Welcome to Week 5's posting on students with emotional and behavioral. An audio of the chapter has been provided. For the chapter audio, ignore references in the audio to week numbers, dates, chapter numbers, page numbers, assignments, the discussion board,names...thank you. The core of the audio speaks to the current chapter topic in your edition of the text book. https://edocs.uis.edu/jherr3/www/TEP224F2010/TEP224Ch5.mp3 .
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Chapter 8 addresses the following questions concerning teaching students with emotional and behavior disorders:
What is the federal government's definition of the "emotionally disturbed"?
What are the characteristics of students who exhibit emotional or behavioral problems?
When is it appropriate to refer students suspected of having emotional problems to special education?
What are some strategies for teaching students with emotional or behavioral problems?
The federal definition of "emotionally disturbed" as suggested the text is as follows:
A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which adversely affects educational performance including:
- an inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;
- an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers /teachers;
- inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
- a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or
- a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal/school problems
this includes children who are schizophrenic; but not children who are socially maladjusted,
- an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers /teachers;
- inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
- a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or
- a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal/school problems
this includes children who are schizophrenic; but not children who are socially maladjusted,
unless it is determined that they are emotionally disturbed."
Wow! It is interesting the statistic of emotional disturbance is cited as affecting from 10 to 20% of students, yet only 1% of such students are actually served by special education services. So what does that mean? It means perhaps that most of these students who should be receiving help are not. It means perhaps that most of these students who should be receiving help are in regular education classrooms and are being underserved, especially if the teacher is a) not aware and b) not equipped to help. It is interesting to note also that most of these students are boys, outnumbering girls as high as 8 to 1, with students from minority populations being disproportionately represented as well.
I was one of those middle school teachers who started my first year of teaching armed with pedagogy and content but not experimentally prepared for students like one named Albert Balderas. In hindsight and armed with what I know now, I would place Albert Balderas somewhere between exhibiting severe emotional behaviors and being affected by puberty issues. It was difficult sometimes to know which was which. I do know that even though all of the other boys around his age were going through puberty as well, none of them behaved like he did in my classroom! He would 'swing' into the class each day from the door frame...every day! He loved toys and gadgets, so he brought one with him to my class...every day! By the end of the school year, I had quite a collection of his toys: from a plastic roach to a skeleton's head that shocked you when you picked it up. I'm sure part of his misbehavior could have had a lot to do with my inexperience with classroom management.
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Want my suggestion? First year teachers should not be armed with the most challenging students in the school. I had been exposed to the Discipline with Dignity concept of involving the student in the process of negotiating what behaviors are expected in the classroom without shaming them, yelling at them, etc., etc, but none of that seemed to work for Albert, at least not with me. He laughed out loud, he shot 'butterfly' spitballs all up in the ceiling that I didn't know were there until towards the end of the schoolyear. Even though the class was hands-on with the computers, he managed to 'break' his...he talked incessantly...fidgeted...crawled on the floor...managed to have students 'scream out' for something he'd done to them...his classmates HATED him and SO DID I. (I realize HATE is a strong word but I chose this adjective to describe what Albert was bringing OUT of all of us in my classroom...I didn't 'really' hate him...) I would ask for assistance, seek council from other teachers, the principal, ANYBODY! However, Albert was doing wonderful in most of his classes. He wasn't an "A" or "B" student, but he knew how far he could take these behaviors in other classrooms. I didn't want to use those methods however.
One thing that I have learned is that there is no one specific catch-all way of determining emotional or behavioral disturbance because it is a social construct; what might be emotional disturbance in one classroom might not be so in the next classroom. It calls for teacher judgment as to whether students are acting under one or more of the federally defined definitions above. Even after teacher judgment, others will have to further determine if the behavior falls in the category of requiring special services. Most teachers seek to have such students removed from their classroom if it is possible. However, new IDEA laws now support inclusion to the greatest extent possible. If the student is found to not have severe emotional problems, he or she will remain in the regular education classroom. Therefore, other techniques, avenues will have to be explored in dealing with such students and attending to all others as well.
Characteristics of students with emotional/behavioral problems: Students with emotional/behavioral disorders can exhibit internalizing or externalizing behaviors and both types of behaviors should be equally attended to. Externalizing behaviors fall in the category of hitting, aggression, and impulsive behaviors; internalizing behaviors are those that are 'quiet' such as being shy, fearful, anxious, depressed and withdrawn.
Characteristics of students with emotional/behavioral problems: Students with emotional/behavioral disorders can exhibit internalizing or externalizing behaviors and both types of behaviors should be equally attended to. Externalizing behaviors fall in the category of hitting, aggression, and impulsive behaviors; internalizing behaviors are those that are 'quiet' such as being shy, fearful, anxious, depressed and withdrawn.
Either type of behavior indicates that the student may need help. External behaviors are conduct disorder, aggression, hyperactivity, socialized aggression, and sometimes pervasive developmental disorder (example: student yelling out of character, saying strange things, rocking, knocking the head, nail biting). The following website gives a wonderful recap of each of these: http://www.slc.sevier.org/emoclass.htm .
Appropriate teacher referral of students suspected to have emotional/behavioral problems: How does a classroom teacher know when it is appropriate to persistently refer a student for special services? As noted from the textbook on pages 129-130 below:
- behavior-age discrepancy: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently behaving unlike his or her peers in that age bracket in your classroom.
- frequency of occurrence of the behavior: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting unseemly emotions.
- number of symptoms: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting several symptoms of emotional disturbance.
- inner suffering: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting sadness, low self-esteem, helplessness symptoms.
- harm to others: note whether or not the student consistently over time harms others/animals with no remorse.
- persistence of the behavior: note whether or not the student consistently over time exhibits the same behaviors, regardless of intervention/assistance from others.
