7 Alternatives to Seclusion and Restraint
(Oops – written 9/26/11 and never posted due to technical errors!)
Is Restraint/Secluson a Problem in School?
Eight to ten students die each year due to restraints or seclusion in school. This fact was presented by Joe Ryan (Clemson University) and Michael Rozalski (Binghamton University) and backed up by research and evidence at a very informative session at CCBD11 Conference http://www.ccbd.net last week. Their session talked about the uses of seclusion, timeout, and restraint in schools including recent federal policies and legal cases pertaining to this issues.
In 2010, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan charged states with establishing policies regarding restraint and seclusion. Some states have policies, others direct districts or schools to come up with policies, and yet others only provide guidelines. Less then 1/2 the states have policies or guidelines in place (Ryan et al., 2007 & 2009).
7 Alternatives to Seclusion and Restraint
These suggestions were offers during the session and are research and evidence-based.
1. Provide staff crisis intervention training (a number of private companies can offer training).
2. Train staff to recognize conflict cycles and intervene appropriately.
3. Reconsider procedures and practices (especially since there is not evidence that restraint or seclusion changes student behavior).
4. Implement a hierarchal approach to behavior management.
5. Instead of seclusion, use timeout in the classroom.
6. Create other rooms.
7. Consider other means to reduce maladaptive behavior.
I personally feel that these are excellent concrete alternatives that I hope schools implement or embed into their policies. Details from this session can be found at www.geneseo.edu/~rozalski/res_star.php
Questions
Do you have any experiences with these practices in your school?
What are your concerns as an educator or parent? Leave your comments.
Origins of PBIS and Other Myths
(Oops – written 9/26/11 but never posted due to technical errors)
George Sugai (University of Connecticut) presented at #CCBD11 http://www.ccbd.net today and shared some very frank facts, myths, and a history of Positive Behavior Interventions and supports.
Facts, by George
- Dr. Sugai’s work in behavior supports began with students with behavioral disorders and trying to support them…but it turned into a search for and then dissemination of school-wide practices and systems change.
- The PBIS triangle is a framework, a continuum of supports, and a logic model and NOT a curriculum or prescribed practice or scientific theory.
- The green, yellow, and red color for the tiers in triangle are arbitrary. The triangle is just a framework and represents a continuum of support for students. Greens means “Go” and that is why it was chosen as the base color. There is nothing sacred about three tiers, there can be more or even less, the number three was arbitrary and comes loosely from the health care model.
- Hill Walker first conceived of the three tier framework for behavior support (what is now known as the PBIS triangle) back in 1986, it wasn’t a picture of a triangle, but three tiers of support.
- Initially, the division of 80% of kids falling into Tier 1 or the base of the triangle, 15% fall into Tier 2, and 5% fall into tier 3 because was a logical breakdown based on what was seen in three-tier health care models. Now we see evidence of these numbers in schools that have been implementing PBIS for over a year. In fact, aggregated data from http://www.SWIS.org show that mean distribution of students in elementary, middle, and high school approach 90% for Tier 1 meaning that 90% of students have between 0-2 office referrals all year.
- PBIS, the name of the national center (www.PBIS.org), was forced onto the creators of the center when the center formed under an OSEP grant in 1998 because in 1997 when the IDEA law was reauthorized, the PBIS phrase was used in the legislation….however no one can identify where that phrase PBIS originated or why that phrase was chosen for the law.
Dr. Sugai’s Advice for School
Need help with behavior in your school? If you ask Dr. Sugai for PBIS help, he has a few questions to ask first:
First, what primary behavior interventions are in place?
“We have discipline plans” you state. “NO”, that is not an intervention says George.
“We have a code of conduct” you state. “NO”, that is not an intervention either says George.
“We have special ed., a time out room, a crisis team”‘ you state. “NO, NO, NO”, those are also not interventions says George.Second, what secondary behavior interventions are in place when your primary interventions don’t work?
Third, what tertiary behavior interventions are in place when your secondary intervention does not work?
Get this presentation by Dr. Sugai from www.PBIS.org on their presentation page.
5 Resources to End Bullying in Schools
Documentary Film
The documentary Bully (to be released March 30, 2012) is the latest attempt to get the public to start talking about this all to0 common problem in our schools. Listen to the interview with the director this morning on the Diane Rehm show on National Public Radio to get a good sense of what this new film has to offer. It’s a striking look at what we often turn a blind eye to in schools. It will not go away if ignored and the bullies will not grow out of their behavior. Stop believing this myth.
Unless
In the hit movie The Lorax, based on the Dr. Seuss book, the Lorax reminds us that:
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
And that is why we can all take action to teach our peers, students, and our own children how to be socially responsible and not ignore or reinforce bullying behavior by anyone. Here are three resources for you to share:
- The Bully Project website – yes it promotes the film, but this is a good place to start to get the ball rolling and a discussion flowing.
- A Thin Line (MTV) – yes, another commercial site, but with the clout of a culture maker for many many students. Starts the conversation about cyber-bullying.
