Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
affects on behavior:
Prevention/ Alternatives to
out of school suspension
Marist College
Spring 2018
Julissa Marcano and Nicole Snook
About the Authors…
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Part 1:
School Suspension
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Effectively managing challenging student behaviors such as violence,
from school through the use of suspension. It has been documented that the rates of
Catalano, 2014). Traditionally, it has been believed that out of school suspension
guarantees that an offending act is punished and that by removing the offending
student from the school environment and the student’s influence on others would
that certain behaviors are not tolerated. Ironically , after a student is suspended,
they are often placed into the environment that they may have demonstrated
Research has shown that schools with higher rates of out of school
suspension are not safer nor the most effective strategy especially when it comes to
academic achievement. Students who experience out of school suspension may risk
behavior and may associate with other individuals which will further increase their
much as 10 times more likely to drop out of high school as well. It is important to
note that the APA determined that schools with high rates of suspension generally
have lower academic quality, receive lower ratings on school governance measures
and pay less attention to school climate (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013).
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Further evidence suggests that students who have been suspended are more
substance abuse and crime/persistent rule violations will have a long-term societal
cost. Ironically, students who are most likely to be suspended may have the most to
gain from a positive school environment. Daniel Quin and Sheryl A. Hemphill
conducted a study in 2014 to explore the experiences of students who have been
previously suspended. Students reported that being suspended did not help solve
the underlying issues that lead to the suspension and reported limited teacher
assistance upon return to school. This study went on to discuss that the school
Resources
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(policy statement, Council on School Health). Pediatrics, 131 .
Hemphill, S. A., Plenty, S. M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Toumbourou, J. W., & Catalano,
Quin, D., & Hemphill, S. A. (2014). Students’ experiences of school suspension. Health
Jason A. Okonofua once said, “Changing the mindset of one teacher can
change the social experience of that child’s entire world.” By this he meant, that
school professionals should take the time to consider how young people view
respect. By doing so, this can greatly improve classroom management. Basic things
Paunesku, and Gregory M. Walton conducted a study in 2016 that showed that
teachers reading an article on how positive relationships with teachers can facilitate
students’ growth, ideas of a teacher making his or her students feel heard, valued,
and respected were reinforced through stories from students. Teachers were then
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asked to write how they could incorporate these ideas in their own practice.
change for others. They were exposed to powerful stories on which they elaborated
message, to associate it to their own practice and to advocate for others. This study
disciplining can make a he difference in the classroom. As human beings, one thing
we crave is respect. Feeling respected can change how a student may behave in
class and how much effort they put into their academic assignments (Sparks, 2016).
Research shows that when students feel cared for by people at their school
and feel a part of their school, they are less likely to engage in problem behaviors.
Schools need to be able to meet students’ needs, which include, opportunities for
include violence, antisocial behavior, bullying, school rule violations, drug use, and
Resources
Hemphill, S. A., Plenty, S. M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Toumbourou, J. W., & Catalano,
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R. F. (2014). Student and school factors associated with school suspension: A
Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage
misbehaving, it can be easy for the most compassionate teachers to fall under the
trap of the quick fix, “Leave the classroom” or “Go to the principal’s office.” These
temporary reliefs however do not fix anything in the long run. Applying an
classroom may have the power to transform disciplinary interactions with students
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and may positively affect both student-teacher and student-peer relationships.
Shared Identity practice can be used to better connect with students. One of the
are less motivated to help those who are different from us, and at times educators
can feel worlds apart from their students. However, acknowledging shared
experiences and/or identities may alleviate some of that “difference.” Educators can
of all of the things you may have in common with the student. When finished, look it
over and consider all the ways in which you are both connected. Establishing an
and searching for commonalities we share versus differences. Using this technique
Resource
teachers_can_reduce_suspensions_by_practicing_empathy
Shared Identity
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Appropriate Grade Level: Middle to High School
Duration & Frequency: One to two times per week for 30 minutes
Materials:
o Piece of paper
o Pencil
Progress Monitoring:
much students feel connected to one another and feel “understood” and
and respected using the following activities. After first three times of
o Teachers may also track disciplinary referrals within their classroom to see if
this activity has impacted number of referrals sent to the principal’s office that
Directions:
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1. For the first three weeks, for 15 minutes, pair up with another student
2. Think about the student and how they may be different from you. They may
have different interests, different life experiences, etc. They may even be
someone with whom you have had a personal conflict, or who belongs to a
group that has been in conflict with a group to which you belong.