- self-satisfaction: note whether or not the student consistently over time exhibits a general negative behavior toward others and/or him or herself
- severity and duration of the behavior: note how often and how long the behavior occurs; note under what conditions and to what extent the behavior occurs; note what triggers the behavior and the outcome after the behavior has occurred; note whether or not the behavior occurs as a result of your relationship with the student or 'is the problem with the student?'; note whether or not others (family/you/other school personnel) have done anything to address this problem. (pp 129-130, Vaughn, et al, 2007))
Appropriate documentation/observance of any of the above consistently and over time should 'provide indications of the of emotional disturbance and the likelihood for referral.' (Vaughn, et. al, 2007)
So if such students are going to remain in my classroom, what are some strategies for dealing with them?: Visit the following website: http://www.slc.sevier.org/emoclass.htm .
Pragmatically Speaking - How to use this information in the classroom:
Emotionally disturbed students fair much better in structured, clean, orderly classroom environments; when they are aware of what the teacher expects of them; and when rules are present and enforced with care and dignity toward students. Emotionally disturbed students do not respond well to threats, yelling, cursing and 'emotionally-charged-teacher-responses.'
Someone has to be the adult, in control, calm and respectful: that someone should always be the teacher, no matter what the student does. The teacher should be pro-active in that he or she should know ahead of time what building/classroom procedures should be followed in the event of a classroom disturbance: example, should another student be sent to get the assistant principal or another teacher? etc.
Always get to know the special education teacher(s) or expert in the school: ask for help, strategies that they use, ask how they would handle such a student. Continue to speak out, ask for help until you get what you need to work with such students in the classroom.
Get to know the parent(s).
Find out what management technique is used in the home to encourage positive student behavior. (You don't want to use abusive techniques from home, however...instead report any abuse that you are aware of or suspicious of to the appropriate authorities offering child protective services.)
Appropriate teacher referral of students suspected to have emotional/behavioral problems: How does a classroom teacher know when it is appropriate to persistently refer a student for special services? As noted from the textbook on pages 129-130 below:
- behavior-age discrepancy: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently behaving unlike his or her peers in that age bracket in your classroom.
- frequency of occurrence of the behavior: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting unseemly emotions.
- number of symptoms: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting several symptoms of emotional disturbance.
- inner suffering: note whether or not the student is inappropriately and consistently over time exhibiting sadness, low self-esteem, helplessness symptoms.
- harm to others: note whether or not the student consistently over time harms others/animals with no remorse.
- persistence of the behavior: note whether or not the student consistently over time exhibits the same behaviors, regardless of intervention/assistance from others.
- self-satisfaction: note whether or not the student consistently over time exhibits a general negative behavior toward others and/or him or herself
- severity and duration of the behavior: note how often and how long the behavior occurs; note under what conditions and to what extent the behavior occurs; note what triggers the behavior and the outcome after the behavior has occurred; note whether or not the behavior occurs as a result of your relationship with the student or 'is the problem with the student?'; note whether or not others (family/you/other school personnel) have done anything to address this problem. (pp 129-130, Vaughn, et al, 2007))
Appropriate documentation/observance of any of the above consistently and over time should 'provide indications of the of emotional disturbance and the likelihood for referral.' (Vaughn, et. al, 2007)
So if such students are going to remain in my classroom, what are some strategies for dealing with them?: Visit the following website: http://www.slc.sevier.org/emoclass.htm .
Pragmatically Speaking - How to use this information in the classroom:
Emotionally disturbed students fair much better in structured, clean, orderly classroom environments; when they are aware of what the teacher expects of them; and when rules are present and enforced with care and dignity toward students. Emotionally disturbed students do not respond well to threats, yelling, cursing and 'emotionally-charged-teacher-responses.'
Someone has to be the adult, in control, calm and respectful: that someone should always be the teacher, no matter what the student does. The teacher should be pro-active in that he or she should know ahead of time what building/classroom procedures should be followed in the event of a classroom disturbance: example, should another student be sent to get the assistant principal or another teacher? etc.
Always get to know the special education teacher(s) or expert in the school: ask for help, strategies that they use, ask how they would handle such a student. Continue to speak out, ask for help until you get what you need to work with such students in the classroom.
Get to know the parent(s).
Find out what management technique is used in the home to encourage positive student behavior. (You don't want to use abusive techniques from home, however...instead report any abuse that you are aware of or suspicious of to the appropriate authorities offering child protective services.)
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The authors believe aggression and school violence are both results of school social dynamics and the developmental histories of youth who are at high risk for involvement in antisocial behavior. in the following article The Developmental Dynamics of Agression and the Prevention of School Vioence . How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior? What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic? Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not? After reading the chapter, listening to the audio, and post your comments to the Week 5 blog posting to comment on the questions provided.
27 comments:
How do school social interactions impact a student’s behavior?
Since both biological and environmental factors influence a student’s behavior, school social interactions can have a major impact (Vaughn, Bos & Schumm p.228). Offering a safe and comforting learning environment can help children feel at ease, so perhaps their anxieties that spur bad behavior will be reduced. Behavior is highly malleable, so students are at the mercy of their peers and their elders (Farmer, Farmer, Estell & Hutchins, 2007, p. 203). That means if a student is bullied by his classmates, he may become aggressive or withdrawn. However, a teacher who stops that bullying and helps the student be accepted by those same classmates can prevent the negative repercussions. Teachers have the power to help mold that behavior, so they should take advantage of it. However, it’s important to note the role biology plays in a student’s behavior, especially when it comes to brain disorders, mental illness, and temperament (Vaughn et al. p. 209). Even the most talented teacher may not be able to mold those students’ behaviors.
