•

Managing Escalating

BehaviorIndividual Tier II

PURPOSE

Enhance

understanding & ways

of escalating behavior

sequences

• Understanding the Escalation Cycle

• Best practice Considerations• Your action planning how to

share with staff back home

OUTCOMES

◆ Identification of how to intervene early in an escalation.

◆ Identification of environmental factors that can be manipulated.

◆ Identification of replacement behaviors that can be taught (& serve same function as problem).

Primary Prevention:School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:Specialized

IndividualizedSystems for Students

with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

SUPPORT

ALL

SOME

FEW

ASSUMPTIONS

• Behavior is learned (function)

• Behavior is escalated through successive interactions (practice)

• Behavior can be changed through an instructional approach

Reasons Students Commonly Misbehave

• Unsure of expectations

• Unsure how to exhibit expected behavior

• Unaware he/she is engaged in the misbehavior

• Misbehavior is providing student with desired outcome:❖ Gain something❖ Escape something

Teacher Jason

Jason, please turn in your assignment.

What assignment?

I finished it.

I don’t have it with me now.

You never believe me.

F_____ you!

Pulls away, glares, & raises fist as if to strike.

The assignment you didn’t finish during class.Great, please turn it in now.You have a choice: turn it in or do it again.I guess you’ve made the choice to do it again.That’s disrespect…go to the office.Moves closer…& puts hand on J. shoulder.

Make me.

The MODEL

◆ What we know is that people follow a predictable pattern.

◆ We know from this pattern how to minimize safety risks for students and staff

◆ We know how to support the person going through the cycle best by knowing when and how to respond

High

Low Calm

Peak

De-escalation

Recovery

Acceleration

Agitation

Trigger

The MODEL

High

Low

The MODEL

High

Low

The MODEL

High

Low

The MODEL

High

Low

The MODEL

High

Low CALM✱✱✱✱

Calm – Student is Cooperative

• Accepts corrective feedback

• Follows directives• Sets personal

goals• Ignores

distractions• Accepts praise

This is where positive and valuing

relationships are built and where you teach

skills needed to function successfully

in challenging situations.

Calm – Intervention is prevention

• Arrange for high rates of successful academic & social engagements

• Teach social skills• Problem solving• Relaxation strategy• Self-management

• Communicate positive expectations• Assess problem behavior• **Use positive reinforcement

**Praise has been shown to increase on task behavior and decrease problem behavior (Gootman, 2001)

Teaching Procedures

◆ Remember telling isn't teaching and being told is not the same as being taught. We have to take all our procedures and TIPP them. ◆ T- Teach it◆ I- Imprint it by modeling◆ P- Practice it with them◆ P- Praise it when you see it with behavior

specific praise

The MODEL

High

Low TRIGGER✱✱

Trigger – Series of Unresolved Conflicts

• Repeated failures• Frequent

corrections• Interpersonal

conflicts• Low rates of

positive reinforcement

Recognize – Refocus - Reassure

◆This is where signs of early stress need to be recognized. This is the best time to refocus the person’s attention away

from the stress.

Trigger – Prevention & Redirection

• Consider function of problem behavior

• Remove from or modify problem context

• Increase opportunities for success• Reinforce what has been taught

When I respond what do I say?

• Stay Calm – Quiet, Breath, Count, Depersonalize, Take a second

• Be empathic• Don’t judge or discount feelings

• Clarify messages• Ask reflective questions, use silence and restatements

• Refocus/redirect/reassure

• Avoid power struggle

That didn’t work: Setting Limits

• Limits are not the same as issuing an ultimatum• Limits are not threats• Limits offer choices with consequences

• The purpose of limits is to teach, not to punish• Students begin to understand their actions, positive or

negative, have consequences• Provides structure for good decision making

• Setting limits is more about listening than talking

• Simple/clear, reasonable, enforceable

Tips to Setting Limits

• Keep power struggles to a minimum. Set limits by using impersonal, measurable criteria (this is where routines and procedures come in to play). It is also helpful to post schedules, daily independent work assignments, and lists of rules and consequences on walls and bulletin boards for students to refer to. Having things in writing helps us “Be the director not the bad guy”

• Request behavior that is incompatible with the undesirable behavior. Many times it will be far more effective to say "Hands at your sides!" instead of "Don't hit!“

• Be positive. Setting limits is healthy. It does not have to be done in a rude or hostile way. Firmness does not mean intimidation.

