Classroom Classroom Management for Management for

Substitute TeachersSubstitute Teachers

Presented by:Presented by:

Steven Vitto, M.A.Steven Vitto, M.A.

Behavior Specialist Behavior Specialist

What makes a good substitute What makes a good substitute teacher?teacher? PatiencePatience

PlanningPlanning RealisticRealistic RelatednessRelatedness DynamicDynamic Bringing your own Bag of TricksBringing your own Bag of Tricks Transition PlanningTransition Planning Identification of StrengthsIdentification of Strengths PatiencePatience

Self-Control vs. Self-Control vs. External ControlExternal Control

The peanut butter sandwich The peanut butter sandwich punishmentpunishment

An awareness of why your presence An awareness of why your presence will be problematic for some kidswill be problematic for some kids

An awareness of triggers or setting An awareness of triggers or setting eventsevents

An aware of diffusion and de-An aware of diffusion and de-escalation techniquesescalation techniques

There will be students who There will be students who will have problems with will have problems with

substitute teacherssubstitute teachers

ATTACHMENT DISORDERATTACHMENT DISORDER

OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANCE DISORDEROPPOSITIONAL DEFIANCE DISORDER

CONDUCT DISORDERCONDUCT DISORDER

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDERDISORDER

EMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENTEMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENT

ANXIETY DISORDERSANXIETY DISORDERS

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROMEFETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME

ASPERGERS SYNDROMEASPERGERS SYNDROME

The 1-7%The 1-7%

We take them home with us every day.We take them home with us every day. Our family knows them without ever having Our family knows them without ever having

met them.met them. We dream about them.We dream about them. They learn how to push our buttons.They learn how to push our buttons. They can take us down a road we don’t They can take us down a road we don’t

want to travel.want to travel. They make us think that maybe we should They make us think that maybe we should

have gone into marketing or real estate.have gone into marketing or real estate. They are extremely difficult to like at They are extremely difficult to like at

times…times…

Our most challenging Our most challenging childrenchildren

May not respond to traditional May not respond to traditional consequencesconsequences

Will require more support and change on Will require more support and change on our partour part

Will need a significant positive relationship Will need a significant positive relationship at schoolat school

Will need another way to find acceptance Will need another way to find acceptance in the school environmentin the school environment

May be resistant to strategies to develop May be resistant to strategies to develop self controlself control

To Reach the 1-7% To Reach the 1-7% Abandon ineffective practices. Resist inclination Abandon ineffective practices. Resist inclination

to exclude.to exclude. Separate what the child deserves and what he Separate what the child deserves and what he

needs.needs. Realize that he/she needs our support and Realize that he/she needs our support and

forgiveness the most.forgiveness the most. Reframe who they are.Reframe who they are. Think “outside the box.”Think “outside the box.” Abandon expectation of a quick fixAbandon expectation of a quick fix Need a 7:1 reinforcement ratio, with meaningful Need a 7:1 reinforcement ratio, with meaningful

incentivesincentives Need peer support.Need peer support. Need to undermine harmful mentorsNeed to undermine harmful mentors

Best Practice Supports for Best Practice Supports for Challenging StudentsChallenging Students

Building Relationships/ConnectingBuilding Relationships/Connecting Building TrustBuilding Trust Building self-controlBuilding self-control Absence of threatAbsence of threat Building CommunityBuilding Community Consistency and PredictabilityConsistency and Predictability Diffusion StrategiesDiffusion Strategies Knowing Setting EventsKnowing Setting Events IndividualizingIndividualizing

The number one reason The number one reason students loose control…students loose control…

Perception of being treated Perception of being treated unfairlyunfairly

Stages of Crisis DevelopmentStages of Crisis Development

AnxietyAnxiety DefensiveDefensive Acting OutActing Out Tension ReductionTension Reduction

Setting LimitsSetting Limits

Simple and ConciseSimple and Concise ReasonableReasonable EnforceableEnforceable

The Three Don’tsThe Three Don’ts

Avoid touching the personAvoid touching the person Avoid ultimatumsAvoid ultimatums Avoid crowding or trappingAvoid crowding or trapping

Reasonable ForceReasonable Force

Michigan School CodeMichigan School Code Corporal PunishmentCorporal Punishment Self-DefenseSelf-Defense

What is Oppositional What is Oppositional Defiance Disorder?Defiance Disorder?

ODD is a persistent pattern (lasting for at ODD is a persistent pattern (lasting for at least six months) of negativistic, hostile, least six months) of negativistic, hostile,

disobedient, and defiant behavior in a child disobedient, and defiant behavior in a child or teen without serious violation of the basic or teen without serious violation of the basic

rights of others.rights of others.