I also believe teaching social skills is vital (Vaughn et al. p. 222). In my line of work, and even in my personal life, I encounter people who my mother would say “don’t know any better.” Learning basic social skills in school would allow children to grow up to be respectful adults.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
While I believe the teacher cannot, and should not, force every student to like every student, he or she can foster respect. The teacher should step in if he or she sees an aggressive student acting inappropriately. In fact, the teacher has the power to steer that child toward more appropriate behavior through positive social constraints, like getting the student involved in extracurricular activities and helping to develop a positive relationship with the teacher and other adults (Farmer et al., 2007, p. 200). After the student begins to behave more appropriately, perhaps other students will find that student more likeable and even stop “hating”, as Dr. Herring felt about Albert.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? Why or why not?
I agree with the authors’ suggestions to help prevent school violence. In creating the three levels of intervention, the authors are advocating a series of safety nets, in order to catch students who may fall through the cracks. I think it’s important to take a proactive approach to preventing school violence. The Universal prevention level is especially appealing to me, because I think all students, not just those deemed at risk, could benefit from academic, behavioral, and social guidance (Farmer, et al., 2007 p. 205).
I also admire the authors admission that they’re not looking to “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to preventing school violence (Farmer, et al., 2007, p. 204). They are realistic in noting how expensive and complex it would be to create an entirely new prevention system. I think that kind of realism is vital to solving current education problems.
Farmer, Farmer, Estell, and Hutchins (2007) have proposed that "behavior patterns should be understood in relation to their social function". The authors provide that school social elements like hierarchical structure, popularity, rejection, and social competence are related to and can cause aggressive behavior. The social arena in a school setting and developmental histories explains Farmer et al. (2007) should be considered within the context of school violence. According to the article, school social interactions clearly impact a students behavior.
The teachers role in the social dynamic, according to our text, should be to establish good relationships with students and parents, vigilant classroom management, respect, firm rules for unacceptable behavior, recognition of acceptable behavior, appropriate language, and 360 degree vision.
I do agree with the levels of prevention and intervention approaches that Farmer et al. (2007) have explained. I think a unified theme for recognizing behavior problems and the intervention levels described are a solid approach for preventing school violence.
Sources Cited: Farmer, W., Farmer, W. Z., Estell, B., & Hutchins, C. (2007). The developmental dynamics of aggression and the prevention of school violence. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 15, 197-208.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
School social interactions have a major impact on some student's behavior. It is dependent on factors such as popularity, the environment, the degree to which rules are enforced, and whether or not other students are enabling this behavior. Therefore, according to the text, social interactions have a MAJOR impact on individuals student's behavior. The key is to be proactive and closely monitor such behaviors and have a plan ready to manage such behavior. Obviously there are other factors that play a role in student's behavior as well that include biological factors, the student's home life, and many others. Also, I agree with Jessica when she stated that teachers must recognize that some of these behaviors cannot be molded by even the best teachers and may require more specialized attention.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
I believe the teacher should be a moderator of sorts. It is the teachers job to not be an enabler but to moderate the interaction between students and recognize situations that need intervention and situations that need to play themselves out. A teacher cannot always be there and a student must be allowed to grow on his/her own but there are limits to this growth and anything that poses a threat to a student mentally or physically is clearly passing those limits. Through these basic concepts the teacher would hopefully gain respect within the classroom and also be able to maintain a positive force within the student's lives. I also believe that teachers should be familiar with which symptoms are more prevalent in which sex. For instance, depression seems to affect more women than men, while men seem to have more aggression issues (Farmer, et al., 2007, p. 206.)
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence?
While I do agree that "behavior management strategies and cooperation among the school counselor, psychologist and parents" are needed I also believe that the environment at school needs to be somewhat regulated for student's with conduct disorders to fully thrive (Farmer, et al., 2007, p. 207). I believe students with conduct disorders, if at all possible, need to be put in the least threatening environment possible when just beginning therapy. This will allow for less anxiety, aggression and other triggers that set kids with these tendencies off.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
School social interactions have a huge impact on a student’s behavior. When students are growing up, who they hang out with and the activities they do will shape the students behavior. Students who like to hang out in the classroom during recess, lunch, etc. is going to have a different behavior pattern then students who hang out in areas where teachers cannot keep track of them. Bullying also makes a huge impact on student behavior. Students who are bullied lack self esteem and might develop mental problems later on in life. The one who does the bullying also might have behavioral problems in school, at home, or in the community.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
Teachers have to walk a very fine line. On one hand, they should let children develop social skills naturally. On the other hand, they need to watch for students who have aggressive tendencies or emotional and behavioral disorders. Letting the students develop naturally lets them feel like they are in control of their own destiny and might increase their confidence. Watching for students with aggressive tendencies or emotional and behavioral disorders will make sure that those students can develop better social skills. However, teachers need to be careful because they do not want to unnecessarily call attention to students who do not have aggressive tendencies or emotional and behavioral disorders.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not?
I do agree with the author on his system to prevent school violence. Making a general outline of things that students should not do will give the students some guideline to follow and not wonder “what is school violence.” Also, taking out students who develop aggressive behavior at the beginning will help to reduce violence in schools. Giving them specialized treatment of either therapy or counseling will help those students channel their anger into more productive. Creating a specialized system for those students who have multiple problems with aggression and other problems is best to help develop better social skills to be more productive for themselves and others.
School social interactions impact the behavior of students quite a bit. According to the article, Bullying owes a lot to social dominance and influence. Some bullies are created through negative social reactions from other bullies. It is almost a pass-the-torch type of dynamic. Other bullies are socially at the top of the food chain. They are individuals that are very popular and even thrive off the reactions of their peers.
