De-Escalation Strategies in Classroom Management
Learn effective de-escalation strategies to manage classroom behaviors using Love and Logic principles. Explore techniques to prevent explosive behaviors, understand verbal and non-verbal de-escalation methods, and create a proactive plan to address challenging situations. Discover the importance of restorative justice and building social skills in school discipline policies to promote a positive learning environment.
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De-escalation Strategies: Keeping Behavior From Going BOOM! Incorporating techniques that work with Love and Logic The PBIS and Student Leadership Team July 16, 2015
Session Objectives TLW Know : De-Escalation Strategies Classroom Management techniques from Love and Logic Restorative Justice TLW will Understand: Verbal and Non-Verbal De-Escalation Techniques. How to prevent potentially explosive behaviors using classroom management techniques use. How to respond to students who have received punitive TLW will Do: Work with Faculty and Staff to create a SWD Plan that addresses prevention methods to avoid having to use de-escalation techniques. Offer Teachers classroom management technique trainings or in-services when needed. Develop an effective PBIS/Discipline team to identify students who may be prone to potentially unwanted behaviors.
School discipline policies have been criticized for being overly punitive, and disproportionately impacting minority students. Many schools rely on tough sanctions that do not build social skills or resolve conflict. Restorative justice is a tool that can be used in schools to prevent or address conflict before it escalates, and deal with conflict and misbehav- ior after it occurs.
Why is de-escalation so difficult? De-escalation techniques go against our natural fight-or-flight reflexes. Remaining calm and professionally detached is not natural and therefore it is a skill that will need to be practised. We need to retrain ourselves to respond in a different way when a challenging situation occurs. Reasoning with an angry child is not possible but, in our role as caring teachers, this is often our immediate response. Our aim instead should be to reduce the level of agitation so discussion then becomes an option and a better outcome is achieved.
When to de-escalate De-escalation techniques are most successful when used early, before the child becomes physically aggressive. To do this, it is necessary to be aware of and spot early signs of agitation such as balled fists, fidgeting, shaking, eye-balling another child, head thrust forward or clenched jaw. Changes in voice, such as speech becoming more rapid or high- pitched, may also indicate aggression. These signs should not be ignored and you should never turn your back on an angry child in the hope that they just calm down.
Pacing Pacing is a cycle of feeding off someone s emotions and escalating. If the child can make you as angry as them, it gives them permission to become even angrier and the child can justify their own hostility. You may not always know what you are going to do, but keep in your head what you are not going to do. When the child has least control, it is time for the teacher to have the most control over themselves.
Verbal & Non-Verbal Strategies
Non-verbal techniques Calm can be just as contagious as fear and must be communicated to the child. Approximately 55% of what we communicate is through physiology, 38% is through the tone of our voice and just 7% is through the words that we use. It is useful to remember these proportions when you are trying to de-escalate. Ensure you are modeling the behavior you want the child to emulate. Calm can be just as contagious as fear and must be communicated to the child Appear calm and self-assured. Make sure you are not displaying the same signs of agitation that can be seen in the child: unclench your fists, do not hold eye contact and avoid standing square to the child. Maintain a neutral facial expression. Even our eyebrows can indicate we are surprised or angry, and similarly our mouths can betray our emotions unwittingly. Another natural reaction we often have when under stress is to smirk or giggle, which must be controlled. Allow space. Entering a person s personal space can be useful to refocus on a task when the situation is calm, but when a child is agitated this can indicate aggression and escalate the situation. Staying some distance away will also help keep you safe should the child become physically aggressive. Control your breathing. When we are stressed, angry or tense, our breathing becomes more shallow and rapid. If we take deeper, slower breaths, this will not only help keep us calm, but the child will begin to match our own breathing pattern. It can sometimes help to match the child s breathing initially then gradually slow it down.
Verbal strategies Lower your voice and keep your tone even. It is hard to have an argument with someone who is not responding aggressively back to you. Distraction and diversion are extremely useful. When a child is aggressive, they are responding with their own fight-or-flight instincts and not thinking about their actions. Distract them and engage their thinking brain, perhaps by changing the subject or commenting on something that is happening outside the window. Give choices, repeat these using the broken-record technique if necessary, and do not get drawn into secondary behaviors such as arguing back, which are designed to distract or upset you. Acknowledging the child s feelings shows that you have listened to them, and can be crucial when diffusing a situation; for example, It must be really difficult for you ... thank you for letting me know . Use words and phrases that de-escalate, such as - I wonder if ... - Let s try ... - It seems like ... - Maybe we can ... Tell the child what you want them to do rather than what you do not want them to do; for example, I want you to sit down rather than stop arguing with me . Give the child take-up time following any direction and avoid backing them into a corner, either verbally or physically.
Things to avoid: WHAT NOT TO DO! Do not make threats you cannot carry through, such as threatening to exclude the child. Do not be defensive or take it personally. What is being said may seem insulting and directed at you, but this level of aggression is not really about you. Do not use humour unless you are sure it will help and you have a very good relationship with the child. Do not use sarcasm or humiliate the child. After any outburst or incident, always make time to debrief, repair and rebuild, or the relationship will flounder and continue to deteriorate Sometimes, no matter how carefully and skilfully you try to de-escalate a situation, it may still reach crisis point. Know your school systems for summoning help and moving bystanders to safety. After any outburst or incident, always make time to debrief, repair and rebuild, or the relationship will flounder and continue to deteriorate. Problem-solve the situation and teach new behaviours where needed. Ensure any sanctions are appropriate to what has happened and remember that it is the certainty that behaviour is challenged that is important rather than the severity of what happens. Resolving conflicts is one of the most important skills to model.