3. Next, make a list of all the things that you may share in common with this
other student. Maybe you both have pets, have a brother or sister, like
basketball, like to dance etc. At the broadest level, you both belong to the
human species, which means that you share 99.9% of your DNA.
4. Review your lists with your partner. Did you find anything new? How do you
see this person in a new light? Now, instead of simply seeing this person as
someone unfamiliar to you, try to see this person as an individual, one whose
5. ***Teachers should join the activity as well and partner up with a student
how
6. After the activity, administer the quiz. It is important to assure the students
7. After 3 weeks, On Mondays, both Shared Identity and Empathy skills training
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b. Lesson 2: Discussion about empathy
Family Component
Resource
edu/files/gse-mcc/files/empathy.pdf
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Figure 1: Connectedness/Empathy Quiz
1. Empathy is:
a. Sharing the interests or feelings of others
b. To feel or think alike
c. The ability to understand how others feel and show them in a caring way that
understanding
d. Spending time with someone out of obligation
3. During the past week, before I judged someone, I tried to imagine how I would feel if I
were in his or her place
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly Disagree
5. In the past week, I felt upset seeing someone being treated disrespectfully.
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly Disagree
6. In the past week, I thought about events that could make my friends happy
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly Disagree
7. In the past week, I tried understanding my friends better by imagining how things look
from their perspective
a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly Disagree
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8. In the past week, I helped someone when they were upset
a. Yes
b. No
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Figure 2: 10 Week Lesson Plans
2. Discuss what is empathy, can anyone define it, write different ideas down
3. Have students get into groups and make a poster about empathy to hang in
school hallway
1. Discuss three things the students learned from the previous lesson
work
empathetic
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2. Explain that you will be reading aloud scenarios and you will be asking
students to present with their hands how much they feel the feelings of the
3. Scenarios: ***these are examples, teacher can modify and add more if desired
c. James just got glasses for the first time. He is being teased for wearing
d. Emily forgot her math homework and now the teacher is giving him a
What do you think was the reason you felt more empathetic towards
Did it make a difference if the person was a boy or girl in the situation
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Lesson 4: Empathy Continuum
3. What did it feel like to see how much others felt or how less they felt than
you?
1. Explain to students that you will be reading statements that may apply to
them and if the statement does apply to them, they should walk a step
forward.
2. Tell students there will be no talking during the exercise and that they
3. Every student starts off standing near each other in a straight line
Statements:
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Walk forward if you have lost someone you love
Walk forward if you have ever felt hurt or judged for the color of your
skin
Walk forward if you have ever been teased or hurt because somebody
teacher or student
Walk forward if you have ever done anything you are ashamed of
4. Ask students to look around room and think about anything they had ever
thought about people in this room when they first walked into the room
5. Ask them to raise hands if anything they had thought had changed for them
6. Ask students:
c. How did it feel to see others walk forward when you did not for a
particular statement?
d. How do you think this activity helped you to understand others that
Lesson 6: Discussion
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4. “We are all more alike than you think”
2. The students will go around the circle, one at a time, and tell the group
something personal about themselves that they are willing to share. They
My name is and if you really knew me, you would know that
3. Ask:
How do you think this activity helped you to understand others that
3. Conclude
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Figure 3: Family Fact Sheet
How can parents cultivate empathy? The following are five guideposts based on research and the
wisdom of practitioners.
Children learn empathy both from watching us and from experiencing our empathy for them.