• Give reasonable choices with consequences (not delivered in a threatening manner)

• Allow time for the student to make a choice

• Be prepared to enforce your consequences

The MODEL

High

Low

AGITATION✱

Agitation – Unfocused Behavior

• Off-task• Frequent start/stop on tasks• Out of seat• Talking with others• Social withdrawal

Agitation – Reduce Anxiety

• Consider function of problem behavior

• Make structural/ environmental modifications

• Provide reasonable options & choices

• Involve in successful engagements

• Move Student Away

Now is the time to have the student leave the

anxiety producing event if possible

Ongoing Confrontation

• Remember: • Escalated students are not rational!• The more escalated they are the calmer you have to be, the

less you say • Escalation is not the time to establish your authority

• If you need to or are able to move student away from peers or peers away from students

• Allow release if you are able

• Distraction is allowed

• Do not go deal with consequences until the situation is over and the student is rational again

• Physical response only at a last resort

The MODEL

High

Low ACCELERATION

Acceleration – Displays Focused Behavior

• Deliberate• High intensity• Threatening• Personal

• Minimize Talking-Model Calm

This is not a time to ask the person to

make choices. Model calming

strategies.

The Paradoxical response

• When students engage in confrontation they expect what they usually get: anger, ultimatums and more confrontation

• The paradoxical response: The calmer you get the more difficult it will be for the student to escalate the situation

• Be aware of your body and your nonverbals

Nonverbals

Body PostureStanceLocationFacial expression

Easiest

Voice ToneVolumespeed

Most difficult

Eyes Where I am looking

Easiest

Breathing How I am breathing

Cross cultural

Nonverbals: we need to make our nonverbal expectations meet our verbal expectations

The single most powerful nonverbal skill is the PAUSE

Nonverbals

Body:PostureStanceLocation

1. Arms to side or,2. Arms parallel to floor or,3. One arm up and one down, and4. Weight Even

The message-Confident-Believe-Expect

∙ CPI supportive stance∙ Gestures: Palms up vs. Palms down∙ When giving a request: Stop moving! ∙ When you pause hold your gestures

Voice/Paraverbal:-Tone-Volume-Speed (cadence)

The more agitated the student is the less you say -Low and slow-Flat voice

-Accompany brief request with a nonverbal when you can (language, processing, etc)-NO Sarcasm “Are you ready to work now?”

Face/Eyes -Make sure the message on your face matches your intent-Look where you gesture

Acceleration Intervention is focused on safety

Remember:

• Escalations & self-control are inversely related

• Escalation is likely to run its course

Acceleration

• Remove all triggering & competing maintaining factors

• Follow crisis prevention procedures• Disengage from student

The MODEL

High

Low

PEAK

PeakStudent is out of control & displays most severe problem

behavior

• Physical aggression• Property destruction• Self-injury• Escape/social withdrawal• Hyperventilation

PeakIntervention is focused on safety

◆ Focus is on crisis intervention

This is not a time to talk, direct, or problem solve. The main concern is safety. Follow the school or student crisis plan.

The MODEL

High

Low DECELERATION

De-escalation Student displays confusion but with decreases in severe

behavior

• Social withdrawal

• Denial• Blaming others• Minimization of

problem

Focus is on calming

At this point the person should be

encouraged to relax rather than make any decisions. Do not try to process

here.

De-escalation Intervention is focused on removing excess attention

• Avoid nagging• Avoid blaming• Don’t force apology• Consider function• Emphasize starting anew

Approaches to Calming by Function

Obtain Attention Avoidance Obtain materials/activities

•Sit with student •Allow venting and be an active listener •Go through calming strategies with the student •Have student take your hands, look you in the eye, breath in, count to 5, and breath out •You actively approach student at regular intervals to check in •Walk and talk •Sensory with attention

•Little to no talking, no touching, more visual than verbal •Provide a visual of calming strategies •Have a calming bag that has independent calming tasks •Provide student the power to let you know when he or she is ready •Sensory without attention

•Have student part of developing the plan •Provide choices in calming-Where to sit-What to do

