Navigating Behavior Change: Strategies to Minimize Challenging Behaviors in Your Classroom

A master class in preventing challenging student behavior with confidence Navigating Behavior Change is a book for all the teachers and school professionals who struggle with the constant cycle of reacting to student behavior. This guide outlines universal practices which should be in place within every classroom to prevent challenging behaviors before they start. When students are focused and ready to learn, educators can do the important work of teaching. In this book, school psychologist Amanda Wilson and special educator Danielle Lindquist help you build your skill set, so you can create an environment where students are regulated and motivated to learn. Inside, you'll find a comprehensive framework of components that you can implement in any K-12 classroom to prevent challenging behaviors and increase student engagement. Understand the influence of executive functions, missing skills, and motivation on student behavior Learn the core components of classroom management, including class structure and high-leverage instructional practices Effectively and meaningfully embed reinforcement to increase student motivation Learn how to effectively respond to challenging behaviors to assist students in de-escalating and re-engaging Manage your classroom in a trauma-informed way that maintains student dignity This book will help K-12 teachers, special education teachers, school counselors, and other service providers, instructional coaches, and administrators of students with behavior challenges. Take a proactive approach to behavior and help students so you can spend more time teaching and they can spend more time learning.

Table of Contents:
Foreword xiii About the Authors xv Introduction xvii How It All Began xvii Why We Wrote This Book xviii How to Use This Book xx Format xx Activities xx Resources xxi 1 Foundations of Behavior 1 What Does Behavior Have to Do with Universal Supports? 1 The Brain: The Not-So-Big Elephant in the Room 5 Why We Do What We Do 9 2 So You Want to Manage a Classroom? 17 Debunking Common Classroom Management Myths 17 Starting with the End in Mind 19 We Ride “The Blame Train” 20 We Make Assumptions 20 We Opt for Compliance or Bust 20 We Get Cozy in Consequence Land 21 Values 22 Components of Effective Universal Supports 24 3 Structuring Your Way to Success 29 An Organized Classroom Supports Organized Behavior 29 Arranging the Physical Layout 30 What It Is 31 Why It’s Effective 31 How to Do It 31 Communicating the Message Through Visual Aids 36 What It Is 37 Why It’s Effective 37 How to Do It 38 Additional Considerations 38 Ensuring Predictability with Schedules and Lesson Agendas 40 What It Is 41 Why It’s Effective 41 How to Do It 41 Additional Considerations 42 Creating Exceptional Expectations 42 What It Is 44 Why It’s Effective 46 How to Do It 46 Additional Considerations 49 Road Mapping Routines for Independence 51 What It Is 51 Why It’s Effective 52 How to Do It 52 Additional Considerations 56 4 Leveling Up Your Instructional Practices 59 Preparing with Precorrection 59 What It Is 60 Why It’s Effective 61 How to Do It 61 Additional Considerations 62 Encouraging Cooperation with Instructional Choice 64 What It Is 64 Why It’s Effective 65 How to Do It 65 Additional Considerations 68 Increasing Opportunities to Respond 70 What It Is 71 Why It’s Effective 71 How to Do It 72 Additional Considerations 76 Getting Our Steps in with Active Supervision 77 What It Is 77 Why It’s Effective 78 How to Do It 78 Additional Considerations 81 Packaging Up Your Lesson Delivery 82 What It Is 83 Why It’s Effective 83 How to Do It 84 Additional Considerations 89 5 Reinforcing Desirable Behaviors 91 Rewards and Incentives and Bribery, Oh My! 91 Common Statements and Misunderstandings Regarding Reinforcement 92 Improving Feedback with Behavior-Specific Praise 96 What It Is 97 Why It’s Effective 98 How to Do It 99 Additional Considerations 101 Embedding Reinforcement into the Classroom 105 6 Responding to Challenging Behaviors 111 Breaking Tradition 111 Misapplied 112 Overused 113 Unresponsive 113 Common Motivations for Ineffective Responses 114 The Mirror: Taking a Long, Hard Look 117 Responding Rather than Reacting 118 Checking Our Communication 120 Regulating: The Art of Defusing 123 Why It’s Effective 123 Developing Your Response Framework 124 Additional Considerations 132 Reflecting: Problem-Solving and Planning for the Future 133 What It Is 134 Why It’s Effective 134 How to Do It 135 Additional Considerations 136 Restoring: Fixing Harm Done 137 What It Is 137 Why It Is Effective 137 How to Do It 137 Re-Engaging: Getting Everyone Back on Track 138 What It Is 138 Why It Is Effective 139 How to Do It 139 7 Putting It All Together 141 Common Classroom Challenges 141 Transitions and Tribulations 143 Circle Time Circus 146 Writing Retaliation 149 Direct Instruction Disaster 152 8 Problem-Solving Barriers 157 Fidelity of Implementation 157 Gaining Buy-In and Advocating for Change 158 Appendix 163 Reproducible Forms 163 References 187 Glossary 189 Index 191

About the Author :
Amanda Wilson, Ed.S., NCSP, BCBA, is CEO of Navigating Behavior Change—a professional development company committed to assisting educators in teaching, working with, and improving the lives of students who exhibit challenging behaviors. A nationally certified school psychologist with twenty years’ experience in diverse public school settings, Amanda has significant experience assisting school teams in developing and implementing positive behavior intervention frameworks. Visit www.navigatingbehaviorchange.com to learn more. Danielle Lindquist, M.Ed., BCBA, is a licensed special education teacher and board certified behavior analyst. She has extensive experience teaching students with significant mental health disorders and extreme interfering behavior, as well as coaching staff in providing effective supports.