's GP.

Tips for carers

• Seek support – many organisations for people with learning disabilities or dementia have schemes to connect carers with others in a similar situation. 
• Share your experiences – contact your local carers support group or call the Carers Direct helpline
• Get respite care for the person you look after so you can take a break. Your local authority can provide respite care after a care needs assessment for the person you care for, or a carer's assessment for you. Find local authority care needs assessment services.
• Keep in touch with friends and family members – they can be an important source of practical and emotional support.
• Don't be tempted to restrain the person you look after unless you believe their behaviour is putting them at risk and they don't have the mental ability or capacity to make a decision. Find out about Lasting Power of Attorney and restraint.

How do you deal with challenging Behaviour?

Here are some tips for how to get started:

After you have identified what triggers challenging behavior in your child, you can use that information to respond more positively to your child's needs. Here are some tips for how to get started:

1. Change the setting.
2. Change the room, activity, or people involved, so your child feels supported. For example, if your child becomes over-stimulated when playing games with her friends, you might recommend she limit the number of activities going on at one time ("Why don't you turn off the TV while you're playing your game?") or try a different activity (such as painting or playing outside).
3. Respond calmly.
4. Respond to the situation calmly and without your own anger — adults may need quiet time too. If your child's behavior has made you angry, take a few minutes to calm down before deciding how to respond.
5. Teach alternate behaviors.
6. Teach your child alternate and more socially appropriate ways of expressing what he wants or needs. For example, if your child fights over sharing toys with friends or siblings, teach him how to ask to borrow ("Can I play with your puzzle for a little while?") and trade ("If I loan you my book, can I play with your puzzle?")
7. Offer choices.
8. Offer choices and opportunities for your child to have more control over her environment. For example, if your child is a fussy eater, ask her what she'd like to eat, provide her with one or two options ("Would you like a peanut-butter or tuna-fish sandwich?"), or make her part of the planning("Why don't you help me cook dinner/pick out groceries?").
9. Notice the positive.
10. Notice positive behavior when it occurs and provide genuine praise. For example, "That was very nice of you to let your brother play with your toy." Noticing your child when she is using positive behavior lets her know that you respect her.
11. Be consistent.
12. Make sure there are consistent and predictable routines. "We wash our face, brush our teeth, and put on our pajamas every night before we go to bed." Make sure that you are consistent in what you ask and that you follow through on what you say. If you say “you can watch TV after you finish cleaning up” make sure there is enough time for this to happen.
13. Avoid surprises.
14. When there is a change in a routine or schedule, prepare your child ahead of time so he knows what to expect. For example, "Mommy and Daddy are going out tonight, so we won't be able to read you your bedtime story. But why don't we pick out a book together for us to read before we go out?"
15. Have fun.
16. Make sure there is joy and fun in your child's life every day. Many parents find it helpful to play with their children before they have to do housework or errands. Think of what brings a smile to your child's face and make time each day to smile together.
17. Practice yoga.
18. Yoga has many wonderful benefits for kids (and adults!). Some of these include feeling more relaxed, focused and energized. For more information or how to get started, read Let’s Practice Yoga.

How do you reinforce positive behavior?

How to make your praise most effective

1. Deliver praise when you are near your child. When you are close to your child, you can be sure that the behavior you are praising is taking place. ...
2. Use a sincere, enthusiastic tone of voice. ...
3. Use nonverbal reinforcement. ...
4. Be specific.

Reinforcing Positive Behavior at Home

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Using praise and positive reinforcement can truly improve your child's behavior. Here's how to do that.

Positive reinforcement is the most powerful and useful method of changing or developing behaviors. Unfortunately, good behavior is usually ignored in most homes, at school, and at work. Reinforcement is very familiar to everyone, but it is not used as often as it should be. In fact, if you master the use of positive reinforcement with your child, you will notice really dramatic improvements in behavior. The difficulty is in knowing how to use reinforcement and then in actually using it.

The following suggestions on how to help the child with behavior problems is taken from Parent Management Training by Alan F. Kazdin, Director and Chair of the Child Study Center at the Yale University School of Medicine and Director of the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct clinic.

How to make your praise most effective

• Deliver praise when you are near your child. When you are close to your child, you can be sure that the behavior you are praising is taking place. Also, when you are close, your child is more likely to pay attention to what you are saying.
• Use a sincere, enthusiastic tone of voice. You don't need to be loud, but make sure that you sound thrilled about what your child is doing.
• Use nonverbal reinforcement. Show your child you are pleased by smiling, winking, or touching. Hug your child, high five him, or pat him on the back.
• Be specific. When praising your child, say exactly what behavior you approve of." Wow, thank you so much for picking up your shoes and putting them in the closet." You want to be specific.