When we empathize with our children they develop trusting, secure attachments with us. Those
attachments are key to their wanting to adopt our values and to model our behavior, and therefore
to building their empathy for others.
Empathizing with our children takes many forms, including tuning in to their physical and
emotional needs, understanding and respecting their individual personalities, taking a genuine
interest in their lives, and guiding them toward activities that reflect an understanding of the kind
of people they are and the things they enjoy.
Children also learn empathy by watching those we notice and appreciate. They’ll notice if we
treat a server in a restaurant or a mail carrier as if they’re invisible. On the positive side, they’ll
notice if we welcome a new family in our child’s school or express concern about another child in
our child’s class who is experiencing one challenge or another.
Finally, it’s important for us to recognize what might be getting in the way of our empathizing.
Are we, for example, exhausted or stressed? Does our child push our buttons in a specific way
that makes caring for her or him hard at times?
Try this
1. Knowing your child. Ask your child questions. For example, what did you learn today
that was interesting? What was the hardest part of your day? How would you most like to
spend a day if you could do anything? Do you have a friend that you especially respect?
Why do your respect that person?
2. Demonstrating empathy for others, including those different from you. Consider
regularly engaging in community service or model other ways of contributing to a
community. Even better, consider doing this with your child. Express interest in those
from various backgrounds facing many different types of challenges.
3. Engaging in self-care and self-reflection. Try to find time to regularly engage in an
activity — whether it’s going for a walk, reading a book, meditating or praying — that
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can help you avoid being overwhelmed by stress. Reflect and consult with people you
trust when you’re having a hard time empathizing with your child.
2. Make caring for others a priority and set high ethical expectations
If children are to value others’ perspectives and show compassion for them, it’s very important
that they hear from their parents that caring about others is a top priority, and that it is just as
important as their own happiness. Even though most parents say that raising caring children is a
top priority, often children aren’t hearing that message.
Try this
1. Keeping to a clear message. Consider the daily messages you send to children about the
importance of caring. For example, instead of saying “The most important thing is that
you’re happy,” you might say “The most important thing is that you’re kind and that
you’re happy.”
2. Prioritizing caring when you talk with other important adults in your children’s lives.
For example, ask teachers and coaches whether your children are caring community
members in addition to asking about their academic skills, grades, or performance.
3. Helping your children understand that the world doesn’t revolve around them. It’s vital
at times for parents to put children’s concern for others above their happiness, for
example, insisting at times that children turn off the TV and help around the house, be
polite even when they are in a bad mood, or not dominate the airwaves when they are
talking to other children or adults.
Children are born with the capacity for empathy, but it needs to be nurtured throughout their
lives. Learning empathy is in certain respects like learning a language or a sport. It requires
practice and guidance. Regularly considering other people’s perspectives and circumstances helps
make empathy a natural reflex and, through trial and error, helps children get better at tuning into
others’ feelings and perspectives.
Try this
1. Having family meetings. Hold family meetings when there are family challenges or
conflicts, and in those meetings give children a voice and encourage them to take the
perspective of other family members. Listen carefully to your children’s views and ask
your children to listen carefully to the views of others.
2. Encouraging empathy for peers. Ask children about their classmates and other peers. Ask
children when they’re in conflicts with peers to consider their peers’ perspectives.
3. Reflecting on empathy and caring. Notice with your child when you’re together and
someone exhibits strong empathy—or shows a lack of empathy—either in your daily life
or in a book or on television. Discuss why acts of empathy are important and why lacking
empathy can be harmful.
4. Discussing ethical dilemmas. Discuss with your child ethical dilemmas that help them
appreciate various perspectives, e.g., “Should I invite a new neighbor to my birthday
party when my best friend doesn’t like her?” “Should I tell my friend if I know her
boyfriend, who is also my friend, cheated on her?”
5. Supporting doing with. Encourage children not just to do service, to “do for” others, but
to “do with” others, working with diverse groups of students to respond to community
problems.
