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In this chapter, you will learn recommendations for empowering families to take an active role in assisting educators with attempting to address problem behaviors through the development of positive behavior support plans.
It is very important for teachers to inform and educate parents about the basic principles of behavior management so that we can effectively support the student in the school and home environment. Parents are not trained in the same light as educators on the concept of reinforcement, identifying behavioral triggers, incorporating self-management, etc. Unfortunately the natural reaction for most people is to react to problem behavior through redirection or correction. While it is important to redirect behavior, research in the area of positive behavior support (PBS) emphasizes the importance of identifying why a problem behavior is occurring and then providing a replacement behavior.
In order to create an effective behavior intervention plan that accurately addresses problem behaviors, the plan needs to be created with the intent to make the behaviors:
1). Irrelevant (i.e., no longer meaningful to the student)
2). Inefficient (i.e., teach a socially appropriate replacement behavior that can achieve the same function); and
3). Ineffective (i.e., minimize the likelihood of any reinforcement when the problem behaviors occur)
(O'Neill et al, 1997).
* Always be honest with parents about what is going on
* Ask parents how they handle a particular behavior
* Find out what strategies work or have not worked
* Listen to what the parents are saying about their child
* Be careful not to blame the parent for the child’s behavior
Parents know their child best... what has worked and not worked. I remember when I explained to the teacher that we don’t use the word “NO” because of what Shayne went through in the hospital. Staff would pull her plugs and equipment resulting in the staff tying her to the bed. When she would hear the word "No" Shayne would "lose it" and so we learned to provide her with different choices instead. We also learned to explain what was going on and that her behavior was not safe. Unfortunately, Shayne's previous teachers did not listen to us. They ended up getting into confrontations with her that could have potentially been avoided.
For these reasons it is very important to include parents in the behavior planning process. Ask for parent input and work on a plan together that will positively address the problem behaviors.
O’Neill, Horner, Albin, Sprague, Storey, & Newton. (1997). Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior: A Practical handbook (2nd ed). Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole Publishing Company.
Gable, R.A., Quinn, M.M., Rutherford, R.B., & Howell, K.W. (1998). Addressing
problem behavior in schools: Functional behavioral assessment and behavioral intervention plans. Preventing School Failure, 42, 106-119.
Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Todd, A.W., & Lewis-Palmer, T. (2000). Elements of behavior support plans: A technical brief. Exceptionality, 8, 205-215.