Just as positive opposites make a positive behavior more likely, so do prompts. A prompt is a cue or direction we give to get someone to do a behavior, for example:

1. Be specific. Tell your child specifically what you want. DON'T SAY

"Pick up your toys." SAY

"Please pick up your toys and put them in the toy box." "Be good." or "Don't fool around." "When you're on the school bus, remember to keep your hands to yourself and stay in your seat." 2. Be calm. Keep a positive or neutral tone in your voice when you give a prompt. DON'T SAY

"Put your dish in the sink!" SAY

"Please put your dish in the sink when you are done," 3. Be close. Go up to your child when you talk and make eye contact. DON'T SAY

"Suzy, go tell your brother to hurry up with his shoes.' SAY

"Johnny, please put your shoes on in the next minute or so, ' so I can help you with your coat."

  Effective Discipline Guidelines

Effective discipline really begins with rewarding and praising positive behaviors. When you are faced with a problem behavior, mild punishment techniques can be effective, but only when they are paired with positive reinforcement for the positive opposite of the problem behavior.

1. Remain calm.

2. If you need to take a privilege away, take it away for a short period of time, such as TV or phone privileges for an afternoon or an evening. How immediate and consistent the punishment is usually is more important than how big the loss is or how upset your child becomes.

3. Praise and reinforce your child's positive behaviors (positive opposites):

• Temper tantrums versus handling problems calmly
• Teasing others versus playing cooperatively with others
• Talking back versus using your words calmly and respectfully
• Physical aggression versus keeping one's hands and feet to oneself when angry

Whenever you want to change behavior, focus on the positive opposite. The positive opposite is the key to increasing positive behavior, and every problem behavior has a positive opposite. It is the behavior you want your child to be doing instead of the negative behavior. Your child is more likely to do the positive behavior if given the positive opposite than if punished. Prompt for a behavior no more than twice. Three prompts for the same behavior is nagging.

What is a challenging behavior?

Challenging behavior is any behavior that. interferes with children's learning, development, and success at play. is harmful to the child, other children, or adults. puts a child at high risk for later social problems or school failure (Klass, Guskin, and Thomas, 1995; Ritchie and Pohl,

How do you deal with challenging Behaviour?

When challenging behaviour happens

1. Back off where possible.
2. Keep calm.
3. Call for help.
4. Leave the person to calm down, if possible.
5. Remove others from the environment, if possible.
6. Be aware of body language and tone of voice used to the person.

Challenging behaviour is any behaviour that causes significant distress or danger to the person of concern or others. It can include an outburst of aggression, or resistant type behaviour by clients.

Challenging behaviours are difficult for everyone involved. Whilst managing these behaviours may be part of the job, it is not acceptable for workers to be hurt.

Report early signs of challenging behaviours. Talk about your concerns with your supervisor or at team meetings. Early reporting enables management to take action.

Preventing challenging behaviours

Any situation or feeling can act as a trigger for challenging behaviour. This is frequently unpredictable. However the approach made towards the person is very important.

• Pause – stand back, take a moment before approaching and assess the situation.
• Speak slowly and clearly in a calm voice.
• Explain your care actions.
• Try not to rush the person, act calmly.
• Show respect and treat people with dignity at all times.
• Minimise boredom, social isolation and irritating factors in the environment such as noise, uncomfortable clothing.
• Enhance comfort, exercise, participation in activities, decision making and dignity.

Communication is the key

Avoid harsh aggressive or abrupt statements. Don’t say things such as “You must….”, “Don’t…..”, “Stop…….”. Use alternatives and “I’ language like “I would like you to…” It would help me if……”, “ I feel scared when…….”.

When challenging behaviour happens

• Back off where possible.
• Keep calm.
• Call for help.
• Leave the person to calm down, if possible.
• Remove others from the environment, if possible.
• Be aware of body language and tone of voice used to the person.

Employers have a duty of care to do all things possible to prevent or minimise any harm that may occur as a result of challenging behaviours. This includes providing a means of communication for emergencies, an emergency response system and procedures.

Workers must follow reasonable instructions in managing challenging behaviour and protect the safety and health of themselves and others.

What is managing challenging Behaviour?

Determine triggers in the environment, such as noise or attitudes and beliefs in carers that might provoke or maintain challenging behaviour. Help the individual and their carers to recognise distress. ... Ensuring that all involved with an individual provide a consistent approach.