- StopBullying.gov – a federally funded website with legitimate resources for parents and educators.
- Violence Prevention Resources – Effective, research-based interventions for violence prevention in our schools.
- Bully Prevention Manual – an evidence-based program (elementary and middle school, high school is being tested before release) for teaching the “Stop, Walk, Talk” method of bully prevention and teaching school-wide social responsibility.
We can end this cycle – beginning today.
Oppose #bullying and discrimination whil
Oppose #bullying and discrimination while fighting Angry Birds – MTV’s “A Thin Line” will post clues to unlock levels, http://ow.ly/9EJmF
Creating School Culture with PBIS
What I Learned From an Airline CEO
On a flight to New Orleans for the 2011 CCBD Conference this morning, I open the Southwest Airlines inflight magazine to pass some time. The first article, by the CEO, was about the importance of Creating Culture in the company. I immediately thought about how this applies to Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and schools too.
The CEO stated that creating the culture of Southwest Airlines began when the company was founded and continues to this day in very intentional ways, including the appointment of a culture committee. The company understands that customers choose them because of the way they conduct themselves in business, in services, and in client relationships. Everyone in the company, from the board of directors to flight attendants and baggage handlers are taught what to do and what SW airlines stands for. This is exactly what we are looking for in schools that implement school-wide PBIS systems. It’s not just the classroom teachers that are responsible for promoting safe, respectful, or responsible behavior in students – it’s everyone’s job. The expectations that the school chooses becomes the culture of the school. It must be intentional and it must be taught.
3 Steps for Creating Culture in School
1. Begin with a Vision
– Create an image, with words, of the place you want the school to become. What is the culture you want to promote? What is the end goal for your community? Think, this is who we are. And keep it simple.
2. Disseminate the Vision 3 Ways
– Think like a business and decide how to market your vision to your community. A) Face to face: using meetings, assemblies, and announcements. B) Print media: including flyers, newsletter, posters, email and the school website. C) Social media: get your school on Facebook, Twitter, Fickr, YouTube and other social media sites to share your vision with your community of followers.
3. Seek and Share Feedback
– Solicit feedback on the vision, get input, consider modifications until you get it right. And when you receive that feedback via surveys, polls, or public opinion forums make sure you share the results with your community so that people know that you heard them and that their voice matters. That too is part of the culture.
Those are my thoughts and tips for today. Inspiration is everywhere. Now go forth and create the culture that you want for your school.
What is the culture at your school? Share with me in the comments below.
How 1 Woman Refused To Be A CyberBully Bystander
3 Cheers
Three cheers to professional photographer Jennifer McKendrick who refused to photograph high school students when she saw that they dedicated a Facebook page to cyberbullying. The Huffington Post reported this story last week.
Jennifer McKendrick, from Indiana County, Pa., wrote on her own Facebook page earlier this week that she came across another Facebook page with nasty comments from four high school girls whose names matched her scheduled clients. She emailed the girls and their parents to cancel their senior photo shoots, while including screenshots of their comments to explain why she was calling off the session.
I commend Jennifer for making this stand and hope that other adults and professionals would take the same action.
It takes 3 to Bully
Did you know that every bullying incidents talks at least three people?
- The Bully doing the harassing.
- The Victim or target of the harassment.
- The Bystander or bystanders who observe and have a choice to do nothing or to intervene.
This reminds me of the final episode of the sitcom ‘Seinfeld’ where Jerry and his friends do nothing but laugh as the victim of a robbery is fleeced. Funny episode, and a perfect example of bystanders. Don’t be a bystander. Stand up for justice because the next victim might just be you or someone you love!
What do you think of Jennifer’s actions? Will this hurt her professional career? Was it smart to turn down business in this economy? Comment below.
5 Ways to Connect with Behavior Experts
My First Time
I joined my first professional association as a student member (at a sweet discount rate) when I was completing my Masters degree in special education and have never ever ever regretted the decision. In fact, since that time I have joined more and currently belong to numerous professional organizations. I have also served as a board member of several organizations.
Why?
I join for several reasons:
- Stay current on research and practices in education
- Receive journals, magazines, and publications from the organization with helpful tips, tricks, and strategies
- Discounts on car insurance to conference to books
- Connect with other education professionals and experts
Connecting with Experts
The biggest reason why I stay associated with professional organizations is to connect to people like me and learn from people who share my experiences and have broader experiences and knowledge. This is a big part of my Professional Learning Community.
I’ve been a board member of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders for a while and today I want to share 5 Ways To Connect With Behavior Experts from this community (I encourage you to join too!)
www.Facebook/CCBDmembers “Like” us and post or view status updates on our page with comments and links relative to our members.
www.Twitter/CCBDmembers Follow us or send us a Tweet using @ccbdmembers or the hashtag #CCBD.
http://CCBDNing.ning.com Join our NetworkING community to share your educational stories, questions or comments.- www.YouTube.com/user/CCBDmembers Watch our CCBD Foundation public service announcement,more media coming soon.