Calming Strategies◆ Breathing

◆ Breath in to count of 5, hold for count of 5, exhale for count of 5

◆ Smell the soup

◆ Yoga Breathing◆ Put tongue behind your two

front teeth◆ Close your mouth an breathe

in through your nose to the count of four slowly

◆ Breathe out for the count of four

◆ Repeat 10 times

• Five point scale

• Counting

• Visualization

• Calming tools

Calming Tools

The MODEL

High

Low RECOVERY✱

Recovery Engage in Non-engagement Activities

• Attempts to correct problem• Unwillingness to participate in

group activities• Social withdrawal & sleep

Recovery

• Follow through with consequences

• Positively reinforce any appropriate behavior

• Intervention is focused on re-establishing routine activities

Recovery - Debrief

• Purpose of debrief is to facilitate transition back to program…not a further negative consequence

• Debrief follows consequences for problem behavior

• Goal is to increase more appropriate behavior

RecoveryProcessing & Problem Solving

Why do we process?

Teaches students to • Accurately identify the problem• Allows students to practice problem solving skills• Provides an opportunity to practice and re-teach

behavioral skills• Allows us to make a plan and get students back

into class where they belong

Problem Solving Conferences: why?

◆ Teach, model, and practice problem solving skills

◆ Looks for the underlying cause of the problem

◆ Position the teacher and student as collaborators:◆ Instead of a one-way process, it is a 2-way

conversation that involves asking the child what to do

◆ Avoid one-size fits all

◆ This is NOT A PUNISHMENT

Teacher Language During Conferencing

◆ Don’t assume you know what happened

◆ Most kids need support through this process

◆ Non-judgmental

◆ Use a matter-of-fact tone

◆ Keep teacher talk to a minimum

◆ Use words and phrases that empower the child to reflect: Do more asking than telling

◆ Use positive language that helps the child see a new way – help child reflect on what we WANT to see

Problem Solving Conference

1. Define the problem◆ What the student noticed,

what the teacher noticed◆ What were you doing? What

did it look like?

2. Evaluate the consequences of the students choice:

◆ How did it affect the classroom? How did it affect you?

3. Define and re-teach the social or behavioral expectations related to the context or situation

◆ Define, Model, practice (role-play)

◆ “What is the expectation when….”, “How can we appropriately…”

◆ Show me what that would look like…

4. Help student set a goal or make a plan

• Brainstorm some alternate solutions to the problem

• “Next time ____ happens I will….”

5. Implement the plan

• Contract, re-entry to classroom, discussion with teacher

6. Check back or have the teacher check back

Consequences vs. Punishment

• Logical Consequences:• “the three Rs”

• Related to the misbehavior• Respectful of the child• Reasonable for the child to do as well an in proportion to the

misbehavior

• Punishment• Punishment may make behavior worse• Punishment only addresses the symptoms of the

problem, not the reason behind it• Punishment is often about the adult not the student• There is a place for punishment, but it has to be part of

an overall plan and should be logical

Considerations for selecting responses to problem behavior

• Will the response decrease the problem behavior?

• Will the response teach appropriate behavior?

• Will the response have unwanted side effects?

• Can the response be applied across settings?

• Is the response age-appropriate and respectful?

• Does the response offer a good contextual fit?

• It the response matched to the cognitive understanding of the student?

The MODEL

High

Low Calm

Peak

De-escalation

Recovery

Acceleration

Agitation

Trigger

THREE KEY STRATEGIES

• Intervene early

• Identify environmental factors that can be manipulated

• Identify replacement behaviors that can be taught (& serve same function as problem).

Teaching Compliance

Students must• Be fluent at expected behavior.• Be taught conditions under which

the expected behavior is required.• Have multiple opportunities for high

rates of successful academic & social engagement.

• Receive or experience frequent & positive acknowledgments when expected behavior is exhibited.

Prevention means

Teachers must…• Have student’s attention, before

presenting the directive or making a request.

• Give clear, specific, positively stated directives.

• Provide frequent & positive acknowledgments when expected behavior is exhibited.

• Have established & taught consequence procedures for repeated noncompliance.

Website that may be helpful…

www.pbisworld.com

Escalating Behavior - Action Planning

• Review features & steps of “Escalating Behavior” model

• Discuss extent to which escalating behavior is or could be issue in your school

• Identify how you will teach staff back home about addressing escalating behavior

• Write down 3 “big ideas” from your team discussion to share in the “give one get one” networking activity.