Behavior Problems in School Settings
Project Description and Outline
OBJECTIVE
Create a comprehensive school behavior plan for one of the student scenarios described below. The plan must include all elements featured in bold print and should follow the sample template. The entire plan should be 4-8 pages. It will be difficult to complete the assignment in fewer pages, and it should not be necessary to write substantially more.
ASSESSMENT
Your plan must include an Assessment Section (1.5-2 double spaced pages). Provide an overview of the assessment tools (.5-1 pp.aka reasons why you chose those tools to asses the problem before you go into the tools found) you chose and why they make sense for your student specifically. Choose tools with multi-method/multi-trait/multi-informant principles in mind. This section should answer the questions, “How did I choose to measure the current problems and why was this a good fit for the target child?”
Next, conduct your assessment and report on its findings (1-2 pp. aka reasons why you chose those tools to asses the problem before you go into the tools found). Obviously this means making up additional information on your student. You are not able to make a formal diagnosis of any mental disorder or learning disability with this information, nor should you try. However, you can mention any signs of the various conditions we studied. If you feel it is warranted, make a recommendation for further assessment, such as a psychiatric or neuropsychological evaluation. This section should answer the question, “What have I discovered regarding the current problems and targets for intervention?”
Lastly, you must present a plan for measuring the success (1 paragraph) of the intervention you are proposing. This section should answer the question, “How will we know if the intervention was helpful?” You may choose to report this plan at the end of the assessment section or at the end of the intervention section.
Assessment Components (Choose exactly 2 and describe per above)
Teacher Behavior Rating Scales
Parent Behavior Rating Scales
Quantitative School Observation Coding System
Qualitative School Observation
Teacher Interviews
Parent Interviews
Behavior Dimension measurements like Frequency, Duration, or Latency
Physical measurements (Actigraph, Decibel Meter)
Homework and/or class work grades
Any other component covered in class or readings
INTERVENTION
Your plan must also include an Intervention section (2.5-4 pp.). Select exactly 2 of the components listed below and tailor each to the vignette you’ve selected and the data you’ve gathered. Keep in mind the information you have about the teacher and classroom when choosing components.
List these components in an intervention overview (.5-1 pp.), which explains how the components might work together, what order you would do them in, etc. As with the assessment tools, select methods that complement each other. This section should answer the question, “How will my selected tools work together to solve the problem?” For example, if you chose positive reinforcement and time out, you would want to explain how these approaches work together to address both Not OK and OK behaviors in your student.
Next, define and explain each component in detail (2-3 pp.). Include who is responsible for conducting each part of the plan (example: if you are using a DRC, explain who records points, who scores it, and who doles out rewards). Give enough detail so that someone could use each component without much existing knowledge. Remember: you are writing this for the caregivers and teachers of your fake kid, not for the professor of this class. This section should answer the question, “What are these intervention tools and how do I use them?”
Intervention Components (Choose exactly 2 and describe per above)
Positive Attending
Active Ignoring
Selective Attention Plan
Daily Report Card
Token Economy
Antecedents (e.g., prompts, warnings)
Attention Questions
Clear Instructions
Class Rules
Time Out
Response Cost
Reinforcement (+ and/or –)
Punishment (+ and/or –)
Modeling
Clear Behavior Targets
Self-monitoring
Any other tool covered in class or readings
Remember: This is a plan, not a thesis, so you may use outlines, headings, tables, charts, pictures, etc., to communicate your plan well, as long as the whole plan hangs together and is readable. Where needed, include specific citations to the theories and principles covered in lectures and readings.
SCENARIOS
A. Justin is an 8-year-old male in a self-contained (12:1:1) classroom. He has a paraprofessional who has been trained in basic behavior management skills but does not have enough knowledge to construct a plan on her own. He has one special education teacher and one special education aide, both of whom are willing to implement your behavior management tools as long as they don’t interfere with their teaching of the 11 other students in the class.
