2018 RRISD PD Conference

This course is for any staff, general and special education, wanting to learn how to better manage your classroom and students through the use of simple modifications to improve behavior. You will learn various evidence-based practices aimed at increasing desired behavior and reducing challenging behavior. You will not only learn how to implement these strategies but also when to use them, with whom, and WHY these strategies work. With protocol handouts and opportunities for practice throughout the session you will leave confident in your ability to choice and implement the most effective strategies for your students.

All behavior is communication...but where is that behavior rooted? In this session, participants will learn the multiple sources of behavior which include psychological and physiological influences. Participants will also explore staff response to behaviors, including reinforcement, punishment, and discipline. Existing programs that strongly incorporate the science of behavior, such as Conscious Discipline and PBIS, will be discussed. A question-and-answer segment will allow for discussion of specific, related questions. Relevant for all Elementary Instructional Staff and Administrators.

Each day, teachers witness a wide variety of behaviors from their students. When a challenging student presents difficult behaviors, there is a specific function the behavior is attempting to serve. Without realizing it, teachers often reinforce a negative behavior, causing that behavior to continue or escalate. In this session, participants will learn the different functions of behavior, explore different ways to identify a specific function, and select an appropriate response to each function. A question-and-answer segment will allow for discussion of specific, related questions. Relevant to all K-5 Staff and Administrators.

Many teachers will be involved in a student crisis situation in the school environment, whether it be a student in their own classroom or in another location on their campus, even if they are not a designated Crisis Team member. Proactive Crisis Planning will provide participants with the tools and strategies to reduce staff and student anxiety by creating a plan to reduce the probability of (or prevent) an escalating situation from reaching the crisis stage. A strong focus will be on verbal interventions and de-escalation techniques, along with physiological-based strategies to implement in the school setting. A question-and-answer segment will allow for discussion of specific, related questions. Relevant for all K-5 Staff and Administrators.

School professionals recognize that there are students who can be successful in the classroom setting but exhibit undesired behaviors in other locations on campus. Classrooms and areas such as Art, Music, or the Library, less-structured and less-supervised locations such as the Cafeteria and Recess, and highly-stimulating environments such as PE/Wellness can all contribute to the escalation of negative behaviors in a student. This session will provide participants with specific strategies and interventions to address behaviors in those settings. Aspects of those environments that trigger negative behaviors will be identified and participants will engage in guided problem-solving for those areas. A question-and-answer segment will allow for discussion of specific, related questions. Relevant for all K-5 Staff and Administrators.

Participants will explore how to create and maintain consistent expectations with a student who frequently challenges them. They will learn how to utilize a variety of effective strategies and interventions, as well as appropriate consequences when those expectations are not met, with the goal of minimizing referrals and keeping the student in the classroom. Relevant for all K-5 staff and administrators.

Positive Student Interaction (PSI) defines and explores the three types of interactions between staff and students: Instructional, Corrective, and Social. Specific focus is placed on the critical importance of PSI in every school setting, how to re-frame interactions to obtain the response or result you desire from your students, and how to adjust 'Phraseology' to have a positive impact, especially with students who exhibit challenging or negative behaviors. Relevant for all K-5 staff and administrators.

Students in the classroom today come from a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. This brings a new set of challenges to campus administration and staff when experiencing a student whose behavior is escalating. Since minimal time is spent learning about classroom management and behavior when getting teaching degrees and certifications, this training will help to bridge that gap and provide the participant with more options to address a variety of challenging behaviors in the classroom and school setting. Recommended for any first-year elementary teachers. Relevant for all K-5 staff and administrators.