Another instance of the correlation of social interactions and student behavior involves how some students will be rejected by conventional peers and will then join a social group. Sometimes as a result of this, the group that is joined will be one that has behavior issues. Because of the initial rejection, the new group member will be more susceptible to engage in negative behaviors in order to fit into the group. This is merely an example and happens to showcase how negative behaviors can result, but the opposite effect can happen as well. A student could face a group that is very negative and be driven unknowingly into a different group of students that behave in a positive fashion. Regardless, the day-to-day interactions of students can certainly alter a student’s behavior pattern and seem to actually have a lot of power over it.
Teachers need be aware of as much as possible without interfering indiscriminately. Sometimes, they are the last line of defense for a student, especially in the case of bullying. Teachers need to put a stop to it to the best of their ability the moment it is noticed. Other times, it may be best for a teacher to try to let the students work out their differences. Of course, this approach can only be allowed to a point. The teacher must be careful to pay close attention so as to intervene once the interactions become harmful or even violent. But, letting some students work it out successfully can help them to be more confident and less of a target.
I do agree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence. They list preventative measures for each type of situation. I highly agree with the universal approach, especially as a deterrent. If a set of rules is in place that details what is and is not acceptable behavior, many students will follow them. There will be those that ignore the universal rules and require more targeted approaches. The selected and indicated strategies listed sound like good ways to handle problems, as they get more specific.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
School interaction – both with teachers and students – highly impact a student’s behavior. If a student with behavior problems is seeking “attention” from his actions and receives it (even if it is negative) they usually continue to act out as they are getting what they “want”. For those receiving positive attention, they are seen as “cool”, for those receiving negative attention, they have “rejected status”. The author’s describe it as “protect[ing] and control[ing] their social positions”. Bulling also plays a role. In fact, it is stated that the “popular” student is often the bully to the “rejected” student even though both are students with behavior/aggression problems (Farmer, Farmer, Estell & Hutchins, 2007, p.199).
It is also important to note that often times it goes beyond social interactions and certain behaviors are the outcome of biology, such as brain disorders, mental illness, and temperament (Vaughn, Bos & Schumm, p. 209).
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
I think the teacher should play an active role in social dynamic. If a teacher witnesses inappropriate behavior between students, I think it is their role to step in and address the situation. Although, I think they way you step in and address the situation needs to be well thought out (and probably on a student by student basis) as I mentioned above about some students seeking attention for their behavior. When a student is acting out, it is important for the teacher to have firm rules and consequences for certain behavior (especially bullying!). As Dr. Herring stated, it’s a good idea to learn the techniques used at home so you are able to carry them in to your classroom. Consistency is key for students with behavior problems.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not?
I agree with the system and steps the author proposes to prevent school violence. It is a great approach that starts out with a general way to treat all students, then raises the intervention approach based on individual student needs. It’s a system that includes all students and makes sure everyone is addressed. The questions that are asked in order to determine the level a student is at helps put what type of student the authors are attending to address at Universal, Selective & Indicated in to perspective. I thought each step and the raising of the intervention approach was appropriate and well adapted.
The first few pages of the article discuss the impact of social interactions. Children are looking for their place in their version of society. Where do they stand in the pecking order? Younger children tend to protect their status through more physical means while early adolescents are more socially aggressive. We’re all affected by our social interactions. Children need to learn skills and need guidance to control their emotions. Emotionally disturbed children do not learn these skills as quickly or as efficiently as the general student population. All children benefit from a structured environment. Children with emotional issues need that consistency in order to have a greater chance at academic and social success. They need the opportunity to develop these social skills in a somewhat controlled environment. They need positive feedback for what they have done well; they need feedback on where they can improve. With the improvement feedback needs to be suggestions on how to handle the situation better in the future. Keep it positive. Keep the forward motion. Our text expressed that the majority of emotionally disturbed children can do well in a school setting if plans are in place to support their emotional needs.
The teacher’s role in the social dynamic first and foremost to develop a respectful relationship you’re your students and their parents. The creation of a respectful relationship is multi-faceted. A key component to the development of that respectful relationship is for the teacher to create a safe and structured emotional environment. As I read the tips on p. 217 for creating this environment, it looks a lot like effective classroom management with a twist. A child with an emotional disorder requires more attention, more structure and more positive attention. Still, consistency and fairness is the key to success. The teacher must communicate the behavioral expectations and consequences that the students clearly understand. Students need to understand that you will discipline and compliment regardless of your social position. Everyone in the classroom is on equal ground. The teacher must be clear to correct the behavior and not the student. I work with an administrator who makes it clear to the students and parents that she has no bad children in her building. She does have students that make poor behavior choices and will be educated on how to make better choices in the future, but they’re all good kids with great potential. I believe that it is critically important to treat a child with an emotional disorder with the same respect as you would any other child, but a teacher has the responsibility to watch for and record any disturbing behavior.
It is mentioned in our text that the relationships that occur between students who have emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are very important and meaningful. (Vaughn, 2011) While they can be among the most trying, they can also be among the most rewarding. Because of the violent and tragic events that have occurred in our country’s public schools within the past decade, much research has been conducted concerning students who have these disorders. I appreciate that the article does not contain yet another program that is being sold, but uses some of the programs and resources already in place as a framework on which to build. The article outlines a three-tiered model useful for dealing with many levels of students and their behaviors. The first tier is targeted to all students and could easily be done with no major changes to many schools’ character education program. This level is called “Universal Strategies”. The next level, entitled, “Selective Strategies” would target students who have one or two risk factors, but they otherwise respond well to the universal strategies. The third level, “Indicated Strategies” would be for students who have multiple problems and who don’t respond to the lesser levels. These final two levels would require more teachers intervention. The authors of the article suggest teachers act as mentors to students in level two and three. I agree that this is key. Teachers should fill the role of mentor as well as teacher. Teachers can take on one or two students that they can intentially interact with on a weekly basis. I have participated in a similar program. At first, my mentee thought I was picking on him. However, over time, he came to know me and understood my sincere interest in him not only as a student, but as a person. As we chatted and I shared the occasional cookie with him while we talked about academic and social struggles, he began to change. He smiled more easily and got offended and defensive with others less often. I agree with the textbook authors that we cannot dismiss violent behavior at any age. We must act on our intuition and we must be watchful of students at risk for these behaviors. If we don’t, we have ourselves to question when extreme violence occurs in our sphere. We are the adults. We are the ones responsible for safety in our schools. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to build a relationship with a troubled student. It takes care. Each one of us can take a little time with a few students and collectively we can make a big change with many students.
The hierarchical structure of our schools and our society create an environment where children feel a need to protect their social status. When issues such as bullying, academic difficulties, and inacceptance (as well as others) occur within the school it can create instability in the development of a child’s social and behavioral skills and lead to acts of violence. (Farmer et al., 2007, 198-199)
A teacher should create and implement a positive classroom management plan designed to counter negative impacts on student social development. Included in this plan should be ways to address academic difficulties and success, fair and consistent treatment of all students, and a welcoming and productive environment. A teacher should also be mindful that each student is different and be willing to be flexible (when possible) to promote positive aspects into a students' life where difficulties may currently exist.
I agree with the proposals of the authors on ways to prevent school violence and antisocial behavior; however I can see major problems with implementation. The authors suggest the cost would not be extreme by building on existing systems already in place, but then they mention coordinators, inter-agency interplay and the like for successful implementation. We have enough trouble getting money for basic supplies, let alone something of this magnitude. In only the limited view, this system would require additional personnel, computer software and access, as well as governmental participation on various levels with costs associated to those agencies.
I also foresee a privacy issue coming into play with the coordination efforts required to achieve their goals. All of us know there are people out there that would make the argument of school/public invasion of private/family lives and rights, no matter how well intentioned they may be. And on a constitutional basis they may be correct.
Lastly, we can’t get any true inter-agency cooperation among current local, state, or federal agencies. Does anyone actually think a small school or district will, let alone a larger one?
The goals are nice, optimistic, correct goals to achieve the desired result, however I just do not see them coming to fruition without a major change in the mindset of our society and our commitment level to its’ children, all of them.
Sources: Farmer, W., Farmer, W. Z., Estell, B., & Hutchins, C. (2007). The Developmental Dynamics of Aggression and the Prevention of School Violence. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 15, 197-208.
On page 198 of the article it mentions that many youths turn to aggressive behavior even if they have social competence to beguile their social world in school. A great point which it expands on is the fact that students that are “popular” have a great understanding of social situations at school. Whether it is with the teachers or other students, they are comfortable in their social groups and are able to communication well. Students are fit this description are typically the ones to be the aggressors. There is also another type of manipulation from a “cool” student and that could be turning friends against each other, and starting rumors which have no confrontation. Either way, this can cause many students to be victim to this type of negative interaction whether it is physical or quiet manipulation. This can truly take a toll on someone’s self-esteem and social skills for the future. The article mentions that it is just a social dominance occurrence within schools. To me this seems like normality especially in high school. There is always that totem pole of the status of some students which can be very devastating or some of the best years of their lives. In lower grades however, I personally think teachers work a little harder to eliminate those stereotypes because they know in high school it is so prominent.
The article also mentioned that if students are not accepted by certain group at school, they will try and find a group that will accept them. Unfortunately many children turn to the streets and deviant behavior until a group accepts them. They can become desperate for acceptance and change their personalities. Many do extreme actions to gain entry into a specific group which can get them in trouble with teachers or even the law. According to the text, the teacher has to have complete control of the situation when it comes to students with behavioral disorders. An organized classroom with detailed expectations is what children with behavioral disorders depend on. Their home life could be one of the reasons why they behave so differently at school, so school could be their only sense of stability. A teacher’s role is to ensure that stability is met with ever social aspect of school. The teacher should have rules that are fair and consistent for everyone and make sure each rule is carried out. Just maintaining a consistent world in the classroom could be enough to help some of the behavior problems some students may have. I agree with the authors list of ways to prevent violence, especially the point about the teacher establishing the rules. Obviously from my point before, it can be the only sense of stability for the students.
This is a topic I am very familiar with. I have been working in an emotional/behavior disorder program for ten years now at Taylorville Junior High (6-8). The first sentence in the introduction says it all, the relationships established between classroom teachers and their students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are often among the more meaningful relationships experienced by both. (Vaughn 2001, pg. 201) I have met many students along the way, which are just looking for someone that will listen. Many of the students in my classroom are not of the violent nature; many become agitated over small things, a home life which is nowhere to be found, and have been followed by a label. School social interactions play a major part with these types of students. The Taylorville Community School District #3 has a self-contained behavioral environment, and students rarely see the general education students. The students placed in this program work through a level system with outlined behaviors to meet in each phase. The down fall of self-contained classrooms, many of these children only interact with each other, students with behavior problems also. The major problem we encounter with this scenario is the 1 up behavior. Students act out trying to gain acceptance from other class members, and they always try to outdo one another. If a student throws a pencil at someone, another student may throw three, it’s a behavior I am the bigger trouble maker, look at me, you only threw one. The bullying aspect believe it or not goes year to year in our program. In years past is has been a major issue; simple actions like pushing a smaller student, idle threats harming another student, and constant fist waving and foot stomping. I believe most bullying comes from socialized aggression, (Vaughn 2011 pg. 207) many inappropriate behaviors are only displayed in the presence of other students in a self-contained setting.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
The role of the teacher is sometimes that of a referee. I have left school so many days mentally drained from a day of chaos. I think dealing with behavioral students you must choose your battles; is that pencil tapping worth a confrontation, a child mocks another student with name calling, sometimes the small stuff which would be trouble worthy in general education, is not worth disrupting an already hostile environment. Mood (Vaughn 2011 pg. 206) parents say “I want them healthy and happy”, and as a teacher that’s what we are trying to achieve. I would never want a child scared to attend school. Mood is a subject we deal with every morning, and identifying these moods before they become an issue, is vital for a healthy and happy day. The teacher is the authority figure and must never feel intimidated by these children.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence?
I agree and disagree. I agree with indicated and selective intervention (Farmer 2007 pdf), as many schools know who the troublesome youth are. A set of universal rules or student handbook outlining right and wrong, is still the main discipline approach in many districts. The students are informed what will not be tolerated and you go from there. The only problem with school violence is what about; the quiet honor student, never in trouble, has many friends, but has been pushed to the breaking point. How do we identify these students and prevent violent situations? If there are no signs of problematic behavior, a violent situation may not be avoidable. I felt the authors had several good points and ideas for stopping violence. I can only pray it never happens in my district
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
The social interactions the students have in school usually shapes the way the student acts in the classroom, in the hall way, and even at home. If a student doesn't have many friend they are usually the quite type and don't talk much in your classroom. In your classroom you will have different groups of kids that will act in different way and this has to do with the type of interaction with the other students.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
I think a teacher needs to play in the middle when it comes to a students social dynamic. A teacher should let the student develop their social skills and development on their own, but also the teacher needs to look after the students that many have more social problems than other students. You could have talks with the student after school sometime and see if everything is okay with him or her and see if you could help the student.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not?
I agree with the authors propose to prevent school violence. Making the students a guide line of what a student shouldn't do is a good thing to for them to have so they know what is expected. Helping out student you show aggressive behavior at a young age is something that teachers need do more often. Figuring out which kids have this problem of aggression and then give them some sort of counseling would help the kids in the long run. During a counseling you could try to help the student to use his aggression in a positive way.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior? What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic? Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not? After reading the chapter, listening to the audio, and post your comments to the Week 5 blog posting to comment on the questions provided.
First off, school social interactions impact a student's behavior in many ways. It was recently argued that youth have high levels of social competence and use aggression as a tool to manipulate their social worlds (Hawley, et al. , p.198). This is something I would strongly agree with because many kids just want respect and to be accepted. When they aren't, they take to other outlets, such as violence. This is how many bullies are made, because people aren't paying attention to them. It makes me think of a friend I had who would act like she was my best friend to my face, yet when around others, she didn't even acknowledge me, afraid that I would ruin her image. Eventually, she became what I would consider a bully in my own opinion. She never fought me or anything, but she never had a nice word to say once she realized being mean to other people made her popular with an even bigger group of kids. Things like that remind me of the sad reality kids are in today because of the things they have to face and the ways they feel they must measure up.
The teacher has an extremely important role. They truly have to act like more than just the person who helps you learn things in the class, but they really become the caretaker and in a way the babysitter. If they see a kid being treated poorly, they can't just sit there and be okay with it. First off, if they do, how will that kid being made fun of ever grow to respect their teacher? If the students don't feel like you care about them, they won't connect with what you're teaching. Teachers have to play the mediator role, making sure everyone stays happy and gets along. Man, just thinking of all the things teachers have to do makes me think they all need a serious raise! Ha! I tend to think a lot about the movie Freedom Writers and how the teacher found a way to connect with her students while also making sure she didn't make them feel like they could do whatever they wanted. She let everybody know they were to be respected! As far as the steps go, I really don't know if I agree with them because I don't think I understand them. I believe I saw one step that said it depended upon the students' surroundings. What kind of a classroom are they coming to every day(Farmer and Farmer)? If we can help prevent school violence simply by making the atmosphere around them positive, I do totally agree that school could be much more violence free! Personally I also believe that the more of a handle the teacher has on the classroom, the more likely kids are going to follow rules and try to stay in line, at least IN the classroom. Once they leave class for whatever reasons, that's when teachers will really have to have their eyes open. Many of students' problems can also be talked about. If a teacher sees a student seeming sad or depressed, or the reverse which would be that they don't seem to be being very nice to others, those are signs that you need to talk to them one on one and see what's up.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
As a parent of a child with
Social Interactions have so much do do with students' behavior. As stated in the article. School is a place where students are felt to have a status and have the need and desire to protect it. In same cases, typically highschool students will express agressive behavior. Farmer et al., 2007, 198-199) Aggression is a growing problemin schools, as violence increases. As teacher, we have the responsibility to understand what is goin on in our school and classrooms. It is also our job to address these probles and try to dissolve them. It is a teachers role to create a positive environment,condusive to learning, for all students. I do agree with the authors steps into creating a violence-free school. I agree with many other in the class that the teach has to have a well manages classroom, not just for preventing violence and bad behavior, but to help all students learn.
Students, especially those with behavioral or emotional disorders need order in the classroom. They need to believe and trust the teacher. (Vaughn 2011 p.214)
Students, especially those who may already have aggression or behavioral problems will not conform when threatened with punishment. Instead of creating an environment that scares atudents into being non-violent, the idea is to nip the idea of violence in the bud. If a student is positive and feels as thoght they have positive influences, and a place where they are cared about, they are less likely to become violent in the first place.
