Relationship Building & Proactive and Responsive De-Escalation Strategies
Cassandra Townshend, Ed.D
BEST Project Co-Director
Jeremy Tretiak, MA, BCBA, LBA-VT
BEST Project Coach/Trainer
Acknowledgments
YOU!
Agenda
Practical Strategies to add to your Tool Kit!
Housekeeping
Welcoming Inclusive Activity
Foundations
Person-Centered and Trauma-Informed Approach
Interfering behaviors disrupt learning�Engaging learning prevents interfering behaviors
Good Teaching
Classroom Management
Student Achievement
(Gest & Gest, 2005; Stronge, Ward and Grant, 2011)
Goal of Teaching
Why is this important?
(Boyd, Grossman, Ing, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2011; DeAngelis, & Presley, 2011; Feng, 2006; Henke, Zahn, & Carroll, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; Ingersol, Merril, May, 2012; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003; Ingersoll & Smith, 2003; Kaiser & National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011; Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Luekens, Lyter, Fox, & Changler, 2004; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004; Torres, 2012; Zabel & Zabel, 2002)
Why do teachers leave?
(Boyd, Grossman, Ing, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2011; Chesley & Jordan, 2012; Feng, 2006; Halford, 1998; Henke, Zahn, & Carroll, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; Ingersol, Merril, May, 2012; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003; Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005; Luekens, Lyter, Fox, & Changler, 2004; Stough, 2006; Torres, 2012; Zabel & Zabel, 2002)
Supporting teachers in classroom PBIS/MTSS is critical
for our teachers, schools, and our state!
Why is this important?
N | Minutes | MATH! | Total Time |
83 referrals | 10 | = 83 x 10 | 830 |
83 calls for support | .5 | = 83 x.5 | 41.5 |
83 adults responding | 2 | = 83 x 2 | 163 |
15 meetings | 30 | = 15 x 30 | 450 |
24 adult conversations | 7 | = 24 x 7 | 168 |
15 phone calls home | 5 | = 15 x 5 | 75 |
Total time spent on 1 student’s behavior | 1,727.5 | ||
30 involved another student | | | |
68 happened in the classroom | | | |
Total hours spent of reactive behavior management
28.8 Hours!
Why do teachers leave?
Turn and Talk!
Why is this Important?
Traditional Approaches Ineffective
School-wide Discipline Problems
Reactive
Non-constructive
Emphasis on punishment
Poor implementation fidelity
Limited effects
Mrs. Munter liked to go over a few of her rules on the first day of school…
“I'm right and you're wrong, I'm big and you're small, and there's nothing you can do about it.”
- Roald Dahl
“Eat my shorts.”
“You just bought yourself another Saturday, mister!”
-Breakfast Club
Proactive De-Escalation Strategies
What does work?
High Leverage Classroom Practices:
First…..Relationships
8 Strategies for building relationships:
First…..Relationships
First…..Relationships
“A youth’s emotional connection with adults is perhaps the single most important factor for fostering positive development, including higher levels of engagement, motivation, and academic performance” (National Research Council, 2004)
Turn & Talk
How do you build relationships with your students?
10 Minute BREAK
Building Rapport
Building Better Relationships
The best behavior plan in the world will not be effective unless the staff working with the student have developed a meaningful relationship based on trust and respect.
De-escalation doesn’t have to start with an escalation
Students have pre-determined ideas about who they are based on how others perceive them.
Preventing a Crisis…. Plan to Prevent….
Preventing a Crisis….
Etiology vs. maintenance
Language Matters
Where is our focus/mindset?
Tackle the practical barriers that stand in the way of fulfilling their potential, rather than viewing behavior as the principal problem to be surmounted.
Paraphrased from NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman
Where is our focus?
Skills
Questions: Culture, Individuality, and Assent
Positive Classroom Environments
Positive Classroom Environments
Teacher is explicit with lesson content and thoughtfully considers what is necessary to facilitate success with learning (examples)
Teacher takes responsibility for maximizing active student engagement within the content
Students get multiple opportunities to practice success at high rates with high rates of positive teacher acknowledgement
Positive Classroom Environment
2. Environment
Schedules are displayed and changes explained - Consistency is key! Using a schedule is a great way to also give reminders.
Physical arrangement of your classroom matters. Location of furniture, desks, book shelves, etc…
Proactive proximity of interactions - line of sight and teacher movement/active supervision
Student Engagement is Key!
OTRs
Why Opportunities to Respond?
Best practice =
3 - 5 quality OTR per minute during direct instruction
(Clarke, Haydon, Bauer & Epperly 2016; Common, Lane, Cantwell, Brunsting, Oakes, Germer, &
Bross, 2020; Fitzgerald Leahy, Miller, & Schardt, 2019; MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015)
Why Opportunities to Respond?
Verbal Responses
Teachers can use a seating chart to call on students
Popsicle sticks in a jar with students name on them
Ask students to summarize with the teacher just stated
Have small groups of students create a response to a question and one student shares the answer with the group
Choral Responding
Develop question with one right answer, that can be answered with one to three word statements
Provide thinking or wait time for at least 3 seconds before a response
Use a clear signal or predictable phrase to cue students to respond
Use a brisk pace
Provide immediate feedback after the student response
Non-verbal Responding
Have students write their answers on white boards and hold them up with they are ready
Provide response cards to students (multiple choice answers)
Cups (e.g. different colors mean different level of help needed)
Pre-printed cards with answers written or use technology like Kahoot!
OTR Self-Assessment
Table Talk!
What is behavior?
All behavior is a
form of communication.
Behavior Pathway—ABC’s
Antecedent
(A)
Behavior
(B)
Consequence
(C)
F u n c t i o n
Setting Events/
Conditions
The Word “Consequence”
Definition: Anything that happens after a behavior.
Consequences can either:
Encourage (increase some dimension of) behavior
or
Discourage (decrease some dimension of) behavior
Past consequences influence likelihood the behavior will occur currently and in the future.
Patterns in consequences help us understand function.
How About Antecedents?
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Setting Events/
Conditions
1
2
3
1 = Environmental control strategies
2 = Prompting and cueing strategies
3 = Consequence-based strategies
Is there a difference between describing behavior in “mentalistic” terms (she swears because it makes her feel powerful) versus behavioral/observable terms (she swears, and people leave her presence when she does it)?
…and the implications for how we might respond to the behavior? �
49
Group Discussion
Basic Assumptions
Gather Information (Data)
Data come in many forms
Typical school-based data collection:
* Behavior Observation and Data Form
* Minors * Attendance/Tardies
* Nurse’s visits * Work completion
More formalized behavior data collection:
*Time sampling * Frequency counts * Scatterplot
*Subjective ratings scale *A-B-C Charts
OBJECTIVE FACTS!
No opinions, judgements, or guesses about someone’s thoughts.
A-B-C Data Collection Form
Practice: FBA Hypothesis
Setting Event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Typically on days when John has worked alone for 30 min…
when given math worksheets & other assignments…
he doesn’t do his work and uses profanity.
The teacher gives the rest of the class a task to do then sits with John to give him support and help him do the work.
John has been working alone for 30 min
Teacher hands math worksheets out and gives direction to complete silently
John puts his head down, then back up, then stares out window for 5 minutes before using profanity, saying he won’t do the work
The teacher gives the rest of the class a task to do, then sits with John to give him support and help him do the work
The same pattern has been observed for the previous 4 math classes
Practice: FBA Hypothesis
Setting Event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Typically on days when John has worked alone for 30 min…
when given math worksheets & other assignments…
he doesn’t do his work and uses profanity.
The teacher gives the rest of the class a task to do then sits with John to give him support and help him do the work.
Function of the Behavior = (Teacher) Attention/Support
Practice: FBA Hypothesis
Setting Event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Typically on days when Sarah comes in late because she overslept
when given math worksheets & other assignments…
she doesn’t do her work and uses profanity.
Sarah is sent out of the classroom.
The same pattern has been observed several times previously in math classes
Sarah came in to school late because she overslept
1. Sarah was given math worksheets and instructed to complete them before she could go grab a snack from the cafeteria
1. Sarah engages in side conversation with a peer, throws an object
1. Teacher redirects Sarah to the worksheet task
2. Teacher redirects Sarah to the worksheet task
2. Sarah begins to swear at teacher and says she is not doing the worksheet
2. Sarah is sent out of the classroom (to the office) by teacher
Practice: FBA Hypothesis
Setting Event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Typically on days when Sarah comes in late because she overslept
when given math worksheets & other assignments…
she doesn’t do her work and uses profanity.
Sarah is sent out of the classroom.
Function of the Behavior = Avoids (work)
Outcome Behavior
Complete math assignment
Setting Conditions
Poor grades in math class
Antecedent
Presented with double-digit addition problems
Consequence/Function
Success, teacher acknowledgment
Agency, choice, self-determination
Interfering Behavior
Crying, pushing papers off desk
Consequence/Function
Sent to hall to ‘calm down’ Function: escape task
Alternative Behavior
Raise hand & ask for break
Restorative Questions
at the time?
4. What were you hoping for at
the time?
5. Who was affected? How?
6. What support do you need in
order to do things differently in
the future?
The student is going to need to gain numeracy skills before being able to do this like peers
Unintended Consequence
Disrupt class
Unintended consequence: disrupt class
Consequence/Function
Success, teacher acknowledgment
Agency, choice, self-determination
ABC’s Integrating Restorative Questions
Competing Behavior Pathway
Outcome Behavior (End result)
Antecedent
Interfering Behavior
Maintaining
Consequence
Setting Events /
Conditions
Replacement Behavior
(More immediate target)
Maintaining
Consequence
Function
Different Function
Self-reflection
Think of a time when you thought you were applying consequences that were intended to change behavior in one direction, but in fact had the opposite effect.
LUNCH
Integrated Experience
Behavior Influences behavior.
Your approach changes everything!
Regulating Ourselves
How do you know when you are dysregulated?
What are the signs for you?
What might someone see or hear?