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4. Expand your child’s circle of concern
We often talk about empathy as a quantity. For example, we speak of children as having a lot of
or a little empathy or as lacking empathy entirely. Yet the issue often isn’t whether children can
empathize or how much empathy they have. It is who they have empathy for. For most of us, it’s
not hard to have empathy for our family members and close friends. It’s also human nature to
have empathy for people who are like us in some way. But the real issue is whether children (and
adults) have empathy outside that circle. As parents and caretakers, it’s not only important that
we model appreciation for many types of people. It’s important that we guide children in
understanding and caring for many kinds of people who are different from them and who may be
facing challenges very different from their own challenges.
Try this:
1. Zooming in and out. Help children learn to zoom in, tuning in carefully to others, but
also to zoom out, taking in multiple perspectives and people. Use newspaper or TV
stories
to start conversations with children about other people’s hardships and challenges, or
simply the different experiences of children in another country or community.
2. Understanding those who are different or struggling: Emphasize with your child the
importance of really listening to others, especially those people who may seem unfamiliar
whom they don’t immediately understand. Encourage children to consider the feelings of
those who may be vulnerable, such as a child experiencing some family trouble or an
unpopular child. Give children some simple ideas for taking action, like comforting a
classmate who was teased.
Often when children don’t express empathy it’s not because they don’t have it. It’s because some
feeling or image is blocking their empathy. Often the ability to care for others is overwhelmed,
for example, by anger, shame, envy, or other negative feelings.
Helping children manage these negative feelings as well as stereotypes and prejudices about
others is often what “releases” their empathy.
Try this
1. Identifying feelings. Name for children their difficult feelings such as frustration, sadness
and anger and encourage them to talk to you about why they’re feeling that way.
2. 3 steps to self-control. A simple way to help children to manage their feelings is to
practice three easy steps together: stop, take a deep breath through the nose and exhale
through the mouth, and count to five. Try it when your children are calm. Then, when
you see them getting upset, remind them about the steps and do them together.
3. Resolving conflicts. Practice with your child how to resolve conflicts. Consider a conflict
you or your child witnessed or experienced that turned out badly, and role play different
ways of responding. Try to achieve mutual understanding—listening to and paraphrasing
each other’s feelings until both persons feel understood. If your child observes you
experiencing a difficult feeling and is concerned, talk to your child about how you are
handling it.
***A PDF file can be found at https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/files/gse-
mcc/files/empathy.pdf
Figure 4
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Treatment Integrity Checklist:
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Coach Card 2:
Ripple Effects -
Social/Emotional Skills Training
Research has shown that behavior support within the school system can be
behaviors, school suspension, and dropout rates. A multi tiered system approach
can be used to improve outcomes for all students (Sugai & Horner, 2009). Ripple
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Effects is designed to assist educators in preventing social injury and promote
school and life success for all children and adolescents, especially those most at risk
and training for both students and staff. It offers opportunities for educators to
manuals are also available in which preconfigured plans make it possible for
address group and individual risk factors and personalize delivery of the
used in in-school suspension and detention settings and focuses on five key steps –
identifying a strength in the student, discuss with the student the issue that
prompted the referral, have the student consider underlying reasons for their
behavior, build on another strength of the student, and track progress through a
score sheet or the online data manager. Students who are engaged in Ripple Effects
are less likely to be repeat offenders and are less likely to engage in behaviors that
achievement and Eagle Eye Parent Postcards to alert parents to what their children
are doing “right.” Ripple Effects can be used to address behavior challenges,
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Resources
Ripple Effects
Materials: Ripple Effects Digital Tools ($$$) Price varies, however one may test
Progress Monitoring: Behavior Report Card completed by teacher (See Figure 1 for
Directions:
1. Set a site-wide goal for the school. In this case the goal would be to reduce
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2. Implement weekly lessons focusing on topics such as personalized skill
students.
reports can be customized for free based on the goals of the school on
Intervention Central.