Managing challenging behaviour

• Make sure the individual feels valued and listened to.
• Make sure that where communication disorders exist, the individual has a method of communicating effectively.
• Give the individual other ways of communicating a need.
• Reduce, where necessary, expectations of the individual and of care staff.
• Determine triggers in the environment, such as noise or attitudes and beliefs in carers that might provoke or maintain challenging behaviour.
• Help the individual and their carers to recognise distress.
• Develop the individual's coping strategies for dealing with problems.
• Anticipate potential problems and intervening where appropriate (for example, by providing additional support, redirection to another activity or reducing noise level).
• Training and support for care staff in prevention and management of problems.
• Care staff sharing knowledge and expertise.
• Provision of a variety of activities and materials that are appropriate and meaningful.
• Ensuring appropriate levels of support.
• Ensuring that all involved with an individual provide a consistent approach.

There are few golden rules in supporting people who display challenging behaviour.

One is that happy people tend not to challenge. Find out what makes the person happy and make it happen more in their life, then you may find that the behaviour starts to disappear.

Challenging behaviour is often seen in people with learning disability and other types of impairment. This behaviour represents a challenge to us to address something that is not working in that person's life.

It's reasonable to expect that with comprehensive assessment, appropriate levels of stimulation, communication techniques, carer support and consistency, encouragement and teaching of new coping skills, behaviour can be managed effectively.

It's important to set realistic goals for the individual and aim to increase the person’s quality of life and minimise the impact of the behaviours displayed.

What are the behavior of employees?

Definition. The term employee behavior, refers to the way in which employees respond to specific circumstances or situations in the workplace. While many elements determine an individual's behavior in the workplace, employees are shaped by their culture and by the organization's culture.

What is positive behavioral support?

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a behavior management system used to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behavior. People's inappropriate behaviors are difficult to change because they are functional; they serve a purpose for them. These behaviors are supported by reinforcement in the environment.

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a behavior management system used to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behavior. People's inappropriate behaviors are difficult to change because they are functional; they serve a purpose for them. These behaviors are supported by reinforcement in the environment. In the case of students and children, often adults in a child’s environment will reinforce his or her undesired behaviors because the child will receive objects and/or attention because of his behavior. Functional behavior assessments (FBAs) clearly describe behaviors, identify the contexts (events, times, and situation) that predict when behavior will and will not occur, and identify consequences that maintain the behavior. They also summarize and create a hypothesis about the behavior, directly observe the behavior and take data to get a baseline. The positive behavior support process involves goal identification, information gathering, hypothesis development, support plan design, implementation and monitoring.

In order for techniques to work in decreasing undesired behavior, they should include: feasibility, desirability, and effectiveness. Strategies are needed that teachers and parents are able and willing to use and that affect the child's ability to participate in community and school activities. Positive behavior support is increasingly being recognized as a strategy that meets these criteria. By changing stimulus and reinforcement in the environment and teaching the child to strengthen deficit skill areas the student's behavior changes in ways that allow him/her to be included in the general education setting. The three areas of deficit skills identified in the article were communication skills, social skills, and self-management skills. Re-directive therapy as positive behavior support is especially effective in the parent–child relationship. Where other treatment plans have failed re-directive therapy allows for a positive interaction between parents and children. Positive behavior support is successful in the school setting because it is primarily a teaching method .

Modeling Positive Behavior in the Classroom

Teachers are role models for their students all day, every day, so I take my actions and behavior very seriously. Modeling positive behavior— and discussing it with my students— helps me create a positive environment where students feel safe and cared for and where they can develop behavioral skills they will use the rest of their lives. Here are three ways I do that.

Show Respect

I model respect to my students by listening to them and showing them that I care about things that are important to them. I apologize when I’ve forgotten to do something I said I’d do, when I lose my temper, or when I make a mistake. I also encourage respectful behavior through classroom discussions about how to show respect to others and what behaviors are disrespectful. And I praise students when they show respect.

Think Out Loud

To demonstrate how to think through a problem, I think out loud. It’s the same technique whether you’re demonstrating the solution to a math problem—where you tell students your thought processes as you’re solving the problem—or you’re talking about an everyday dilemma you’re facing.

Sometimes, I ask students to help me come up with a lesson idea. I tell them the goal and ask them to think about possible ways to accomplish it. Next, I ask them to think about the pros and cons of the ideas. We’re all thinking out loud. And then, we decide the best way and begin the work.

