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Welcome to CPI’s Professional Development Series for Educators

CPI’s Professional Development Series for Educators was developed to further enrich staff skills in resolving problematic workplace behaviors before they escalate. The information presented in this and subsequent modules will be relevant and applicable to anyone who has been engaged in a challenging or difficult situation in the workplace.

Who is CPI?

CPI is an international training organization committed to best practices and safe behavior management methods that focus on prevention. Through a variety of specialized offerings and innovative resources, CPI educates and empowers professionals to create safe and respectful work environments. This enables professionals to enrich not only their own lives, but also the lives of the individuals they serve.

Since 1980, over 10 million human service professionals around the world have participated in CPI training programs to learn proven strategies for safely resolving situations when confronted by anxious, hostile, or violent behavior, while protecting the therapeutic relationships with those in their care.

Promoting Positive Behavior Using Person-Centered Supports is a two-part series. Module 1 will define behavior, challenging behavior, why challenging behaviors occur, and staff perceptions as well as introduce strategies for Promoting Positive Behaviors.

Module 2 explores and answers the question ‘How?’. What interventions can promote positive behaviors through person-centered planning and supports? This expands and applies learning from Module 1.

Facilitation Options for Promoting Positive Behavior Using Person-Centered Supports
You can choose to present the parts together or over two separate sessions. Assess the needs and current knowledge level of your staff when choosing how you will facilitate this module. For example, if your staff have a solid understanding and foundation about what and why challenging behaviors occur, you may choose to use part two only.

Your Facilitator Guide mirrors the Learner’s Guide with the answers included. Additional instructor notes and facilitation directions for all suggested activities are in italicized letters and indicated by this Note icon.

These modules do not present specific Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) methods. They are intended to provide staff with a general understanding of challenging behaviors and strategies staff can use to support positive behaviors.

Course Outline

Activity: Session Introduction
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Facilitator will review the session agenda and learning outcomes.
Desired Outcome: Agenda and learning objectives reviewed. Participants welcomed, common ground established.

Activity: Self-Assessment
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Invite participants to consider and record thoughts relating to the self-assessment questions. These questions will be addressed during the module.
Desired Outcome: Answers will be used later in the session when participants assess risks and determine strategies to maximize safety.

Activity: Opening
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Share some of your own examples in response to question 1 on the self-assessment and ask participants to share some of their examples. Record these on flip chart. You will be integrating these responses into the module.
Desired Outcome: Examples for group discussions gathered.

Activity: Video Assessment 1
Duration: 10 minutes
Action: Show video clip and ask participants to record examples they perceive to be challenging behaviors. Facilitate discussion using questions provided.
Desired Outcome: Identify challenging behavior and that staff perceptions of challenging behavior may vary.

Activity: Activity 1: What Pushes Your Buttons?
Duration: 10–15 minutes
Action: Review directions for activity. Explain activity to participants; invite them to participate. Debrief activity using discussion questions. Staff may reference question 2 from self-assessment for ideas.
Desired Outcome: Acknowledge difficulties supporting children who engage in challenging behaviors. Recognize that negative thoughts can influence how we intervene.

Activity: Managing Your “Buttons”
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Share listed examples of ways to maintain professionalism and manage “buttons.” Continue by sharing some of your own examples and asking participants to share.
Desired Outcome: Recognition that ultimately, staff can only control their own behaviors.

Activity: Activity 2: Changing Perceptions
Duration: 10–15 minutes
Action: Review directions for activity. Explain activity to participants; invite them to participate. Debrief activity using discussion questions.
Desired Outcome: Challenge participants to begin reframing how they perceive challenging behaviors.

Activity: What Is Challenging Behavior?
Duration: 10 minutes
Action: Engage staff in discussion. Reference questions 1 and 4 from self-assessment and share examples. Share answers and ask staff to fill in blanks using answers provided.
Desired Outcome: Define challenging behavior and discuss questions that can help to determine if behavior is or isn’t challenging.

