7/30/2013
STRUCTURE AND
PREDICTABILITY
By: Matthew Goldsmith
WAREA 2013
LEARNING TARGETS
• Recognize the importance of creating a
structured and predictable classroom
environment
• Identify three elements for creating a
structure & predictability in the classroom
environment
• Reflect and evaluate the implementation of
these elements within your educational
environment
WAREA 2013
STACK THE DECK
• Educators cannot “make” students learn or
behave
• Educators can create environments to increase
the likelihood students learn and behave
• Environments that increase the likelihood are
guided by a core curriculum and implemented
with consistency and fidelity
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RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI)
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
Intensive, Individual Interventions
•Individual Students
•Assessment-based
•High Intensity
1-5%
5-10%
Targeted Group Interventions
•Some students (at-risk)
•High efficiency
•Rapid response
Universal Interventions
•All students
•Preventive, proactive
80-90%
Intensive, Individual Interventions
•Individual Students
•Assessment-based
•Intense, durable procedures
1-5%
5-10%
Targeted Group Interventions
•Some students (at-risk)
•High efficiency
•Rapid response
80-90%
Universal Interventions
•All settings, all students
•Preventive, proactive
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School-wide Positive
Behavior Support
Systems
Classroom
Setting Systems
School-wide
Systems
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EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES IN
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Maximize structure in your classroom.
Post, teach, review, monitor, and reinforce a small
number of positively stated expectations.
Actively engage students in observable ways.
Establish a continuum of strategies to acknowledge
appropriate behavior.
Establish a continuum of strategies to respond to
inappropriate behavior.
2008. Simonsen, Fairbanks, Briesch, Myers, & Sugai.
Evidence-Based Practices in Classroom Management: Considerations for Research to Practice
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RE-ED PRINCIPLES
 Trust between child and adult is essential, the
foundation on which all other principles rest, the glue
that holds teaching and learning together, the beginning
point for Re-EDucation.
 Ceremony and ritual give order, stability, and
confidence to troubled children and adolescents whose
lives are often in considerable disarray.
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STAGE ONE: THE HONEYMOON
Typical Behaviors
• Checking Things Out
• Observing
• Determining Social
Order
Helping Behaviors
• Clearly
Communicate Your
Systems and
Expectations
• Build Relationships
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STAGE TWO: LIMIT TESTING
Typical Behaviors
Helping Behaviors
• Tests Authority
• Avoid Staff Splitting
• Splits Staff
• Establish a Safe and
Predictable Environment
• Disruptive
• Good Limit Setting Prompts
and Cues
• Oppositional
• Differential Reinforcement
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TOUGH KIDS HAVE DIFFICULTY
MANAGING:
• Their Time
• Their Attention
• Their Belongings
• Their Energy
• Their Emotions
• Their Behaviors
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(1992) Rhodes, Jensen & Reavis. Tough Kid Practical Classroom
Management Strategies
The Guardrails
on a Bridge
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CLASSROOM STRUCTURE
• Atmosphere
• Expectations
• Division of Space
• Time Management
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ATMOSPHERE
Neat
Clean
Inviting
Displays
Organized
Rules & Values
Schedule
Student Work/Achievement
Personal Goals
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ATMOSPHERE
Praise is underused in both general and special education
classrooms
Hawkins and Helfin, 2011
It increases:
• On-task behavior
• Correct responses, work productivity and accuracy
• Attention and compliance
• Cooperative play
Can have a huge impact on the climate of a classroom
Simonsen et al, 2008
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ATMOSPHERE
• Praise to criticism ratio of 4:1 (Tier 1)
Fredrickson, 2010
• Praise to criticism ratio of 10:1 or better is ideal
• Done by all staff members
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DIVISION OF SPACE
Quiet
Corner
Considers Needs
Choice
Time
Considers Distractors
Allows Staff to Monitor
Room
Materials
Individual &
Group
Work
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
• Create a physical environment that:
• Eases traffic flow
• Minimizes distractions
• Provides teachers access to students in order
to better respond to questions and behaviors
Oliver, Reschly, 2007
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8:00
Math
8:45
Reading
9:30
P.E.
10:15
Science
11:00
Lunch
11:45
History
12:30
Social Skills
1:15
Group/Game
Carmen
Eat wet food
before Pancho
Be assertive
Pancho
Cough up
hairballs outside
Listen to my
body
Camila
Use words or
gestures to
communicate needs
Learn words
Learn gestures
Quincy
Go to bed on
time
Doug
Bring personal tupperware
when desiring leftovers
from brother’s in-laws
Ali
Tighten lids on
containers when
finished using them
Snuggle with
blanky
Turn upside down
to see if they leak
Murray
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Good teaching… great parenting!