Students with conduct disorder engage in Students with conduct disorder engage in deliberate acts of self-interest to gain attention or to deliberate acts of self-interest to gain attention or to

intimidate others. intimidate others.

They experience no distress or self-devaluation or They experience no distress or self-devaluation or internalized distress.internalized distress.

Emotional Impairment MET Emotional Impairment MET Form ContinuedForm Continued

The problem result in behaviors manifested by The problem result in behaviors manifested by 1 or more1 or more

of the following:of the following: (A) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory (A) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory

interpersonal relationships with peers and interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.teachers.

(B) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings (B) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.under normal circumstances.

(C) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or (C) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.depression.

(D) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or (D) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.fears associated with personal or school problems.

For the child with an Emotional For the child with an Emotional Impairment, diffusing a crisis will Impairment, diffusing a crisis will

often involve reducing anxiety. For often involve reducing anxiety. For the child with Conduct Disorder and the child with Conduct Disorder and effective response should increase effective response should increase

anxietyanxiety

Our Need for Power and Our Need for Power and ControlControl

Characteristics of ADHDCharacteristics of ADHD

Inattentive TypeInattentive Type spacey, mild anxiety, socially withdrawn, spacey, mild anxiety, socially withdrawn, day dreamers, difficulty sustaining attention,day dreamers, difficulty sustaining attention, difficulty listening, often leaves school work difficulty listening, often leaves school work

unfinished,difficulty with organization, problems unfinished,difficulty with organization, problems with sustained mental effort, forgetful,distractiblewith sustained mental effort, forgetful,distractible

Hyperactive Impulsive TypeHyperactive Impulsive Type fidgets,squirms,impulse control difficulties,fidgets,squirms,impulse control difficulties, excessive talking or blurting out, out of seat, excessive talking or blurting out, out of seat,

difficulty playing quietly, always moving, difficulty difficulty playing quietly, always moving, difficulty waiting turn waiting turn

ADHDADHD

““That energy which makes the child hard That energy which makes the child hard to manage, is the energy, which makes to manage, is the energy, which makes him a manager of life.”him a manager of life.”

““Just when I thought about not doing Just when I thought about not doing something, I already did it.”something, I already did it.”

Logo seen on T-shirt for ADHD adultLogo seen on T-shirt for ADHD adult

“ “They say I have ADHD, did you see that They say I have ADHD, did you see that

chicken go by?”chicken go by?”

““If you know If you know why, you can why, you can figure out figure out how….”how….” W. Edward W. Edward DemingDeming

Finding out why:

Is a journeyIs a journey

Is an investmentIs an investment

Isn’t about blamingIsn’t about blaming

Is a team effortIs a team effort

Is about trustIs about trust

Is about collaborationIs about collaboration

Is about behavioral legitimacyIs about behavioral legitimacy

““Just the facts, mam.”Just the facts, mam.”

NeedsNeeds Attention Attention Escape/AvoidanceEscape/Avoidance Power and Control SeekingPower and Control Seeking Anger/FrustrationAnger/Frustration Sensory StimulationSensory Stimulation TangibleTangible

Behavior PlanBehavior Plan

Proactive StrategiesProactive Strategies Reinforcement StrategiesReinforcement Strategies Reactive StrategiesReactive Strategies Method for taking DataMethod for taking Data

Preventative StrategiesPreventative Strategies

Bag of TricksBag of Tricks Transition and Quieting StrategiesTransition and Quieting Strategies Always follow the teachers lesson plansAlways follow the teachers lesson plans Try to review material that is unfamiliarTry to review material that is unfamiliar Make a discipline planMake a discipline plan Develop procedures and expectationsDevelop procedures and expectations Stay calm and positiveStay calm and positive Be informative and inviting rather than Be informative and inviting rather than

authoritarian and confrontiveauthoritarian and confrontive

General Approach Strategies for the General Approach Strategies for the Oppositional StudentOppositional Student