This is a QRCode to a 4 Minute CCBD Video. A QR Code is a 3-D bar code that can be read by your smart phone or web enabled mobile device and can take you directly to a webpage, video, or map.
- Search for a “QR Code Reader” app on your mobile device and install.
- Use the QR Reader to scan the code with your device camera to connect to the media destination.
What professional associations are part of your learning community?
5 Ways to Connect with Behavior Experts
My First Time
I joined my first professional association as a student member (at a sweet discount rate) when I was completing my Masters degree in special education and have never ever ever regretted the decision. In fact, since that time I have joined more and currently belong to numerous professional organizations. I have also served as a board member of several organizations.
Why?
I join for several reasons:
- Stay current on research and practices in education
- Receive journals, magazines, and publications from the organization with helpful tips, tricks, and strategies
- Discounts on car insurance to conference to books
- Connect with other education professionals and experts
Connecting with Experts
The biggest reason why I stay associated with professional organizations is to connect to people like me and learn from people who share my experiences and have broader experiences and knowledge. This is a big part of my Professional Learning Community.
I’ve been a board member of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders for a while and today I want to share 5 Ways You Can Connect With Behavior Experts from this community (I encourage you to join too!)
- www.Facebook/CCBDmembers “Like” us and post status updates on our page with comments and links relative to our members.
- www.Twitter/CCBDmembers Follow us or Tweet us using @ccbdmembers or the hashtag #CCBD.
- http://CCBDNing.ning.com Join our NetworkING community to share your educational stories, questions or comments.
www.YouTube.com/user/CCBDmembers Watch our CCBD Foundation public service announcement, more media coming soon.
This is aQR Code to a 4 Minute CCBD Video. A QR Code is a 3-D bar code that can be read by your smart phone or web enabled mobile device and can take you directly to a webpage, video, or map. Two Steps to read the QR code on this page:
- Search for a “QR Code Reader” app on your mobile device and install.
- Use the QR Reader to scan this code with your device camera to connect to the media destination.
What professional associations are part of your learning community?
3 Summer Tips for Educators
Summer is my favorite time to re-examine my passion. The school year has come to a close, the day-to-day demands of the school calendar have subsided, and it may even signal a change of schools, job, or a move. Whatever your personal situation, these three tips will help make your summer, and your personal life, sizzle: Reflect, Reassess, and Renew.
1. Reflect on the Year
Think back on all the things you have done the past year. Did you remain true to your passion, did your passion change, did you do the best you could with your abilities at the time? Think of the successes, the challenges, and the outcomes. Reflect on who you helped, and who helped you. Examine opportunities won and wasted. Don’t get down if everything didn’t turn out as planned. In the grand scheme of life, this past year wasn’t the beginning or the end of anything, it was just the middle of your journey. There will be more opportunities to succeed and to screw up – so don’t take yourself too seriously. I’m betting you made a huge difference – to students, colleagues, friends, and family.
2. Reassess What Worked
Remember, as an educator you can never know where your influence begins or ends. But summer can be a time to reassess your perceived impact. As educators, we should be held accountable for impacting student achievement. We really can and do make a difference when we use evidence-based practices. Though we are rarely the sole decision-makers, we need to take ownership for those in our circle of influence. Maybe we can’t make policy changes in our school or district, but we can model best practice to our students and colleagues. Maybe we can’t change the politics of universities or states, but we can stand up for what we know is right – and share knowledge and truth with others. Reassess what worked and recommit to staying true to your integrity.
3. Renew Your Spirit
All work and no play can make Jack or Jill a dull boy or girl. Go ahead and take time off from work and take a vacation from email and your overly connected world. Your body, mind, and sole will thank you. Rediscover the balance in life between work and family/friends/hobbies that everyone says is so important to maintain, but most of us continually struggle trying to achieve. Stop and smell the flowers, watch a sunset, or go fly a kite – literally! When you return, it will be easier to convince yourself that life is far too short to be miserable. Then ask yourself, “What is my Passion?”
My Passion
I’ve recently experienced a job change. It caused me to reexamine my passion. Guess what? I still love to teach, I still love to build the capacity of educators to help students succeed, and I am still passionate about sharing the good news about bad behaviors! Expect to keep hearing from me for a long time.
What is your passion? Share it with me.
End the R-Word
Times are a changing – in a good way! A new public service campaign aims to:
Spread the word to End the word.
Last fall (October 5, 2010) the president signed Rosa’s Law to remove the word “Mental Retardation” from all federal statues and replace it with “Intellectual Disability”. And now a campaign is under way to give that legislation a little “oomph”. The website www.r-word.org has launch several initiatives to teach the public that the R-word should be treated like racial and sexual orientation slurs and be removed from our lexicon. The new End the Word initiatives include:
I encourage you to join this movement and help spread the word to make this a better world for all our children.
What is your experience with the R-word? Share your comments.
Mr. Chuck Chuck 