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Figure 5 – Progress Monitoring Behavior Report Card
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o SEL training is most effective when it is universal and personalized
o Ripple Effects personalizes Universal SEL in two ways: by providing the means
for each student to build particular SEL skills they most need and by offering
differentiated instructional options for students within the same assigned scope
and sequence.
o Some clients use Ripple Effects as a stand-alone SEL curriculum, with the
o Ripple Effects can also be infused directly into regular academic classrooms,
where specific lessons and learning activities can be matched to language arts,
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o Fully self-contained, multimedia apps deliver targeted intervention directly
tools
reinforcement
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Coach Card 3 & Intervention Kit
Life Skills Training:
Substance Use Prevention
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Most schools in the United States, a first-time offense of substance use, such
well as the students’ parents or guardians being notified. However, many schools in
the United States will suspend a student, even for first-time offenses of alcohol and
other drugs. For illegal drugs, suspension and notification to local authorities is the
typical consequence in most schools in the United States. Many studies have shown
that U.S. schools are more likely to only use punitive consequences rather than
Substance use, such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, increases rapidly
during adolescences. Early onset of use is associated with a higher risk for negative
health, social, and behavioral problems, as well as negative physical and mental
health problems. Early onset of of substance use is also associated with higher rates
of this established pattern, the time of adolescences has become a target period for
intervention and prevention initiatives. Providing education and life skills training
in the school setting can aid in preventing or delaying the onset of substance use
The Life Skills Training program focuses on three main domain areas – Drug
Resistance Skills, Personal Self-Management Skills, and General Social Skills. In the
Drug Resistance skills portion, students learn to recognize and challenge common
misconceptions about substance use, as well as deal with peer and social media
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pressure. Students learn to examine their own self-image, set goals and track
effectively, use both verbal and nonverbal assertiveness skills, and learn about
options other than aggression or passivity in tough situations. The Life Skills
Studies of the Life Skills Training program has shown results of significantly
decreased use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and multiple drugs among students
who were provided with the program. The Life Skills Training program provides a
comprehensive program for the first year of implementation and two years of
booster lessons for the second and third year of implementation (Griffin & Botvin,
2010)
Resources
Evan-Whipp, T., Beyers, J. M., Lloyd, S., Lafazia, A. N., Toumbourou, J. W., Arthur, M.
W., Catalano, R. F., (2004). A review of school drug policies and their impact on
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Life Skills Training
Target: Decrease substance use and increase social and self-management skills
Location: Classroom
use/decrease drug use if already using. Ask students to complete the daily drug use
self-monitoring sheet each day of the week. Ask students to answer honestly,
ensuring that results will not be shared unless the student appears to be a danger to
themselves or others, at which point the student will be address privately. Students
are asked to provide their student ID number instead of their names to keep sheets
visibly anonymous. A self-monitoring sheet will be collected prior to the first week
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of implementation to obtain baseline information. Self-monitoring sheets will be
collected the Friday of each week for the 15 weeks of lessons. Students will also be
asked to fill out a student health survey to obtain initial information of current drug
education level and current amount of drug use. The student health survey will be
Directions:
1. Prior to Week 1, have students complete one week of the daily drug use self-
monitoring log (see Figure 6) and student health survey (see Figure 7)
2. Follow lesson plan for appropriate week – layout should include 2-3 minutes
each Friday.
Adapted from Botvin’s Life Skills Training program. The Life Skills Training program
https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/botvin-lifeskills-training-middle-school-
program/
At Home Component:
home. The goal of Family Matters is to prevent adolescent tobacco and alcohol use
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downloadable online or sent by mail, which covers why families matter, helping
parents/guardians matter to teens, alcohol and tobacco rules in the family, and non-
family influences. In the initial study of Family Matters, a baseline interview was
conducted with the parents and with the adolescent prior to beginning the program.
