WEBVTT 00:00:08.336 --> 00:00:10.256 Hello, I'm Krista Kutash. 00:00:10.676 --> 00:00:13.516 I'm a Professor in the Department of Child & Family Studies 00:00:13.576 --> 00:00:15.896 at the University of South Florida, in Tampa. 00:00:18.086 --> 00:00:22.796 It is very important for teachers to collaborate with other teachers. 00:00:22.796 --> 00:00:28.166 There's no reason for a teacher to feel alone when they're dealing with behavior disruptions 00:00:28.166 --> 00:00:31.216 in their classrooms or behavior that they're not used to seeing. 00:00:31.806 --> 00:00:35.706 In fact, the behavior is usually not limited to their own classroom. 00:00:35.706 --> 00:00:39.366 Other people in the school probably have seen the same behavior. 00:00:39.486 --> 00:00:43.826 The best way for teachers to adopt new instructional practices 00:00:43.826 --> 00:00:48.816 or behavioral management practices is through their peers. 00:00:49.536 --> 00:00:53.576 Peer coaching can be either formal or informal. 00:00:54.526 --> 00:01:00.146 A teacher can ask another teacher to observe them implementing a new behavioral management 00:01:00.146 --> 00:01:05.256 strategy or instructional strategy and get feedback from this other teacher. 00:01:06.216 --> 00:01:10.786 Or the coaching can be very formal, with the resource teacher 00:01:10.876 --> 00:01:15.636 or an experienced teacher mentoring a teacher in a technique 00:01:15.636 --> 00:01:22.346 or strategy over many months' period of time, or can even take the form of in-service training. 00:01:24.576 --> 00:01:29.356 Dealing with behavior is complex and teachers have a source of help when dealing 00:01:29.356 --> 00:01:34.976 with especially complex behavior that's going on in their classroom. 00:01:35.646 --> 00:01:42.486 These people include the school psychologists, pupil services personnel, resource teachers, 00:01:42.526 --> 00:01:44.856 behavioral consultants, behavioral specialists. 00:01:45.246 --> 00:01:50.066 Districts all have different names for them, but they bring new ideas, training, 00:01:50.426 --> 00:01:54.726 and perspectives on a behavioral challenge that may be going on in a classroom. 00:01:55.326 --> 00:02:00.106 In fact, many of them have seen the behavior previously or in other classrooms, 00:02:00.106 --> 00:02:01.776 so they bring that insight as well. 00:02:03.126 --> 00:02:08.286 Research has documented that working with behavioral consultants reduces behavior problems 00:02:08.286 --> 00:02:11.346 in children when compared to teachers who do not have access 00:02:11.386 --> 00:02:15.056 to behavioral consultant, but it's a two-way street. 00:02:15.996 --> 00:02:19.766 Teachers should be seen as the expert on the context 00:02:19.766 --> 00:02:23.506 of how the behavior is manifesting itself in classrooms. 00:02:23.886 --> 00:02:27.996 They know when the behavior occurs, under what condition occurs. 00:02:28.616 --> 00:02:33.146 The behavioral consultant is going to bring in new ideas 00:02:33.566 --> 00:02:37.036 and new strategies to deal with that behavior. 00:02:37.386 --> 00:02:43.956 Teachers have to be open to that idea of new approaches and strategies. 00:02:44.006 --> 00:02:48.956 So, it's a give and take: the teacher will explain, the behavioral consultant will suggest, 00:02:49.416 --> 00:02:52.856 and they have to find the proper fit for that teacher's classroom. 00:02:53.746 --> 00:02:57.986 Behavioral consultants can also help the teacher judge the feasibility 00:02:57.986 --> 00:03:01.256 of implementing an intervention in the classroom. 00:03:01.256 --> 00:03:02.346 Is there a good fit? 00:03:02.346 --> 00:03:04.176 Will it work in that classroom? 00:03:04.296 --> 00:03:08.036 The behavioral consultant can also monitor implementation 00:03:08.036 --> 00:03:14.266 to make sure the intervention is going smoothly as planned and with fidelity. 