Positive behavioral solutions to help
our students cope with frustration
and anger in the school and
community setting
October 18, 2010
MVUSD & SEPAC
Presented by:
Kari Gonzalez, M.Ed, School Psychologist, PENT Cadre
Member for Riverside County SELPA
Amil Alzubaidi, LMFT, School Psychologist, Program
Specialist
PENT Defined
• Positive Environments, Network of Trainers
• The Positive Environments, Network of Trainers is a
California Positive Behavior Initiative designed to
provide information and resources for educators striving
to achieve high educational outcomes through the use of
proactive positive strategies. Evidence-based positive
practices and helpful information is disseminated
statewide through the PENT website.
• www.pent.ca.gov
PENT Defined
• The collaborative PENT network is
dedicated to increasing academic
achievement and overcoming behavioral
barriers to success for all students with
and without disabilities.
• PENT Motto:
“None of us is as skilled as all of us.”
PENT Mission Statement
• The PENT Leadership and all membership groups are committed to
achieve:
• Positive supports available for all students that are evidence-based
and lead to lasting behavioral change
• Environments that use positive methods to achieve high outcomes
for students in districts, schools, and classrooms
• Networking that supports the exchange of evidence-based practice
and materials among all PENT groups
• Training opportunities, guidelines, and materials made available
to educators to assist in the establishment of positive environments
and individual student support
The Components of a BSP
• “Behavior Support Plans should focus on the
“why” the behavior occurred (i.e., the ‘function’
or ‘communicative intent’) then focus on
teaching an alternative behavior that meets the
student’s need in a more acceptable way. This
includes making instructional and
environmental changes, providing
reinforcement, reactive strategies, and effective
communication.”
• -Diana Browning Wright
When to Write a BSP
• In general education – when a student’s
behavior impacts their ability to make adequate
academic progress and when all classroom
interventions and behavior systems/plans have
been found to be ineffective.
• In special education – when a student’s behavior
significantly impacts their ability to make
progress and meet their IEP goals.
Tier Three: Intensive –
BSPs – FBAs - PBIPs
Criteria and
Decision Points
The
Three
Tiers
Tier Two: Targeted BSPs
Tier One: School-wide
behavior plans
Academic Systems
Discipline Systems
• Effective Classroom Instruction
• Adequate Academic Progress
• Positive School-wide Discipline
Program
• Attendance
Defining Behavior
• Frequency – How often the behavior occurs.
• Intensity – A description of the heightened
impact of the behavior (e.g., depth, force,
strength, or extreme level of the behavior).
• Duration – How long it lasts. It is helpful to
know the length of the episode and the lasting
effects on the day.
Predictors of Behavior
• Environmental Variables to Analyze:
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Physical setting
Social setting
Instructional strategies, curriculum, and activities
Scheduling factors
Degree of independence
Degree of participation
Social interaction
Degree of choice
Hypothesized Functions of Behavior
• The “Why” of behavior
• To GET something
▫ An object, attention from peers or adults, an
activity, self-stimulation, money, desirable
comments from peers
• To REJECT something
▫ Avoid, escape, or protest something undesirable
▫ Can include social/peer conflicts
What is the function of this behavior
• Crying
The FERB – Functionally Equivalent
Replacement Behavior
• What the team believes the student should do
instead of the problem behavior.
• It is a positive alternative that allows the student
to obtain the same outcome that the problem
behavior provided – the student gets or rejects
something in a manner that is more acceptable.
• A FERB is not the absence of the problem, nor
the complete presence of positive behavior .
• Think “Baby Steps!”
Reinforcement
• An outcome (activity, tangible, attention, etc.)
becomes a reinforcer when it has been shown
that the student will perform X behavior to
achieve Y outcome.
• A “reward” is an outcome we believe the student
will strive to earn.
Reinforcer Examples
What do you think? What works with
your child?
• Physical – High fives/sensory breaks
• Verbal – Specific praise, recognizing strengths and
accomplishments in front of class
• Activity access – Desired activities that are earned (computer time,
free time, first to leave for a break)
• Tangibles – Small toys, food, phone calls/notes home
• Tokens and points – Use a symbol that strands for progress (points,
stickers, happy faces)
• Privileges – Passes or immediate verbal permission to: exempt from
an assignment, get an extra point on a quiz, permission to sit where
you want for one period
Anger Management
• Systematic Process to address anger
• Various orientations and beliefs when addressing
behavior
• Various degrees of anger
 Covert: withholding of emotions, thoughts and actions until an
activating event results in the individual overtly reacting.
 Passive Aggressive: withholding of emotions and thoughts
while covertly acting out leaving the intended individual
clueless to whom engaged in the action.
 Overt: aggressive display of thoughts, emotions and actions.
 Healthy Anger: effective expression of thoughts and emotions
while acting in a productive manner to address emotions of
hurt.
• The key is to address the core issue of the anger
Anger Management
• Step One
• Effective withdraw from the situation or individual
 Entails utilizing the STAR technique including:
 Stop: Stop all of your behaviors completely! Stop talking,
gesturing and moving.
 Think: Think about the positive and negative aspects of your
options. Look for all the options and always ask others such
as your parents, teachers, therapist, clergy, and others who
will help and not hinder your options before acting on your
decision.
 Act: Act on your thought out decision
 Responses: look at the responses of others and notice if your
action was hurtful? Helpful? Did it get your point across
without putting the other individual on the defensive? Did
your actions make fun of or scare others? Did your actions
help solve the problem or compound it? Ask yourself, if your
actions helped or hindered you?
Think Analysis
• Example:
• Think:
• (+)
• (-)
Anger Management
• Step Two
• Physical release of anger without hurting self,
others and/or items of value.
• The purpose of this stage is to reduce the
probable rage to anger.
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Running
Screaming in a pillow
Lifting weights
Walking
Anger Management
• Step Three
• Expression of emotion
▫ Identifying secondary emotion (hurt) versus primary
emotion (anger)
▫ Engaging in expression of secondary emotion through
various mediums
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Drawing
Writing
Painting
Clay
Poetry
Audio or video recording
Anger Management
• Step Three-continued
▫ Healthy Boundaries and Limits
 Boundaries: barriers that maintain a healthy sense of self while
regulating one’s self with others
 Limits: warning signs or red flags that a boundary is about to
become violated
▫ Healthy Communication
 Compromise (effective listening + effective speaking) =
Resolution
▫ Development of Awareness
 Passive
Assertive
Aggressive
Anger Management
• Step four
• Attempt resolution with the intended
individual or situation
▫ Requires a willing individual or one’s self to
address and introspect the situation utilizing the
prior steps
▫ Reactivity is a critical component to resolution
 WIMPY STAR RAMBO
STAR
• Stop
• Think
• Act
• Responses
Wimpy
•Whining
•Indecisive
• Manipulative
•Passive
•Yields
RAMBO
• Reactive
• Assaultive
• Manipulative
• Boundary Violations
• Obnoxious
Questions
• ??????