A follow-up interview was conducted by phone three months and one year following
Resource
prevent adolescent alcohol and tobacco use and its evaluation. Retrieved
from http://familymatters.sph.unc.edu/index.htm
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Figure 6
Sample Lesson Plan: Decision Making
1. Introduce the Lesson: As you get older, the more and more decisions you
have to make on your own. Sometimes, these decisions can be difficult to
make. It is important to carefully think about your decision, consider
outcomes and consequences, and be aware of what influences your decision.
To make an effective decision, we can consider three C’s - Clarify, Consider,
Choose. We will discuss these three C’s more in a little.
2. Warm Up: See Decision Making Worksheet below (5 minutes)
Points to Make:
We are involved with decisions every day – some we do
without thought, others require more time and consideration.
Many decisions we make are influences by other people.
3. Discuss: Difficult Decisions (10 minutes)
Have students share a recent difficult decision they had to make. Have
them share how they went about making the decision and who
influenced them to make their final choice. Ask students what they
think the best way to go about a difficult decision is.
4. Discuss: Making Better Decisions (20 minutes)
When we have difficult decisions to make, we can consider working
through the three C’s – clarify, consider, and choose.
Clarify what decision you need to make.
Consider the possible alternatives and consequences of
choosing each alternative.
Choose the best alternative for you and take action. Assess
afterwards if you were satisfied with your decision.
a. Exercise: Decision Making Practice
Clarify the Problem
Consider 3 alternatives & consequences
Choose the best decision
Example Situation #1
Your teacher gave your class a homework assignment that is due the
next day and is a large part of your grade for the course. That night
there is an important basketball game that all of your friends will be
attending. If you go to the basketball game, you won’t have time to do
your homework, but you know someone who might let you copy their
homework.
Example Situation #2
Your friends what to get together at your house after school when no
one is home. They want to drink alcohol. You want to be with your
friends, but you know your parents will be angry and you’ll get in a lot
of trouble if your friends drink at your house.
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Next have students think of a decision they will have to make in the
near future. Have them clarify what the problem is, consider three
alternative choices and consequences, then choose the best decision
to make.
5. Summary:
We are involved in making decisions every day. Some decisions are
made without much thought, and others require more time and
conscious effort.
Pressure from other people often influences our decisions.
We often let ourselves be influenced by group members because we
want to be accepted by the group and not be considered unpopular.
When we are being persuaded to do something, we need to make
sure we do it only if it is consistent with what we want.
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Decision Making Worksheet
Make a list of the most important decisions you have to make regularly at home,
school, or with friends.
Check off whether you make those decisions On Your Own or whether you are
influenced by others. Check all that apply
to each decision.
Teachers
Parents
Friends
On My
Media
Own
At Home
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
At School
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
With Friends
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
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Figure 7
Date Used Drugs? Y/N Total # Urges to Situation Related to your Thoughts or feelings
of Drinks Use drugs? drug use or urges experienced when using
Y/N (alone, social situation) drugs or had urges
Month & Primary Secondary If none, Y=Yes
Day write “0” N=No
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
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Example of Progress Monitoring
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Figure 8
Posttest______
Section A
1. How many years old are you? (Circle One)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
3. Who do you live with most of the time? (Pick Only One)
4. Which of the following best describes you? (Pick All that Apply)
White
Black or African-American
Hispanic/Latino
Asian
American Indian/Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander More than one race
Other: __________________________
Mostly A’s (90-100) Mostly C’s (70-79) D’s or lower (less than 60) Mostly B’s
(80-89) Mostly D’s (60-69)
7. About how many days were you absent from school last year? (Pick Only One)
None 1-2 days 3-6 days 7-15 days 16 or more days
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Section B
Directions: Read each statement below and indicate whether you think each is True or
False by filling in the appropriate circle.
True False
1. Most adults smoke cigarettes.
2. Smoking a cigarette causes your heart to beat slower.
3. Few adults drink wine, beer, or liquor every day.
4. Most people my age smoke marijuana.
5. Smoking marijuana causes your heart to beat faster.
6. Most adults use cocaine or other hard drugs.
7. Cocaine and other hard drugs always make you feel good.
8. What we believe about ourselves affects the way we act or behave.
9. It is almost impossible to develop a more positive self-image.
10. It is important to measure how far you have come toward reaching your
goal.