Activity: Why Does Challenging Behavior Occur?
Duration: 10 minutes
Action: Discuss key points. Ask staff to fill in blanks and share additional information relevant to your school and children you support.
Desired Outcome: Recognize the influence of internal and external factors on behavior for staff and students.

Activity: Why Does Challenging Behavior Occur? Cont.
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Describe model and discuss how the behaviors and attitudes of one person can influence the behaviors and attitudes of another and vice versa.
Desired Outcome: Challenge staff to begin to change how they perceive challenging behaviors.

Activity: Promoting Positive Behavior
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Begin discussion of sharing underpinning principles of promoting positive behaviors. Refer to question 3 from self-assessment for additional ideas.
Desired Outcome: Discuss principles of Promoting Positive Behavior. Focus on goal of what staff can do to support student’s positive behavior.

Activity: Video Assessment 2
Duration: 10–15 minutes
Action: Review video clip a second time. Using questions provided, discuss whether perspectives of staff are the same or different after learning module information.
Desired Outcome: Identify how perspectives have changed based on knowledge shared.

Activity: Tips for Promoting Positive Behavior
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Share tips for promoting positive behavior. Ask for additional ideas.
Desired Outcome: Generate relevant examples that staff can begin to use immediately.

Activity: Action Plan
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Ask participants to record their thoughts to the questions on the action plan. Encourage staff to be as specific as possible regarding what they can do as individuals and/or groups as soon as they return to their work sites.
Desired Outcome: Participants will reflect on information from the session and apply it to their personal work situation.

Activity: Wrap-Up
Duration: 5 minutes
Action: Facilitator will review session objectives, address any questions, and discuss any additional resources.
Desired Outcome: Reinforce the purpose of the session and answer questions.

Promoting Positive Behavior Using Person-Centered Supports

Use this worksheet as a resource to help you prepare for your presentation. Add other items as needed.

Session Materials:

Please be sure to bring the following to the session:

Electronic Presentation and Learner’s Guides.

Extra pens or pencils.

Additional visual support (e.g., whiteboard, flip chart, and markers).

Laptop, projector, and screen.

Certificates of completion (optional).

Overview

The workshop will run 60–90 minutes.

This interactive session, Promoting Positive Behavior Using Person-Centered Supports shares preventive options for managing challenging behavior and reducing the incidence of crisis.

The content requires tailoring to the specific needs of the participants. While the information in this module can be applied to any workplace setting, adjustments can be considered specific to:

Your workplace setting.

The role of the person delivering the information.

The nature of the information to be shared.

The person/persons to whom you are delivering the information.

Facilitator Role

As the facilitator of this session, you are responsible for:

Presenting content in a clear, effective manner.

Minimizing as many distractions as possible.

Ensuring everyone’s ideas are heard.

Covering all of the session objectives and content.

Answering questions about the content.

Customizing the session to reflect your environment and context (i.e., what are the needs/challenges of educators in parochial schools versus public or independent?).

Ensuring Due Care guidelines are followed.

Participant’s Role

Participants are responsible for:

Participating fully in the session by:

Asking clarifying questions.

Participating in the activities such as assessments, case studies, and/or skills practices.

Sharing experiences.

Abiding by session Due Care guidelines.

Due Care Guidelines

The philosophy of CPI programs is to provide the best Care, Welfare, Safety, and SecuritySM for all individuals you may encounter on the job. This workshop has been designed to provide the same Care, Welfare, Safety, and SecuritySM for you as you participate and learn the strategies presented.

Please respect the ground rules outlined by your Instructor while participating in this workshop.

I will:

Treat everyone respectfully.

Accept differences of opinion and try to learn from the views of others.

Avoid behavior that is unprofessional or disruptive to learning.

Participate fully and act on the Instructor’s direction during all activities and role-plays.

Create a safe and respectful environment.

Cooperate, not compete.

Respect confidentiality.

Personal or clearly identifiable issues should be avoided. Any details that could be perceived as private in nature should be excluded from examples and experiences that are shared.