 Show My Human Side

To show students that their skills and interests, as well as academics, are valued, I ask them about different aspects of their lives. In turn, I share stories about my triathlons, cats, and writing. When teachers talk about their lives outside of school, it’s an opportunity to model talking in positive ways about oneself. Such stories and conversations can help students think and talk in positive ways about themselves.

Being a role model can be daunting—our students are observing us all the time—but it is also a wonderful opportunity to show students a positive way of looking at themselves. By showing respect, thinking out loud, and showing students my human side, I model behaviors I’d like to see in my students, and through classroom discussions, I give students an opportunity to learn and practice skills they will need in life.

7 Tips for Building Character in Schools and Students

• By Room 241 Team ? January 29, 2013 Facebook
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In an already busy school day, finding time for building character in schools and students can be a challenge. However, school is the first social structure the child encounters, and it provides an excellent opportunity for character-building.

School is not just about learning concepts; it is also a place where a foundation can be built for becoming upstanding adults. Every school should set a tone of respect, honesty and genuine kindness for all students. Whether they like it or not, teachers are role models for students and can provide examples of good character every day in the classroom. Students notice what teachers, do, say, tolerate, and how they handle challenges.

However, character building can also be done proactively through planned actions and activities within the classroom. These classroom activities will encourage students to develop and adopt quality ethical principles and behaviors that can last far beyond the classroom. Here are seven ways to help build character within the classroom:

Pillars of character

It has been said that character can be measured by what one would do if no one were looking. True character is instilled at a deep level so that positive behavior is automatic. The Josephson Institute of Ethics defines the main pillars of character to include: trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, caring, fairness and citizenship. Courage, diligence, and integrity are also sometimes included.

One way to address these pillars is to choose one per month and find ways to highlight it. Create an interactive collage on a bulletin board in the classroom. Assign creative writing projects on the topic, encouraging students to explore it. How would they define trustworthiness, respect, or integrity? Focusing on one pillar per month is a great way to raise awareness of the character traits they can strive to build in themselves. Students could also read a book that you feel embodies the trait, or come up with their own personal slogan about it.

Your rules set the tone

It is your responsibility as the teacher to set appropriate rules for classroom behavior. Be clear about the ground rules. Specify what you expect to see from your students, and what is unacceptable. Discuss the rules with the students, as well as the character traits that are embodied and built by each rule. Be sure to be a good example yourself as well. Complete your own work on time, be neat and punctual, and always show respect for others.

You can even allow students to suggest helpful rules that could benefit the class. Try and stay positive; praise students who exhibit good behavior and good character. Make them positive role models for the class. You can employ a reward system for good behavior such as points or gold stars. Credits earned could be exchanged for classroom privileges.

Encourage good role models

Students choose role models whether a teacher or adult helps or not. Make an effort to point out positive character role models in history, literature, science and the arts. Deliberately teach about people that your students can emulate. Ask students to describe, assess and match the traits and behaviors of these people or commendable characters within a fiction story. They could even dramatize some of the story elements or change them to allow a character to make better choices. Talk about the behavior of current world leaders, sports figures and celebrities as well. Ask students if a person’s words match their actions. Discuss how life is improved with good character traits.

Insist on respect

Your classroom should be firmly established on a foundation of respect. Self-respect and respect for others are the basis of all other positive character traits. Negativity and abuse of any kind should not be tolerated, and met with appropriate consequences. Create anti-bullying campaigns and extol the virtues of treating all classmates with respect and dignity.

Build a caring community

A caring attitude can be encouraged by having a zero-tolerance policy on name-calling and character assaults or bullying. Make sure that all students are included in activities. Describe the “random acts of kindness” concept and reward students when they demonstrate it.

Volunteerism

Take some time in your classroom to highlight the virtues and importance of volunteerism. Start volunteer programs in your classroom and school. Allow students to read or tutor younger children, assist in the computer lab, help at a local food bank, assist with reading comprehension or provide support for students recovering from an illness or injury.

You can collect donations for a worthy cause, perhaps even one that serves children. An example would be The Smile Train, which offers free surgeries for poor children who have cleft lips. Students might arrange and conduct a recycling project, do work for donations, or take pledges for biking, walking, dancing, etc.

Character in action

Throughout the school year, challenge students to create class projects that can benefit the school or community. Brainstorm ideas that cultivate the Pillars of Character discussed in Tip No. 1 and strive for a strong community spirit. Have older students manage these projects. Work with students to plan the steps necessary. Enlist parental and community support; ask for sponsors or donations as needed.

These are just a few suggestions for building character in schools and students. However, there are actually endless opportunities to do so throughout the school day. Use your imagination — the sky is the limit.