Moving Beyond Consequences: Strategies and Supports for Children with Challenges

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The Graduate School of Education’s Conceptual Framework The PSU program will prepare leaders in:

Diversity & Inclusiveness • to work effectively with diverse populations • to promote inclusive and therapeutic environments

Research-Based Practices & Professional Standards • to critically analyze and implement research-based practices • to demonstrate appropriate professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions

Impact on Learning and Development • to ensure all learners and clients succeed • to use technology to enhance learning • to influence policy and provide leadership for organizations

Evidence-Informed Decision Making • to use evidence to solve problems of practice and make educational and therapeutic decisions

All of the courses offered through the NW Teacher's Learning Center are based on the same philosophical approach as expressed above. This supports consistency in our courses and ensures we are presented the most successful theories and strategies to increase teacher effectiveness and encourage accelerated life-long learning in students. When educators strive for improvement, we often work to transform our learning environments. However, classrooms often remain the same because our own beliefs about teaching stay the same. For real change to occur, we must refine our own thinking. If we want our students to evolve, we must examine our own beliefs and be willing to adapt to meet the pressing needs at hand. All of our courses strive to provide you with this knowledge where you become empowered. Empowerment is the desire and ability to continue the journey. Desire is kindled with excitement and encouragement through the development of personal interests. Personal interests are central to teaching and learning. Teachers and students who are aware of learning processes, strategies, and multiple intelligences, and employ these elements toward developing their interests, will become powerful players in shaping their lives as well as their communities.

1. Course Description: Educators today are faced with a variety of behaviors in the classroom that impact learning. The response to these behaviors have had limited success because they have focused on fixing the behaviors instead of addressing the cause of the behavior. Children are very good at letting those around them know when something is not working for them but they are challenged to express their concerns appropriately. Based on their experiences children can respond in a number of different ways. This course provides insight on how to view these students from a different lens, as assets rather than adversaries. Strategies and ideas to make school a warm and welcoming place for all students no matter what they may be wrestling with. In order for all students to be successful in school we need to move beyond a consequences approach and move to supports of understanding and relationships. You have one year to complete the course. This course is offered cooperatively with the School of Extended Studies through Portland State University. 2. Prerequisites: This course is designed for teachers, counselors, and special education personnel who have their credentials. 3. Course Outcomes: You will: * Examine past practices in working with challenging students and evaluate their success rate with these practices. * Learn what steps to take to create a classroom that is warm and inviting for all students. * Apply and analyze NEW practices and strategies for working with challenging students. * Reflect on being "safe" and "healthy" to support all students. * Move beyond a consequences approach when working with challenging students. * Examine several case studies to reflect upon, discuss, and analyze for best practices Graduate credit: Activities for meeting course outcomes include a combination of reflections, identifying professional needs and strengths, research, discussions, analysis, projects, strategizing, sharing, brainstorming, and practical applications. Specific activities include the following:

• Reflection responses facilitated by instructor covering topics within the course resources, as well an open forum used to address topics generated by you.

• Journaling for reflective self-assessment and goal setting • Surveys to help identify strengths, needs, and topics of interest • Reviewing and interpreting print and multi-media resources for strategies and ideas applicable to current

classroom/counseling situations and challenges. • Analysis of course assignment presented by you • Analysis and plans regarding case studies

Assessment of these activities will be based on rubrics provided. The instructor will provide feedback for assignments that includes guiding questions for deeper analysis and self-discovery. Students will have the opportunity to edit and add content to assignments for further growth.

4. Instructional Format/Course Topics: Readings, On-line support, Assignments, Projects, Plan Development, implementations of plans and feedback, and E-mail/Web-Chat.

PART ONE – Sharing Info Assignment #1 Tell me a little bit more about yourself. If you are working in a school, what is your current position and where is it? How much experience do you have in your current position? This will help me better personalize my comments to you. I look forward towards reading your responses.

PART TWO – Information Acquisition and Application Assignment #2 - Initial Reflection “If the only tool you have is a hammer; you tend to see every problem as a nail.” ~ A. Maslow Assignment #3 “Setting the Table” That Can Determine the Success our Students will Enjoy. Understanding Trauma and the Prevalence of These “Not-Ok” Experiences Building Resiliency Among Your Students Regulations and Dysregulation Systems within Us and Internal and External Regulation Behavioral Versus Regulatory Issues Anatomy of Learning Assignment #4 “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right (Henry Ford).” Cement Shoes: Staying True to Who You Are Stay Out of Oz: Remaining Grounded Amid Chaos Developmental Deficits Belief Systems and Their Affects Assignment #5 Asking Students the Right Questions Motivation – Creating a Sense of Learning Assignment #6 When in Doubt, Shut Your Mouth and Take a Breath It’s Not About You Assignment #7 No Said Relationship Is Easy The Power Relationships Handling Transitioning Times in School Assignment # 8 Forever Changed, Not Forever Damaged Remembering to Explore All Options

Assignment 9 Homework It’s Ok to be Not OK and How to Deal with It Assignment # 10 Social  Emotional  Issues  Don’t  Let  Fear  Drive  the  Bus Assignment # 11 Giving Grace The Cookie Jar: The Art of Giving Cookies to Others and to One’s Self A Program for Billy

PART THREE - Synthesis Assignment #12 - Moving from a “Control Model” to an “Empowering” Model The ideas/concepts/tools presented in this course are incompatible with control theory (rewards/punishments). It presents a different way of interacting with others that goes largely unknown, an empowering model that treats others with dignity and respect, away of empowering others to develop the perception of capability, significance, and influence. It creates a school environment of caring and trust rather than control. Examining your own foundational understanding of what your role is as an educator, how students learn best, and how to adopts more of these ideas/concepts, and tools presented in this course? Assignment #13 – Case Study #1 Reviewing a case study and applying your learning to address the situation Assignment #14 – Case Study #2 Reviewing a case study and applying your learning to address the situation Assignment #15 – Case Study #3 Reviewing a case study and applying your learning to address the situation Fifth Credit Option Assignment Alfie Kohn, http://www.alfiekohn.org/, has been a leader for many years championing the philosophy of working towards a caring classroom. Spend some time perusing his site to see all that he has to offer. Choose any combination of articles, books, videos, and blogs, critiquing your findings and discussing/demonstrating how you can specifically use your new insights/resources based on the course content. Please include the following video in your list of resources: A lecture based on the book The Schools Our Children Deserve that was originally broadcast on C-Span in 1999, http://www.alfiekohn.org/tapesdvd.htm

5. Required Resources: Fostering  Resilient  Learners:  Strategies  for  Creating  a  Trauma-­‐Sensitive  Classroom  by  Kristin  Sours  with  Pete  Hall  (Paperback  -­‐  2016)  Association  for  Supervision  &  Curriculum  Development      Help  For  Billy:  A  Beyond  Consequences  Approach  to  Helping  Children  in  the  Classroom  by  Heather  T.  Forbes,  LSCW  (Paperback  -­‐  2012)    Beyond  Consequences  Institute        https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability