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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW
ABOUT BEHAVIOR PLANS
Is your child getting positive behavior supports at school?
How happy are you with your child’s behavior plan?
Would you like some new behavior ideas you can use at home?
Well then, today’s blog post is just for you!
Today you’ll discover 4 new, important ideas.
1. What you need to write on the consent form for a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
2. When and How to ask WHY
3. How time for Teacher Reflection can make a huge difference
4. What is Contingency Mapping and how can you use it for more positive behavior supports.
Our first strategy is something to do before you even sign permission for a Functional Behavior Assessment.
1. A strategy I always share with parents is to not just sign consent for evaluation without having it list what assessments will be done.
This is also important when either you are requesting a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) or a teacher is suggesting it.
Think about what is typically done for a FBA. Usually, some observations, some data collection, and/or a conversation with the teacher. Do you know what is often forgotten?
A Parent Interview! And who knows your child best??? You!!! So, before you sign permission for the school to do a Functional Behavioral Assessment, you need to write on the form what is going to be done for the FBA: parent interview, teacher interview, data collection, and observations in a variety of settings. Depending on your child, it may also be helpful to have the student interviewed as part of the FBA.
The second strategy is to go deeper and ask WHY.
2. We need to dig deeper and ask WHY. Often the conclusion of a FBA is that your child is either trying to get something, like more attention or a tangible reward, or to avoid something, like schoolwork or chores.
But that’s not enough information to fully understand what the student is trying to tell us with his/her behavior. I want us to ask WHY is the student trying to get more attention. Is it because he doesn’t feel like he belongs, does he feel like an outsider? Once we know the why we can develop a much more appropriate, positive behavior support plan.
We also want to know WHY a student might be avoiding work. Click HERE to go to the 8 minute 30 second mark of the video and watch the example of why a student may be wanting to avoid a math assignment. It’s probably not what you think.
Some students show us they’re frustrated when they don’t have predictable schedules. Think outside of the typical visual schedule box – see what I mean. Click HERE to go to the 13 minute mark of the video and see a couple examples of other types of schedules. These could be used at home or at school.
Let’s go on to our third strategy, the need to include teacher reflection time.
3. Time for teachers to reflect on what they are doing well and how that can be replicated in other school situations is so important. Also, we want teachers to note what they could change so the student is more successful. Instead, of only looking at what the child needs to do differently, let’s make sure the adults also are making changes.
I propose we add a box on whatever behavior data collection form your district uses, for the teacher to record what they do well (so they remember to continue doing that) and which of their own behaviors to change (so they don’t keep doing that). A radical idea, huh?
The fourth strategy is to consider using a contingency map.
4. Contingency maps can help your child know what will happen when he uses positive ways to get his needs met and what will happen if he doesn’t. In the video, I give a couple different examples. Click HERE and start watching at the 32 minute 15 second mark.
Four Advocacy Steps You Can Do
1. Write Parent Interview on the consent form for a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA).
2. Ask WHY your child is seeking attention, tangible rewards, or avoiding a task or situation.
3. Ask staff what is working well, and what the adults could change so your child is more successful.
4. Try using a Contingency Map at home and see if it is helpful.
If you found these strategies helpful, forward this blog post to a friend. Please remember, I’m here to help you become an even more effective advocate, so your child gets the education he/she deserves and they are happy, safe, and learning side-by-side with their friends at school.
If you have questions about the support your child is getting or not getting at school, hit Reply to this email and ask. I read all my emails and will respond to you. And as always, I’m also available for free 30-minute phone consultation. Just email me at Charmaine@cspeda.com we’ll set up a time to talk.
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