Throughout this module, I will often ask you to consider your own experiences as we explore various concepts and skills. CPI has designed this learning tool to help us think about our experiences intervening with challenging behaviors and exploring strategies for promoting positive behaviors.

Objectives

Define challenging behavior.

Examine factors that can trigger challenging behavior.

Develop an understanding of why challenging behavior occurs.

Explore changing our perspectives toward challenging behavior.

Establish and maintain a workplace culture of Care, Welfare, Safety, and SecuritySM.

Creating a Positive Change: Ripples in a Pond

Session Introduction

CPI’s Professional Development Series for Educators can further enrich staff skills in resolving problematic workplace behaviors before they escalate. The information presented in this module will be relevant and applicable to anyone who has been engaged in a challenging or difficult situation in the workplace.

Many children will, at some point in their life, engage in challenging behavior. It is a part of developing as a human being.

Challenging behavior is any behavior that:

Interferes with a child’s learning, development, and success at play.

Is harmful to the child, other children, or adults.

Puts a child at high risk for later social problems or school failure.

(Klass, Guskin, and Thomas, 1995; Ritchie and Pohl, 1995)

Often, children will engage in challenging behavior because they don’t know what else to do. They may even have learned through past experience that these behaviors work at getting them what they want.

As staff, we can choose to support positive behaviors with the goal of reducing challenging behaviors.

Promoting Positive Behavior Using Person-Centered Supports is a two-part module in CPI’s Professional Development Series for Educators.

Module 1: Introduction

What is challenging behavior?

Why does it occur?

Module 2: Application

How can staff promote and support positive behaviors?

Person-centered planning.

Self-Assessment

The self-assessment asks about participants’ experiences. This means the responses will vary based on individual and group experiences. As Instructors, we will want to recognize and validate participant responses. Participants can answer questions individually or in groups/pairs. Briefly review answers. Remember that throughout this module, you will refer back to the self-assessment responses and comments. These can be used to guide or begin discussions.

Please take a moment to reflect and record your answers to these questions. The self-assessment sets the stage for learning in this module. You will be asked to share examples as your group progresses through the module.

What does the term challenging behavior mean to you?

Describe behaviors that you would consider challenging.

Which of the following are correct about challenging behavior?

It is harmful to self or others.

It is a one-time occurrence.

It is dependent on individual perceptions.

It can always be stopped or controlled.

What are some strategies for supporting positive behavior?

Challenging Behavior

What can challenging behavior look like?

As participants watch the video, ask them to record examples of behaviors they consider challenging for the student and for the staff person.

After viewing the video, use the questions listed for brief discussion. Record participant answers on a flip chart. Encourage note-taking. You can also refer to question 2 from the self-assessment for additional examples.

Video Assessment 1

While watching the video clip, record examples of behaviors you would consider challenging.

Discussion Questions

What are some of the behaviors you observed?

Is everyone’s perception of challenging behavior the same? Why? Why not?

Activity 1: What Pushes Your Buttons?

Directions

Using the chart in the Learner’s Guide:

Ask participants, individually, to fill in the top row with examples of challenging behaviors. More than one behavior can be added to each circle.

After a few minutes, regain attention and share a few examples of your own, listing these on your flip chart. Ask for volunteers to share some of their own examples. Point out that what pushes one person’s button might be very different from what pushes another individual’s buttons. For example, past experiences with children, swearing, and level of support for managing challenging behaviors. You can also reference question 1 from the self-assessment for additional examples.

Next, ask participants to think of children they have worked with that have demonstrated these behaviors.

Ask participants to complete the second row of circles by listing feeling words. How did you feel when working with that child or when people were sharing their examples of behaviors that “pushed their buttons”? You may want to provide a few of your own examples to illustrate.

After a few moments, ask participants to share their ideas. Write these on the flip chart. Examples may include: “It makes me frustrated.” “I don’t know what I’m doing.” “It makes me mad.” “I feel helpless.” “It makes me want to get another job.”

Make the point that these are valid feelings for professionals to experience. In this module, we will discuss strategies for maintaining professionalism, even when these feelings are present.

Finally, ask participants to write responses to the third question: How do these feelings affect your interactions with children when they demonstrate these behaviors?

Participants might say they avoid children when they act like this or that adults take behaviors personally or overreact. It is difficult to be effective with children when experiencing these feelings. It is important to plan a strategy for managing your emotions and intervening effectively.

Discuss how we can use this emotional signal or “feeling” as a positive thing—it indicates that you need to think of positive ways to deal with the situation (e.g., focusing on the positive, asking for help, reframing).

Ask participants to look at each of their listed behaviors, reread it, and consider how they can reframe the behavior to interact with the child to build a positive relationship with him or her. For example, one might consider: “If Marcus starts to complain when he can’t get his shoes on or off, or his bookbag stored in his cubby, I will use these interactions as opportunities to teach him how to ask for assistance in a more appropriate way.”

Discussion Questions

How does completing this activity help to view challenging behaviors differently?

What are positive ways to manage feelings when intervening with challenging behaviors?

If we focus on positive thoughts, we can engage in more positive behavior support with children and use these as opportunities for growth.

Managing Your “Buttons”

Share these examples of ways to manage “buttons.” Generate large group discussion asking staff to share additional ideas for maintaining control of one’s own behavior, not taking challenging behavior personally. Add examples to your flip chart.

Identify what pushes your buttons.

Maintain professionalism.

Recognize that ultimately, the behavior you can control is your own.

Keep perspective.

Other ideas?

Activity 2: Changing Perceptions

We all see the world from our own perspective. We are an expert in our own experiences and not the experiences of others.

Directions

Review the examples listed, then ask individuals to list two to three of their own and restate the problems to make them more manageable.

Make the point that there are individual and culturally based beliefs that affect our perceptions about challenging behavior. Most children don’t come to school knowing what teachers expect them to do. This could be due to the child’s lack of experience in group care settings or to differences in families’ and teachers’ expectations of children’s behavior. Studies show that parents and teachers sometimes have differences in their expectations about children’s behavior, which may influence children’s understanding about expectations in the classroom.

Culturally based beliefs affect our attitudes toward behavior (e.g., what skills we expect children to engage in independently at certain ages, how we expect children to interact with adults, etc.).

Discuss the importance of using a team approach when addressing social skills development and challenging behaviors. It is especially important in terms of providing support to the teachers and other adults who work with children with challenging behavior every day.

Discussion Questions

Do our perceptions of challenging behavior change based on the age, gender, culture, etc., of the individual?

How might these perceptions affect our interventions?

What Is Challenging Behavior?

Behavior: The observable activities or actions of people—the things we do.

Behavior is a form of communication.

This model illustrates that the behaviors of most people fit within a typical or normative range. These are behaviors that are culturally and socially valued. There is a broad range of typical behavior. Challenging behavior is behavior that falls outside typical or normative behavior.

Remember: Positive behavior needs to be culturally and socially valued, normative, or typical.

Examples of culturally, socially valid, and typical behavior include: showing interest in others; agreeing, approving, cooperating, and contributing; showing love, affection, empathy, consideration, and understanding; making balanced criticisms and judgments; taking into account others’ desires, needs, and wishes; and supporting the realization of these.

Point to Remember: This does not mean that the person should think and act exactly the same as you!

Engage participants in discussion using the following questions. Refer to self-assessment for participant responses to the discussion questions.

Discussion Questions

How would you define challenging behavior?

What factors can affect your perception of what a challenging behavior is?

Challenging behavior often occurs when a person doesn’t have the appropriate language or social skills to achieve the same purpose.

People engage in challenging behavior because it works for them.

Challenging behavior:

Interferes with children’s learning, development, and success at play.

Is harmful to the child, other children, or adults.

Puts a child at high risk for later social problems or school failure.

(Klass, Guskin, and Thomas, 1995; Ritchie and Pohl, 1995)

When determining if behavior is challenging or not, consider:

Is the behavior socially or culturally appropriate?

Is the behavior inappropriate for the person’s age or level of development?

Is the behavior dangerous to self or others?