A school’s social interactions definitely impact a student’s behavior. Whether it is how a classroom is managed by a teacher or how other students interact among one another, students’ behaviors are affected. According to the article a lot of times more dominant or aggressive students are not even in the “cool” crowd. This could be due to the idea that these kids feel pressured to stand out and want to try to be “cool”, and their only way they know how is to be aggressive. Students may feel like they need to be aggressive because they are being bullied and they are trying to stick up for themselves. Also, if a classroom is not very organized or a teacher is not in control this will definitely impact a student’s behavior. The article also states that some students will act out when they have nothing to do or there is a large transition period, and some students will act out if they are frustrated because something is not fully explained to them or everything is not in order. There is an endless amount of school social interactions that impact a student’s behavior.
I think teacher play a huge role in the social dynamic, particularly in their classroom. Teachers have to be aware of all the students in the classroom. In particular teachers have to be aware of those students who do show aggressive behavior. As a teacher it will be our job to find a source of this aggressive behavior and try to stop it. For example, if a student is constantly being bullied this is going to negatively affect them, and the teacher needs to address the issue of bullying. I do not think that a teacher should necessarily “baby” those students who may have trouble socializing, but the teacher should pay particular attention to make sure that there is nothing in particular that is troubling this student, or even make an extra effort to get to know the student better.
I agree with the way the authors propose to prevent school violence. I think that it looks at how to stop violence as whole, and its addresses all of the students, not just those students who exhibit aggressive or violent characteristics. I think that this is very good because a lot of times it is those students who you would never guess or think would be violent and they are. It is going to take not just a certain classroom teacher to help stop violence, but it is going to take all of the teachers and faculty, all of the students, and parents, and many more people, and I believe this will proposal that the authors lay out will help to do so.
How do social interactions impact a student’s behavior? Social interactions have an obvious and important impact on a student’s behavior. We can look at situations where students are grouped together with other kids they like or one’s they dislike/fear into small groups. When a student is grouped with people they like or feel comfortable with they can be happy, upbeat and outgoing. Watch this same student’s demeanor immediately change when they are grouped with someone they don’t like or who they fear. Most people learn to tread lightly when an adult or teacher is exhibiting the cues of being in a bad mood. Social interactions often give kids cues on how what an appropriate response would be. An easy example of this how an elementary school class responds to a substitute teacher. Well behaved kids often act up for a sub partly because their peers are also doing it and it is deemed more socially appropriate. It is no longer even debated that biology does play a role in behavior. This has already all but been proven true. With that being said we as educators have to caution against believing that biology predetermines behavior. Only a few days ago I had an interaction with an 8 year old that I’ve known for 6 years. He said he was big enough to drink a whole 32 ounce Mountain Dew even if it was before bed. I told him that it was a lot of caffeine and that may be one of the reasons he has been having such a difficult time sitting down to focus on homework at night. In a typical 8 year old fashion he informed me that the soda had no effect on him that he has ADHD he has to take medicine for it and he has his own personal doctor for it. He has already labeled himself and blocked off any means of improvement that doesn’t involve medicine. This is the danger when we believe that biology determines causes something rather than correlates with it.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
The teacher should play an important role in the social dynamic of the classroom to start the year but become more hands off as the year progresses. It is the teacher’s job to set a solid foundation of mutual respect and cooperation among the students of the class. Students should be told that they don’t have to like everyone in the classroom but they do need to get along well enough to not disrupt the classroom environment. They must also be informed that they are expected to work together if they happen to be assigned to the same group for an assignment. Once these parameters are set at the beginning of the year the teacher should mostly take a hands off approach to the social dynamic. Teachers should however immediately intervene if they witness any bullying or intimidation of a student because that goes beyond just social dynamic and ranges into the domain of having a fear free classroom environment. Teachers can also manipulate assigned groups to the benefit of the students involved. They may put a shy student into a group with one that is more outspoken in order to help the shy student come out of there shell. These groupings should be covert and not something that the teacher actively tells the kids. They allow the kids to learn and grown on their own socially without a teacher trying to pick their friends.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? I do agree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence. It is very important to actually define what school violence is so that students have clear guidelines about what is appropriate and what isn’t. With a very clear definition of what a student can and cannot we can all but assume that students who are not prone to violence to abide by the rules. Those who know the consequences of doing violence and clearly know what is and what isn’t acceptable who still commit it being fully informed are more likely to have anger issues and a reduced ability to control their impulses. This can be seen as evidence that the child needs intervention before they can move on and be a part of a classroom environment.
School social interactions can have both a positive and negative effect on students. Without social interactions at school, many students would be unable to acquire the skills that some achieve from non-school social activities. Consider a student involved in many different extra-curricular activities and how these can help him/her increase their self-esteem, confidence, and social abilities. Now, compare that student to another who is home-schooled. That student may not develop (or develop at a different rate) the same skills that their would-be peers have obtained. Imagine now if that first student was introduced to an idea or belief that they were not truly prepared to deal with. When I was in elementary and middle school, it was common for students to use the words gay or Jewish as a derogatory, descriptive term. I assume that many of my peers have heard this from others and never thought twice about it. A student who had a much better grasp of the term and the understanding of what it meant to be homosexual or Jewish would react much differently (and likely more appropriately) when hearing the phrase.
I have to agree with Dr. Herring when she talked about the teacher using judgment in their classroom, because “what might be emotional disturbance in one classroom might not be so in the next classroom”. There is no concrete, right-or-wrong way to deal with any kind of social situation. A teacher should be aware of the dynamics of their students and their classroom and react appropriately based on the given occurrence.
I think the authors steps are a good start. The idea of having specialists in a school to help deter school violence makes sense. Everyone should be motivated to keep violence and disturbances out of a school, but it is a great thought to have a couple trained individuals to determine the best methods to complete those tasks. These trained specialists should head the universal, selective, and indicated techniques that the author introduces, but they should also be prepared to discuss and present these strategies to other school officials in order to have a more uniform effort against school violence.