00:03:14.756 --> 00:03:18.596 What's also interesting is sometimes behavioral consultants notice 00:03:18.716 --> 00:03:22.576 that the intervention's working great at the classroom but, due to school climate 00:03:22.576 --> 00:03:26.636 or other factors, the behavior is manifesting itself differently 00:03:26.636 --> 00:03:29.806 in the area of recess or the cafeteria. 00:03:30.406 --> 00:03:33.246 So, the behavioral consultants can go back to the teacher. 00:03:33.246 --> 00:03:37.866 They can discuss what types of strategies and interventions can be put in place 00:03:38.316 --> 00:03:43.246 so that the issues of the classroom as well as issues on the playground can be addressed. 00:03:43.646 --> 00:03:47.986 And this is so important, that the teacher and the behavioral consultant manage 00:03:47.986 --> 00:03:52.036 and observe the outcomes to make sure they're getting the desired results in all 00:03:52.036 --> 00:03:54.826 of the environments that the behavior's occurring in. 00:03:57.396 --> 00:04:02.926 The relationship a teacher has with a parent is probably one of the most important components 00:04:02.956 --> 00:04:04.896 of managing behavior in the classroom. 00:04:05.496 --> 00:04:10.496 Two rigorous studies have demonstrated that schools that have efforts aimed 00:04:10.496 --> 00:04:14.546 at creating positive parent-teacher relationships 00:04:14.546 --> 00:04:20.606 and communication systems have less behavior problems than schools that don't have this effort. 00:04:21.245 --> 00:04:24.686 Teachers told me that building effective communications has 00:04:24.716 --> 00:04:30.026 to go beyond the routine school activities such as open houses and parent nights. 00:04:30.676 --> 00:04:34.816 They have suggested several things that help lay this foundation 00:04:34.816 --> 00:04:38.466 of effective communication between themselves and parents. 00:04:38.496 --> 00:04:43.326 They suggest, for example, sending positive notes that build on the strengths 00:04:43.326 --> 00:04:45.606 of the child home every once in a while 00:04:45.606 --> 00:04:49.526 to let the parent know what's good about school that day. 00:04:49.956 --> 00:04:56.616 Also, phone messages or a phone call is a powerful strategy in building that relationship 00:04:56.976 --> 00:04:58.736 between the teacher and the parent. 00:05:00.166 --> 00:05:06.236 This lays a foundation for when or if you have to call to discuss a behavioral issue. 00:05:06.716 --> 00:05:08.316 The parent is used to your calls. 00:05:08.396 --> 00:05:11.126 They know that you realize their strengths in their child. 00:05:11.916 --> 00:05:16.146 And they recommend that when you do call a parent about a behavioral challenge 00:05:16.146 --> 00:05:20.856 or issue that's happening in the classroom that you really be clear with the parent 00:05:20.996 --> 00:05:26.786 about the frequency, the nature of the behavior, what the teacher has tried in the classroom 00:05:26.786 --> 00:05:29.396 without success, and then, most importantly, 00:05:29.936 --> 00:05:35.076 ask the parent how they've dealt with the behavior if they've seen it at home. 00:05:35.076 --> 00:05:38.956 So you're really inviting that parent to be a partner with the teacher 00:05:39.256 --> 00:05:41.086 in addressing this behavioral issue. 00:05:42.006 --> 00:05:48.876 Research has shown that a teacher that's an effective collaborator is a strong protective factor 00:05:48.876 --> 00:05:53.716 in reducing behavior problems in their students in the classroom. 00:05:54.346 --> 00:05:58.966 While building these collaborative relationships with other teachers, personnel, 00:05:59.096 --> 00:06:01.296 service personnel, as well as parents 00:06:01.296 --> 00:06:03.976 or the student takes a long time, it is well worth the effort.