Classroom Management for All Teachers 12 Plans for Evidence-Based Practice

9780131118324

0131118323

Many personnel turn to behavioral plans and programs when a child's behavior has become extremely problematic. Certainly, behavior management plans are well suited in extreme circumstances to change behavior problems by developing more appropriate behavior in children with severe behavior problems. The research base is replete with examples of validated management strategies. But one should not conclude that these plans are only of use in these "dire" circumstances. I have often heard teachers say, "Oh, his behavior isn't bad enough to warrant a behavioral plan." This equating of behavior plans as only appropriate for severe levels of problem behaviors has been perpetuated by misguided people, and nothing could be further from the truth! Instead, one should look at the use of these plans as good prevention. An effective classwide behavior management system will probably prevent small problems from becoming bigger problems, and moderate-size problems from creating a disaster. Systematic behavior management is not just for treatment, it is good prevention. CONTENTS OF THIS TEXT This teacher manual presents user-friendly information on 12 classroom management plans, derived from an empirical research basis, for use with individual children or entire classes. Management plans are detailed for two common problem areas: Student on-task and assignment completion problems. Student disruptive behavior and rule violations. Like the first edition, this second edition serves as a manual for teachers with specific plans of classroom management. However, a new first part has been added that emphasizes the scientific nature of these plans, hence the termevidence-based practice.Many other fields (e.g., medicine and psychology) are developing guidelines for practice based on procedures that have received empirical validation. The second edition ofClassroom Management for All Teachersis the first text on this evidence-based approach to solving problems in classroom management. Part 1 provides a delineation of evidence-based treatment and how this methodology applies to education and learning. The plans delineated in the last two parts of this book have a basis in behavior analysis classroom management research. This research base serves as the "clinical trials" methodology for understanding the efficacy of behavioral management systems on desired student behavior change. Part 2 contains six management plans designed to increase student ontask behavior or a student's completion of class assignments, or both. This problem area is addressed first because of its importance. If a teacher can develop a strategy that increases the student's engagement in task materials and teacher-presented instruction, other behavior problems will often greatly decrease. When children areengagedin tasks and academic instruction, there is less opportunity to engage in other (unacceptable) behavior. It is strongly recommended that teachers become familiar with the plans contained in Part 2 and apply them frequently, both to prevent potential problems and to solve current problem behaviors. In particular, the beeper system is a powerful program for enhancing student engagement, with the aid of a recently developed device called "the MotivAider." Disruptive behavior and rule violations are addressed in Part 3. Most behavioral plans described in this section for dealing with a student's disruptive behavior also add a strategy from Part 2 to increase on-task behavior or task completion. For long-term results, it is recommended that disruptive behavior be addressed in this dual fashion: Design a plan for dealing with the disruptive behavior as well as a concurrent plan for reinforcing appropriate student on-task behavior. PRESENTATION FORMAT OF EACH MANAGEMENT PLAN IN PARTS 2 AND 3 A uniform format is used in this manual to present each classroom management plan: