Educating Felicity & Friends
BEHAVIOR VIDEOS
It is important to implement proactive strategies to eliminate the onset of behaviors that may interfere with a child's education. These proactive strategies include, but are not limited to, the use of positive reinforcement, offering choices, establishing routines, creating predictability, redirection, and using schedules, checklists and other visual supports.
Note: When you click on the link, more detailed explanations of the proactive and reactive strategies are provided in the YouTube description box when you scroll down under the video.
Proactive Behavioral Supports VIDEO LINKS:
Setting up a daily picture schedule for learning sessions (3 years old)
Using a checklist to complete daily responsibilities (4 years old)
Establishing routines - emptying the dishwasher - switching "parts" with older sister for increased motivation (4 years old)
CAUGHT YA!
Felicity responds well to the positive behavioral support plan I implemented for her siblings during the school day in which I "catch them" doing what they are supposed to be doing (their school work, following directions, staying on-task). Her older siblings, Miguel, Philomena, and Marguerite, have laminated "Caught Ya" cards and give themselves "Caught Ya" tallies/symbols throughout the school day. On rare occasions, they also get "Reminder" marks on their card when they need a simple reminder to go back to work/engage in desired behaviors. At the end of the school day, we take time to review the "Caught Ya" cards. The kids tell me something they did particularly well that day. If they had any "Reminders" (which are extremely rare), they tell me what they need to work on the following day. If the kids have more "Caught Ya" tallies than "Reminder" tallies, they can end their school day 10 minutes early. Since Felicity responds well to verbal praise and loves to imitate her older siblings, I use the same "Caught Ya" motivational system with Felicity to acknowledge her for staying in her seat, following directions, and doing her work during our learning sessions.
VIDEO LINK: Caught Ya! - A proactive behavioral support system (4 years old)
In my experience, behavior very often tends to serve the following functions: control, escape/avoidance, access to tangibles, and attention. It is important that when interfering behaviors occur, the reactive response to the behavior is one in which the dignity of the child is upheld and the interfering behavior is not inadvertently reinforced. In general, I try to focus on finding ways to increase desired behaviors; however, there are most certainly times that I must delve into my repertoire of reactive strategies in response to a child's interfering behavior.
Note: One of the most effective strategies that has worked with Felicity when she refuses to follow a direction is to ask her if she wants to do it by herself or with help. She will almost always comply at that point, choosing to do it by herself. One of the most effective strategies that has worked to address escape and avoidance behavior in response to the rigorous demands of her learning sessions is to establish motivation.
Proactive and Reactive Behavioral Strategies VIDEO LINKS:
Behavior - attention - ignored until re-engaged in activity (3 years old)
Behavior - escape - follow through, choice of self or help, use of schedule (3 years old)
Behavior - control - first/then. escape - offer choices, first/then (3 years old)
Behavior - avoidance + control - daily schedule, offer choices, high energy/enthusiasm (3 years old)
Behavior - escape - motivation established - first/then - create curiosity (3 years old)
Behavior - control - high energy, fun, prompt communication (3 years old)
Behavior - control - using a sibling model to promote motivation (3 years old)
Behavior - control - first/then, offered choice to be all done, teach while clean up (3 years old)
Behavior - escape - follow through but with quick, positive pace & help to finish task (3 years old)
Behavior - avoidance - establish motivation (3 years old)
Behavior - control + escape - prompted communication, "two more then all done" (4 years old)
Behavior - control - resists work - establish motivation & wait - praise to re-engage (4 years old)
Behavior - control - protests assistance, praised for accepting help (4 years old)