Justin is very hyperactive and frequently acts without thinking. He is described as having a “good heart” because he rarely hurts other kids on purpose. However, when his classmates do something that annoys him, he sometimes hits or pushes them before he remembers not to do so. Justin also has some problems reading and often refuses to get books that are at his reading level (he wants to read picture books or early reader books). He has a strong preference for his lead teacher and will often ask to do his worksheets with her. When she is busy, he will sometimes agree to work with his aid or para, but he may throw a tantrum or outright refuse. His educators say this happens unpredictably. Justin loves trains and collects them. He is very happy to share his knowledge with others, but sometimes doesn’t know when to stop talking about his interests and hobbies.
B. Sarah is a 4-year-old preschool student in a private religious school. She has 2 classroom teachers and 16 other children in her class. There is one SEIT who works with her and another child 50/50. Her teachers, while well meaning and very empathic, tend to be somewhat lenient and verbose when redirecting Sarah and other children. The teachers and SEIT are open to the idea of collaborating with you, but they are concerned about being overly punitive or demanding, as they believe their classroom functions best when it is accepting and loving.
Sarah doesn’t have many problems with aggression or defiance. However, she does have a hard time sitting close to other kids without tickling, teasing, or otherwise provoking them. This has caused other children’s parents to complain on several occasions, when their children have remarked that they don’t want to sit next to Sarah. She often takes other children’s toys without asking first, but has a hard time sharing her own. She has taken class toys home so many times that her teachers have to search her bag before she leaves at the end of the day. She usually denies having done anything objectionable when caught, even when there is clear evidence or an eyewitness. She loves playing on the roof and has few behavioral issues there. Yet it’s often difficult to get her to settle after recess, as she stays “revved up” well after the rest of the children have settled down. She is very musically inclined and “far advanced” in artistic skills.
C. Liam is a 6-year-old kindergartener in a public school. His class has 27 students, 1 teacher, and 1 part-time aide. His teacher is very talented and caring, but seems overworked and has few supports or classroom resources. She has other students who display problem behavior, but in general she manages the classroom well using traditional teaching techniques. The aide mainly supports the teacher with materials and setup. She has a limited relationship with the students in the class and rarely engages in direct instruction.
Liam is very shy and has a hard time speaking to people he doesn’t know. He often refuses to read or speak in front of class. Liam usually takes a great deal of time to begin working on his seatwork; he likes to draw and does so whenever there is paper and a writing utensil in front of him. He does not seem to respond to the teacher’s requests to discontinue this—he will stop when she is watching him, only to start again as soon as her attention is elsewhere. When in music class, he makes inappropriate noises with his instrument any time the children are asked to play in front of others. This often gets him sent out of class. His music teacher dismisses ideas that this is due to anxiety and refers to Liam as a “troublemaker.” Despite his clear shyness and self-consciousness, Liam is frequently quite noncompliant when told to put away toys, clean up art supplies, or follow other simple commands. He usually ignores these requests until they’ve been repeated multiple times. He rarely becomes upset, argumentative, or oppositional, but his delayed compliance frequently provokes less patient adults to engage in criticism and threats.
SAMPLE REPORT TEMPLATE
Student Name:Brennan Huff
Date of Birth; Age:April 30, 2009; 6 years, 1 month
Date of Assessment:May 30, 2015
School and Grade:PS 201, Manhattan; Kindergarten
Assessor:Timothy L. Verduin, Psychologist
Identifying Information
Brennan Huff is a 6-year-, 1-month-old male living with his parents in Manhattan, New York City. He attends Kindergarten at PS 201, where he learns in a regular education classroom containing 28 students. He is described by teachers and parents as…[continue with a few impressions of main issues].
ASSESSMENT
Cost Benefit Analysis: Before proceeding with the assessment, I conducted…
Assessment Tools: For Brennan’s assessment, I selected tools that…
[Tool 1] was selected to…
[Tool 2, Tool 3, etc.]
Assessment Findings: The assessment determined that…
[Tool 1] suggested that…
[Tool 2, Tool 3, etc.]
PROPOSED INTERVENTION
Intervention Overview: I am proposing a plan that includes the following components…
[Intervention Tool 1]: I propose that a [Tool 1]… [Include rationale for each tool, definitions of terms, examples of how they would address Brennan’s behavior, guidelines for proper use, etc.]
[Intervention Tool 2, 3, etc.]:
Plan for Measuring Outcomes: In order to determine the results of the planned intervention…
[APPENDICES, IF APPLICABLE]
please use material down below to construct project
