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Stephen W. Smith : Strategies for Building a Positive Classroom Environment by Preventing Behavior
Problems
Mary T. Brownell and Chriss Walthe-Thomas
Intervention in School and Clinic 2001 37: 31
DOI: 10.1177/105345120103700106
Published by:
Hammill Institute on Disabilities
and
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What is This?
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ply list the rules for students and post them without class
dialogue, it violates the principles that underlie a positive
classroom community where teachers and students work
together. To make rules an integral part of building class-
room climate, teachers should consider the following:
ing in respectful behaviors and point out when they are some simple techniques to minimize behavior problems:
can recognize the student for doing what is expected. In on her his own off-task behavior. When the goal is
or
far too many classrooms, I have noticed that students do reached, according to the self-collected data, the student
not receive sufficient recognition for doing the right would reinforce him- or herself.
thing. Cognitive behavior modification techniques teach stu-
dents to use self-talk to control their behavior. Essen-
When behavior problems occur, what tially, it is a way of teaching students how to think rather
~~
Q .
strategies can teachers use that will help
students learn appropriate behaviors?
than teaching what to think. For example, a teacher will
model aloud a number of steps she goes through to con-
trol her anger, such as stop, count to 10, and ask, &dquo;What
Teachers need to think carefully about how disruptive is the problem here?&dquo; The next step might be to think
the student’s behavior is. Behavioral interventions should about what the goal would be and in what ways the goal
match the intensity of the student’s behavior. If a student could be reached, eventually reaching the point where an
exhibits chronic behavior problems that are sufficiently option is selected and then evaluated. She will then use
intense (e.g., verbal aggression or physical aggression role plays with the students to help them practice using
against people or objects), the teacher and other staff need the series of steps to control anger. After students know
to try to get that behavior under control as quickly as and understand the strategy, she will prompt them to use
possible. In these cases, behavioral methods (e.g., posi- the strategy when the need arises. CBM techniques have
tive reinforcement and some punishment techniques, such been helpful in reducing impulsive and aggressive be-
as time out) can be used effectively. Often these behav- havior.
ioral methods are packaged as classroom interventions. Finally, teachers need to consider how they might be
Teachers can use token economies, in which students contributing to problem behavior. Sometimes teachers
earn points for appropriate behaviors, and then trade make the mistake of thinking that it is the student’s be-
those points for some type of tangible item or privilege havior that must change when in reality, the teacher can
either every day or at the end of the week. Teachers can be part of the problem. Behavior cannot be a problem
also use behavioral contracts, in which they help the stu- unless there is some reaction to it, so in that respect,
dent determine a goal for improving his or her behavior teachers need to understand that they are part of the be-
and then together decide on the reinforcement the stu- havioral equation in a classroom. Teachers can be an-
dent will receive when the goal is achieved. Behavioral tecedents to problem behaviors and sometimes be the
cause of it. For example, a teacher might approach a stu-
strategies are well-known by many special education
teachers, but general education teachers often lack knowl- dent who is displaying some maladaptive behavior in a
edge of these strategies. Special educators can play an provocative manner. He or she might move closer to the
important role in providing this knowledge to their gen- child, point a finger at the disruptive child, and make a
eral education colleagues by setting up reinforcement provoking comment such as, &dquo;Willard, I have just about
strategies for specific students or helping teachers design had enough; get in your seat and you had better not get
behavioral contracts. up again, and I mean it.&dquo; In this scenario, you can imag-
Although behavioral methods can be very effective in ine how the student might react. To save face, the stu-
reducing inappropriate behavior and strengthening ap- dent might get up and yell at the teacher, then began to
propriate behavior, students often have difficulty main- engage in increasingly disruptive behavior. In fact, the
taining behavioral skills they have learned or using those student may end up in time out, the principal’s office, or
skills in other settings when the behavioral methods are in-school suspension. If the teacher would have ap-
withdrawn. What teachers need is more information on proached that situation differently, the entire outcome
using self-management and cognitive approaches because might be different. For instance, the teacher could have
these procedures are student controlled and less teacher said, &dquo;Willard, I know you want to go outside for recess,
so I’ll be glad to help you with your work for a bit. Come
dependent. Thus, when the reinforcement source is re- &dquo;
moved, students have a better chance of maintaining on back to your seat and let’s get started so you can play.&dquo;
their behavior in the classroom and other settings. When The possibility that students will respond positively is
student behaviors are less chronic or less intensive (non- enhanced when teachers are sensitive to how they ap-
compliance, talking back, periodically off task), self- proach situations.
management and cognitive behavior management (CBM)
techniques can be very helpful. To use self-management How can teachers work with parents to
procedures, a teacher and the student would identify and
define the behavior that needs to be changed, such as
~&dquo;~
III III
improve the behavior of students in
their classrooms?
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Because classrooms sit inside of a schoolhouse, a school- Persons interested in submitting material for An Inter-
wide approach is a necessary ingredient to managing the view With ... should contact either Mary T. Brownell,
problem behaviors of students. First, teachers need to Dept. of Special Education, G315 Normal Hall, Uni-
&dquo;buy in&dquo; to a school-wide approach. As in a classroom, versity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2053, or
school-wide rules need to be defined and agreed on by Chriss Walther-Thomas, 304 Jones Hall, College of
everyone working in the school. All adults, to some de- William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185.
35