I can best relate the author’s ideas to a football team. A coach should preach teamwork to everyone and explain how everyone on the team is important (Universal). That same coach would talk about the importance of knowing the offensive plays to the players who play on the offensive side of the ball (Selective). Since there are only a few players on the offensive team who are eligible to catch passes, the coach would only go over pass-catching drills with those players (Indicated). However, this does not mean that defensive players would not also need to work on their pass-catching abilities since they may too need to catch the ball.
The author has a good idea about preaching non-violence (pass-catching) to students (football players), but it is important not to let some who may still benefit from those drills be forgotten and slip through the cracks.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
Behavior is affected by social constructions in many ways that stem from pre-school years. “Youth use various forms of aggression to protect and control their social positions and to meet their social needs.” (198) Aggression, however, is not exclusively indicative of at-risk or anti-social students, as some aggressive youths may be highly socially competent. They use aggression as a way of manipulating their social worlds. In short, youths form hierarchies that inevitably leave some youths as less popular/influential than others. Boys prefer physical aggression: taunting, teasing, physical attackts, etc. Girls tend to display social aggression: gossip, rumors, ostracizing people, etc. In all, the social competence and place on the social hierarchy will influence a student’s behavior.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
The teacher’s role in the social dynamic is to focus on promoting social competence and the prevention of interpersonal dynamics that could lead to conflict and aggression. Specifically when considering the social construction of the classroom and how to prevent issues, the teacher should consider the following points:
a. Are there general social skills problems that tend to result in interpersonal difficulties?
b. Are there hierarchical social structures that promote bullying and conflict?
c. Is aggressive and violent behavior associated with higher levels of prominence, status, and influence in the social structure?
d. How do support aggressive behavior?
e. Are there enemy peer groups? (201)
These items, however, only speak to the “universal strategies” of intervention. In the selective or indicated strategies—better, in the multi-level model strategy—the role of the teacher is to consider all positive and negative influencing factors and to seek the appropriate resources and strategies to increase the positive correlation for each student. Specific sited options that could be explored include: training programs to ameliorate common social skill problems, social network interventions that reduce the social influence of bullies by increasing awareness and understanding of hierarchies, and promoting tolerance and acceptance across peer groups.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? (p.208 in the pdf file) Why or Why not?
I do agree with the authors’ proposed approach to school violence prevention. I think that its strongest asset is that is stresses that there is no need to reinvent the wheel—that the existing programs in place in schools and in communities don’t need to be overhauled. Instead, they need only be brought together to function as an interconnected system. Beyond that, I think that instilling a Universal intervention is a wonderful preventative aim to curtail and minimize problems. The greatest strength of the system is the idea of having an intervention specialist or collaborative interventions so that no child slips through the cracks.
How do school social interactions impact a student’s behavior?
According to our text, social interactions have a major impact on individual student’s behavior. This is not a surprise at all. School is a big factor growing up that shapes us as people. With the wrong influences around us or a teacher that offers little guidance, student’s negative behavior can go unchanged and develop worse throughout their schooling. If we try to prevent or spot these problems early, it will be make it easier to help mold behavior into more appropriate behavior. A teacher must also live by the philosophy that you can’t save every student. There will be some students that don’t want to be helped and some that biologic factors, like home, impact their behavior far more than you can. It’s the behavior that you can see that you try to prevent, like bullying. I have watched firsthand how bullying can shape a student’s self-esteem and even showed signs of what the bully will end up being like as an adult. I know a few people that were mean in high school and even 10 years later are still just mean lonely people.
What role should the teacher play in social dynamic?
When reading our text about the role a teacher plays in social dynamic, it sounds to me like it describes a manager. The teacher is there to enforce rules, establish good relationships with multiple people including students and their parents. They also must enforce appropriate behaviors and language. It’s no different than any work place. A manager will tell you when you’re doing a good job and come down on you when your behavior is not what is appropriate. A teacher’s job is difficult because they have to recognize behavior that is not just immaturity and actually problem behavior that needs intervention of some kind. At certain young ages it would be extremely difficult to spot behavior that is not just a kid being a kid.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the author’s propose to prevent school violence? Why or why not?
I absolutely agree with the author’s steps in preventing school violence. It is a great idea to set up rules or guidelines from the start. I have learned from teachers that problem students tend to work better and improve behavior when they have set rules to follow and know what is exactly expected of them. I also like the fact that step system makes it harder for students to fall through the cracks, teachers can notice behavior from the start and the students can begin getting help right away to help them. It almost seems like the system is tailored to individual students. This way those who need more help along the way can receive it, while others that improve won’t need stronger assistance.
How do school social interactions impact a student's behavior?
Every student has a different experience with school. Relationships change from day to day for many of them, and it may be hard, at times, to find stability. Add this to the high anxiety level many students have about social situations, and this can really put students on edge. This could be as simple as what clothes a student is wearing, or the possibility that someone may have cut somebody else in line at lunch. With hormones running wild, it can be a short fuse that makes a student lash out and physically attack someone.
What role should the teacher play in the social dynamic?
Before issues arise, teachers should establish an atmosphere of acceptance. It is important that every student feels safe. Teachers should play the role of peacekeepers when trouble comes. Separating students who are becoming rowdy or increasingly agitated with each other is something a teacher should always keep in mind for the safety of all students.
Do you agree or disagree with the steps the authors propose to prevent school violence? Why or Why not?
The authors have several good points about preventing school violence. "At the universal level, interventions should be aimed
at developing general classroom and school contexts that reduce
conflict by promoting the academic, behavioral, and social adjustment
of all students" (pg 200). To me this is basically setting standards and raising expectations. Like other students I agree with the authors that you do not need to overhaul a prevention system, rather, you should make what rules you have more effective.
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