SCHEDULE AS STRUCTURE
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TIME MANAGEMENT:
THE SCHEDULE IS A MANAGEMENT TOOL
Premack Schedule
• Readable, Posted Near Clock
Length of Interval Appropriate
• Followed Consistently
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TIME MANAGEMENT:
STRUCTURING BREAKS & CHOICE TIMES
Structure Choice Time
• Contingency Based
Timely (Restroom, Lunch)
• Sufficient Amount
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THE PREMACK PRINCIPLE
People are more likely
to do something they do not like
(Low Probability Behavior)
if they know they have an opportunity to
follow it with something they do like
(High Probability Behavior)
(1959). Premack, D. Toward empirical behavioral laws: I. Positive reinforcement. Psychological Review, 66, 219-233.
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GRANDMA’S LAW
When you eat your vegetables, you can
have your ice cream.
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PINK FLOYD’S RULE
If you don’t eat your meat, you
can’t have any pudding.
How can you have any pudding if
you don’t eat your meat?
—Roger Waters
WAREA 2013
THE PREMACK SCHEDULE
• A good daily schedule is the heart of classroom
structure. The schedule establishes the events of
the day and helps motivate the students through
difficult tasks.
• Using the Premack Principle, the day is divided into
manageable units of time, so that something
considered “difficult” is followed by something that
is generally considered “less difficult”.
WAREA 2013
PREMACK SCHEDULE EXAMPLE
• 7:30
Breakfast/Goals Group
• 8:00
Math (earned choice)
• 8:45
Reading (earned choice)
• 9:30
P.E.
• 10:15
Science
• 11:00
Lunch
• 11:45
World History
• 12:30
Social Skills
• 1:15
Goals Group/Group Game
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CONTINGENCY-BASED CHOICE TIME
• Establish contingencies
• Teach, model, role play, and reinforce earned time
behavior
• Example contingencies:
• Work is completed to 85% accuracy
• Work is completed within time frame with help from staff for corrections
• Student earns 3.0 or higher on point sheet for academics and behavior
• Student states what they will do and where they will be for choice time
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MAINTAIN THE DAILY SCHEDULE
•The teacher follows the schedule very closely and
uses it to cue students to complete tasks.
•Maintaining the daily schedule eliminates any
confusion about the planned events of the day and
relieves teachers of making arbitrary decisions.
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REFLECTION ACTIVITY
What are some areas
in your day where
you can use the
Premack Principle
with your schedule?
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Characteristics for Success
RULES
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WHY RULES?
According to a recent study on teacher preparation:
• Only 27% of universities have a course devoted
to classroom management
• Only 42% of university programs had no courses
in which the topic of establishing classroom
rules was mentioned.
•
(2010). Oliver, R., Reschly, D. Special education teacher preparation in classroom
management: Implications for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral
Disorders, 35 (3), 189—199.
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REFLECTION ACTIVITY
As best you can, make a list of your
classroom rules from this past year
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EFFECTIVE RULES
•Rules are expectations; codes of conduct.
•Rules are most effective when the teacher takes the time
with his/her students to brainstorm, discuss, and come up
with their own group rules.
•Students must be invested in them to see their value.
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EFFECTIVE RULE
CHARACTERISTICS
Understood by All
Behavior Specific
Posted Clearly
Modeled & Roleplayed
Revisited Frequently
Throughout Day
Drawn from schoolwide
expectations/values
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EFFECTIVE RULE ELEMENTS
Are limited in number and stated briefly & positively
Are observable (not vague, clear when violated)
Apply at all times of day in all school locations
Apply to behavior only and not academics
Are selected with democratic student population
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Identify target behaviors
Phrase in the positive
Phrase specifically
Combine like rules
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Kostewicz, Douglas E., Ruhl, Kathy L.,
Kubina Jr., Richard, 2008
RULES MATRIX
Wording
Specific
Positive
Negative
1. Raise hand and
1. No talk-outs
wait to be called on
2. Don’t hit or kick
2. Keep hands feet
anyone
and objects to self
3. No getting school
3. Have materials
supplies after class
ready when class
starts
starts
1. Don’t bother others
1. Be respectful
2. Don’t do mean
Nonspecific 2. Be a good neighbor
things
3. Be responsible
3. Don’t waste time
Kostewicz, Douglas E., Ruhl, Kathy L.,
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Kubina Jr., Richard, 2008
REFLECTION ACTIVITY
What are your rules?
Using the guidelines discussed, make
changes to your original set of rules
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EFFECTIVE RULES
Process
Characteristics
• List problem behaviors
• Stated Positively
• Identify replacement
behaviors
• Stated Briefly
• What do you want them
to do instead?
• Drawn from group/school
values
• Check rule
characteristics
• Must match setting
• Limited to 5
• Clear when violated
WAREA 2013
LEARNING TARGETS
• Recognize the importance of creating a
structured and predictable classroom
environment
• Identify three elements for creating a
structure & predictability in the classroom
environment
• Reflect and evaluate the implementation of
these elements within your educational
environment
WAREA 2013
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