What is the best way to prevent potentially explosive behavior? SCHOOL WIDE AND CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS SHOULD BE CLEAR TO FACULTY, STUDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
It is imperative that your School Wide Discipline Plan is updated and the faculty and staff understand the importance of implementation to reduce unwanted behaviors.
CULTURE AND CLIMATE
Creating a Positive Culture and Climate (High Leverage Practices) Set high expectations for students and teachers (behavior, attendance, learning environment, quality work) Create a strong culture where learning thrives (Leverage Leadership) Build and Support the right team for your school (Leverage Leadership) Allow educators to participate and develop a safe, respectful, and orderly learning environment
CREATE A COURTESY CONTRACT 1. (2-3) Non-negotiables (What the teacher needs) 2. (3) Replacement Behaviors 3. In this we agree* ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ *Solicit student response as to what they need to feel respected
The 3 Cs Write something that takes place in your classroom/school that helps students feel CONNECTED. Write something that takes place in your classroom/school that helps students feel CAPABLE. Indentify one activity or more that takes place in your classroom/school that helps students feel they are positively CONTRIBUTING.
LOVE AND LOGIC SETS LIMITS WITHOUT ANGER, LECTURES, THREATS, FRUSTRATION, WARNINGS KEEPS YOU COOL, CALM, & COLLECTED ASSURES YOU NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT TELLS THE STUDENT THIS TEACHER/COUNSELOR CAN HANDLE ANYTHING I CAN DISH OUT WITHOUT A SINGLE VEIN POPPING
THE NINE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF LOVE AND LOGIC 1. NEUTRALIZING ARGUMENTS-NEVER ARGUE WITH A STUDENT 2. DELAYED CONSEQUENCES-YOU DON T HAVE TO STOP TEACHING TO DEAL WITH A PROBLEM THE MINUTE IT HAPPENS 3. EMPATHY-THE HEART OF LOVE AND LOGIC
4. THE RECOVERY PROCESS-TIMEOUT AND REGROUP 5. DEVELOPING POSITIVE STUDENT/TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS 6. SETTING LIMITS WITH ENFORCABLE STATEMENTS 7. USING CHOICES TO PREVENT POWER STRUGGLES 8. QUICK AND EASY PREVENTATIVE INTERVENTIONS 9. GUIDING STUDENTS TO OWN AND SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL INTERVENTIONS AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
NEUTRALIZING ARGUING THE MOMENT YOU ENGAGE IN AN ARGUMENT WITH A STUDENT YOU HAVE LOST CONTROL .
NEUTRALIZE ARGUING BY SAYING: I NEVER ARGUE DURING CLASS TIME I LIKE OR RESPECT YOU TOO MUCH TO ARGUE I ARGUE AT 6:50 AND 2:00 EVERYDAY; WHAT TIME WOULD YOU LIKE TO SCHEDULE?
FIVE STEPS TO HELP STUDENTS OWN AND SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS 1. PROVIDE A STRONG DOSE OF EMPATHY AWWW, SWEETIE! 2. HAND THE PROBLEM BACK IN A CARING WAY WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? 3. ASK PERMISSION TO PROVIDE SOME SOLUTIONS AND SHARE CHOICES ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HOW SOME OTHERS HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM? 4. HELP THE STUDENT EVALUATE THE CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR CHOICES HOW WOULD THAT WORK OUT FOR YOU? 5. ALLOW THE STUDENT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT GOOD LUCK. LET ME KNOW HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR YOU.
Restorative justice Restorative justice is a philosophy based on a set of principles that guide the response to conflict and harm. Schools may involve a wide range of people in the restorative justice process, including the victims, who are often teachers, school staff, bystanders, and other students, and the school community.
Why should schools use restorative justice? Restorative justice emphasizes values of empathy, respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility, and accountability. Restorative justice also: Provides ways to effectively address behavior and other complex school issues. Offers a supportive environment that can improve learning. Improves safety by preventing future harm. Offers alternatives to suspension and expulsion.
We Need Your Feedback! Which part of the presentation most resonated with you and why? Which key points should serve as our guide as we continue this work? In pairs or triads, identify one take away phrase for SCS. What feedback can you provide on topics discussed in this meeting? (Help us reflect on our own continuous improvement.) E-mails welcome.
RESOURCES TEACHING WITH LOVE AND LOGIC BY JIM FAY AND FOSTER CLINE LOVEANDLOGIC.COM Building a Respectful Learning Community to Improve Student Behavior by Amie Dean M.Ed, NBCT
STUDENT SERVICES DR. MCPHERSON *PBIS TEAM: CAROLYN FULLER CARESSA LIGGINS GINA TRUE CONSTANCE WEYMOUTH *THE PBIS TEAM LEADERSHIP TEAM IS AVAILABLE FOR ON CAMPUS LOVE AND LOGIC PRESENTATIONS AND TRAINING