Avoid UltimatumsAvoid Ultimatums Avoid drawing the line in the sandAvoid drawing the line in the sand Avoid social disapproval and negative reprimandsAvoid social disapproval and negative reprimands Avoid Warning and Counting PromptsAvoid Warning and Counting Prompts Avoid rules that challenge (“ Don’t spit on the Avoid rules that challenge (“ Don’t spit on the

side walk”)side walk”) Avoid reverse psychologyAvoid reverse psychology Avoid punishment and exclusionAvoid punishment and exclusion Avoid emotional reactionsAvoid emotional reactions Avoid bullying or external control strategiesAvoid bullying or external control strategies Avoid arbitrary or inconsistent consequences Avoid arbitrary or inconsistent consequences

between staffbetween staff

Recommended General Recommended General Strategies for the oppositional Strategies for the oppositional

studentstudent Provide choicesProvide choices Provide adequate response timeProvide adequate response time Provide consistency and predictabilityProvide consistency and predictability Provide a calm, neutral approachProvide a calm, neutral approach Encourage ownership in development of planEncourage ownership in development of plan Provide appropriate opportunities for controlProvide appropriate opportunities for control Work at building relationshipsWork at building relationships Work at breaking down the wallsWork at breaking down the walls Provide meaningful incentivesProvide meaningful incentives Provide consistent and reasonable Provide consistent and reasonable

consequences consequences

Reactive StrategiesReactive Strategies What to do when the behavior What to do when the behavior

occurs. Should be:occurs. Should be: Effective at reducing the behaviorEffective at reducing the behavior Supportive and therapeuticSupportive and therapeutic Respectful and never degrade or Respectful and never degrade or

humiliatehumiliate Typically addresses staff behaviorTypically addresses staff behavior

Problems with PunishmentProblems with Punishment Punishment focuses on external control but does little to Punishment focuses on external control but does little to

teach internal control.teach internal control. Punishment does not teach the child how to meet needs Punishment does not teach the child how to meet needs

previously being served by the target behavior.previously being served by the target behavior. Punishment backfires with students who are oppositional and Punishment backfires with students who are oppositional and

defiant.defiant. Punishment often triggers an escalation of behavior and may Punishment often triggers an escalation of behavior and may

elicit tantrums and aggression.elicit tantrums and aggression. Punishment models a type of authority that resolves conflict Punishment models a type of authority that resolves conflict

by power and inflicting discomfort or pain.by power and inflicting discomfort or pain. Punishment is a quick term-fix that takes much less time than Punishment is a quick term-fix that takes much less time than

to teach the child betters ways of behaving.to teach the child betters ways of behaving. Research has shown that punishment strategies have poor Research has shown that punishment strategies have poor

transferability.transferability. Punishment is inconsistent with the concept of mutual respect.Punishment is inconsistent with the concept of mutual respect. Punishment often excludes and isolates a child when teaching Punishment often excludes and isolates a child when teaching

and support is needed most.and support is needed most.

ConsequencesConsequences Decrease the efficiency of the target Decrease the efficiency of the target

behavior while maintaining dignity and behavior while maintaining dignity and an atmosphere of caringan atmosphere of caring

Never degrade or humiliateNever degrade or humiliate Logically relate to the target behaviorLogically relate to the target behavior Do not cause more of a problem than Do not cause more of a problem than

the problem they are addressingthe problem they are addressing Establishes conditions for learning Establishes conditions for learning

alternative skillsalternative skills Decreases the frequency, duration, Decreases the frequency, duration,

and/or intensity of the target behaviorand/or intensity of the target behavior

Behavioral offences are Behavioral offences are wounds…wounds…

Consequences should healConsequences should heal

““If you treat an individual If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he as he is, he will stay as he is, but if you treat him as is, but if you treat him as if he were what he ought if he were what he ought to be and could be he will to be and could be he will become what he ought to become what he ought to

be and could be.”be and could be.” Wolfgang GoetheWolfgang Goethe

For More Information on Positive Approaches for challenging For More Information on Positive Approaches for challenging behavior or having Steve present at your school,behavior or having Steve present at your school,

Write Steve Vitto at Write Steve Vitto at svitto@muskegonisd.orgsvitto@muskegonisd.orgOr call him at 231-767-7279Or call him at 231-767-7279

Or send for Steve’s Book, Or send for Steve’s Book, In Search of a Heart, Creating Caring, In Search of a Heart, Creating Caring, Conscience, and Character in All Kid Conscience, and Character in All Kid (A text in using positive a (A text in using positive a

relationship driven approaches for all children), Copyright, 2007relationship driven approaches for all children), Copyright, 2007This 450 page text contains researched based methods for This 450 page text contains researched based methods for

implementing positive classroom management strategies and implementing positive classroom management strategies and treating children with severe behavior challenges (Cost: $30.00)treating children with severe behavior challenges (Cost: $30.00)

This book is also available on audio tape and Audio CDThis book is also available on audio tape and Audio CD