Does the behavior interfere with learning, limit opportunities, or impact quality of life?

Discussion Questions

How do these questions assist when trying to identify a person’s challenging behavior?

Do we use the term “challenging” to reflect a technical definition or to describe specific people when we personally find them difficult to work with?

Why Does Challenging Behavior Occur?

Discussion: You can choose to conduct this discussion as a large group or in small groups. Begin by sharing examples of internal and external causes of challenging behaviors such as: illness, pain, peer pressure, or family concerns. Encourage staff to brainstorm several examples for each category. Record these on a flip chart and use the following questions for discussion. Encourage note-taking.

Precipitating Factors

Internal or external causes of acting-out behavior, over which staff may have little or no control.

Discussion Questions

What factors influence your behavior? Internal/external?

Do you share any factors with the Precipitating Factors listed earlier?

Change our thinking from:

What is the person doing?

To: Why is the person doing it?

Why is the behavior occurring?

Does the behavior serve a function? (The reason for the behavior)

Does the behavior meet basic or higher needs?

Does the behavior allow a person to access or avoid something?

Does the behavior enable the person to gain attention or provide some stimulation?

What is the behavior communicating?

Remember:

Understanding the “function” can help us see beyond the behavior and gain a better understanding of the person, potential motivators, triggers, or influences on their behavior.

Function = the reason for the behavior.

Promoting Positive Behavior

Promoting Positive Behavior

A way of working with people so that they are supported to strengthen and develop their nonchallenging behavior.

Involves gaining a better understanding of what is impacting the person’s life.

Involves finding out what is important to the person.

The aim of “promoting positive behavior” is to help and support people to adapt or moderate their behavior toward something which is more socially typical and appropriately valued.

Encourage your staff to record examples of how staff promote positive behavior.

After viewing the video, use the questions listed for brief discussion. Record participant answers on a flip chart. Encourage note-taking.

Video Assessment 2

While watching the video clip, record examples of staff promoting positive behavior.

Teach children what to do rather than what not to do.

Discussion Questions

Would you consider the child’s behavior challenging?

How does the staff respond to promote positive behavior?

Include responses from self-assessment question 4.

Tips for promoting positive behavior:

Understand the meaning behind the behavior.

Focus on controlling yourself—not the child.

Be consistent with your expectations.

Give attention to the behavior you do like—not the behavior you don’t.

Redirect, redirect, redirect.

Listen empathically.

Other ideas?

If a child. . .

Doesn’t know how to read – what do we do?
WE TEACH

Doesn’t know how to add – what do we do?
WE TEACH

Doesn’t know how to swim – what do we do?
WE TEACH

Doesn’t know how to drive – what do we do?
WE TEACH

When a child doesn’t know how to behave – what do we do?
TEACH??? PUNISH???

Tom Herner (NASDE President) Counterpoint 1998, p. 2.

Action Plan

Provide your participants with a few moments to record their thoughts to the Action Plan questions. Ask them to share examples as time allows.

List at least three things that you heard, saw, or did that you would like to remember or begin implementing immediately.

How will you begin or continue to support positive behavior?

What will you do to improve your ability to maintain control of your own behavior?

For More Information

Additional CPI Professional Development Resources:

Educator Modules

Helping Educators Defuse Difficult Conversations

Proactive Strategies for Facing Crisis Situations Alone

Video-on-Demand Video-based resource options accessed at crisisprevention.com.

Preventive Techniques II

Effective Limit Setting

Facing Conflict With Confidence

DVD-Based Resources

Your Plan of Action: How to Stay Safe When Intervening Alone

Developing an Effective Crisis Response Team

Visit crisisprevention.com for additional resources.

References:

Klass, C. S., Guskin, K. A., & Thomas, M. (1995). The early childhood program: Promoting children’s development through and within relationships. Zero to Three, 16, 9–17.

Ritchie, J., & Pohl, C. (1995). Rules of thumb workshop. The Early Childhood Educator, 10, 11–12.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFL). http://csefl.vanderbilt.edu