“A regulated, calm adult can regulate a dysregulated, anxious child; a dysregulated adult can never regulate a dysregulated child.” ~ Dr. Bruce Perry
Regulate, Relate, Reason
Regulate: breathe, focus, and clear your mind. If difficult TAB out; ground yourself. Get down and do what you can to ensure safety and calm
Relate: talk calmly; help them feel heard and seen. Be aware of and respond to their emotions.
Reason: Use restorative questions; talk about needs how people were affected, and what needs to be done
Think & Share…
Think of a time when you felt distressed, upset, or challenged by someone’s behavior at home or at work.
Discussion
Share general takeaways from these videos.
Crisis Development Model*
Behavior:
Approaches:
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
Crisis Development Model*
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
Behavior:
Approach:
Crisis Development Model*
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
Behavior:
Approach:
Case Study*
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
A parent waits to meet with her son’s teacher. This is the third time in a month she’s been called into the office regarding her son’s performance. She is a single mother working two jobs and had to take time off from work to be here. She’s pacing, fidgeting with her phone, and constantly asking the school secretary where the teacher is.
When the teacher arrives, the parent yells at her for wasting her time when she should be at work.
When asked to work with her son to complete supplemental worksheets to help him improve his math scores, she argues, “I don’t have time for this! Isn’t this your job?”
Case Study*
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
Integrated Experience
Precipitating Factors
Rational Detachment
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
Precipitating Factors*
Factors that influence behaviors!
*Adapted from the CPI
Precipitating Factors*
*Adapted from the CPI
How does knowledge of a person’s Precipitating Factors influence the way you respond to the behavior?
Rational Detachment*
Recognizing the need to remain calm and professional by managing your own behavior or attitude.
Questions to ask when observing behavior:
*Adapted from the CPI
Rational Detachment
*Adapted from the CPI
What strategies do you use to rationally detach?
Supportive Communication
What factors influence Communication?
Communication Skills
Key to Supportive Verbal Communication*
• Short, simple, clear
• Respectful
• Positively phrased
Instead of. . .
“You are not supposed
to be in this area.”
Say. . .
“You seem lost. How
may I help you?”
*Adapted from the CPI
Paraverbal Communication*
“I didn’t say Cassandra was silly”
*Adapted from the CPI
Nonverbal Communication*
*Adapted from the CPI
Nonverbal Communication*
and others.
used to communicate.
*Adapted from the CPI
Nonverbal Communication*
improves mutual understanding and trust.
*Adapted from the CPI
The Verbal Escalation Continuum*
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
The Verbal Escalation Continuum
Questioning
INFORMATION-SEEKING
A rational question seeking a
rational response.
STAFF INTERVENTION
Give a rational response.
Questioning
CHALLENGING
Questioning authority;
attempting to draw a staff into a
power struggle.
STAFF INTERVENTION
Downplay the challenge. Stick
to the topic.
The Verbal Escalation Continuum
Refusal
Unwillingness to cooperate or
follow instructions.
STAFF INTERVENTION
Limit setting.
Keys to Limit Setting:
Examples of Limit Setting*
INTERRUPT AND REDIRECT
(Interrupt) “Tyler, you’re shouting. (Redirect) Please speak quietly. Thank you.”
IF/THEN PATTERN
“Tyler, if you lower your voice, then I’ll be able to address your concerns.”
WHEN/THEN PATTERN
“Tyler, when you lower your voice, then I’ll be able to address your concerns.”
FAIL SAFE CHOICE
“Tyler, would you like to talk about this now or later in private?”
*Adapted from the CPI Development Model
The Verbal Escalation Continuum
Grace grows increasingly
angry before she finally
stands up from her chair
and starts shouting at
staff, “I hate Sarah, she’s so annoying!”
What is the defensive
Behavior?
What is the staff
intervention? Be specific.
What would you say/do?
Turn & Talk
The Verbal Escalation Continuum
What is the defensive
Behavior?
What is the staff
intervention? Be specific.
What would you say/do?
Turn & Talk
Seth becomes
increasingly agitated
when asked to perform
a task. Suddenly he
responds, “No! You
can’t make me!”
The Verbal Escalation Continuum
Theo becomes
aggressive and makes
threatening statements
like “you better watch
your back” and “I’m
going to mess you up.”
What is the defensive
Behavior?
What is the staff
intervention? Be specific.
What would you say/do?
Turn & Talk
WHEN DEALING WITH IN AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED EVENT
•YOU MUST DEAL WITH THE FEELINGS FIRST
•BEFORE YOU CAN DEAL WITH THE BEHAVIOR
•FEELINGS , THOUGHTS , BEHAVIOR
Feelings and Needs of Others
Individual Think Time
THE “SCRIPT”
Feelings & Needs of Ourselves
Individual Think Time
Feelings
Tapping into what we are feeling
Needs
Identify your needs and values
Make a Request
(Not a demand)
Affective Statement
Put it all together
Try it out!
Practicing Affective Statements
Great Resources!
104
Closing thoughts….
Questions, Wonderings, Comments?
Thank you!
Cassandra Townshend, Ed.D
Jeremy Tretiak, BCBA, VT-LBA
Evan Sivo M.Ed., BCBA
Behavior Systems Director
Champlain Valley School District
esivo@cvsdvt.org
Every interaction is an opportunity.