11. It’s a good idea to make a decision and then think about the
consequences later.
12. Smoking can affect the steadiness of your hands.
13. A stimulant is a chemical that calms down the body.
14. Smoking reduces a person’s endurance for physical activity.
15. A serving of beer or wine contains less alcohol than a serving of “hard
liquor” such as whiskey.
16. Alcohol is a depressant.
17. Marijuana smoking can improve your eyesight.
18. Some advertisers are deliberately deceptive.
19. Companies advertise only because they want you to have all the facts
about their products.
20. It’s a good idea to get all information about a product from its ads.
True False
21. Most people do not experience anxiety.
22. There is very little you can do when you feel anxious.
23. Deep breathing is one way to lessen anxiety.
24. Mental rehearsal is a poor relaxation technique.
25. You can avoid misunderstandings by assuming the other person knows
what you mean.
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26. Effective communication is when both sender and receiver interpret a
message in the same way.
27. Relaxation techniques are of no use when meeting people.
28. A compliment is more effective when it is said sincerely.
29. A nice way of ending a conversation is to tell the person you enjoyed
talking with him or her.
30. Sense of humor is an example of a non-physical attribute.
31. It’s better to be polite and lead someone on, even if you don’t want to go
out with them.
32. Almost all people who are assertive are either rude or hostile.
Section C
Directions: Please fill in the circle to show how much you agree or disagree with each
statement.
Section D
Directions: Please fill in the circle to show how much you agree or disagree with each
statement.
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2. Drink beer, wine, or
liquor.
3. Smoke marijuana
or hashish.
4. Use cocaine or
other drugs.
Neither
Strongly Strongly
Agree Agree nor Disagree
Agree Disagree
Disagree
I would:
5. Tell someone if they gave me
less change (money) than I was
supposed to get back after paying
for something.
6. Say “no” to someone who asks
to borrow money from me.
7. Tell someone to go to the end
of the line if they try to cut ahead
of me.
Neither
Strongly Strongly
Agree Agree Nor Disagree
Agree Disagree
Disagree
In order to cope with stress or anxiety, I would:
8. Relax all the muscles in my
body, starting with my feet and
legs.
9. Breathe in slowly while I count
to four and hold my breath for a
count of four and breathe out for
a count of four.
Strongly Neither Agree Strongly
Agree Disagree
Agree Nor Disagree Disagree
In general:
10. If I find that something is
really difficult, I get frustrated
and quit.
11. I stick to what I’m doing
until I’m finished with it.
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Figure 9: Treatment Integrity Checklist
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Alternative Programs to Out of
School Suspension…
Although the ultimate goal is keep students in the classroom and out of
trouble, In-School Suspension (ISS) can be used as a tool for students who engage in
problematic behaviors that require more discipline than just a warning. When a
student is in ISS they are removed from their typical classroom for a portion of the
day to up to a few full days. Students are still kept in a classroom environment,
which allows school officials to both punish the problematic behavior but also
(Blomberg, 2004).
intervention classroom initiative designed to tackle the needs of student who have
developing more effective coping skills and pro-social behaviors while remaining on
track with academics in the classroom. Due to limited information online, Diana
Johnson, the PASS coordinator for Orange County Public Schools was contacted. She
shared that students are selected to participate in the program according to what
the school administrator feels is appropriate. There are no more than 15 students
due the classroom having a kitchen and a bathroom. The class is divided into 7
50
periods. During the first class, an orientation packet is distributed. Students then
discuss what behavioral infraction they engaged in and if they feel their punishment
is fair. Both teacher and student sign a contract and rules of the classroom are then
assignments. To avoid contact with a teacher or teachers that might have given the
student a referral, all assignments are posted on Google Classroom in order for the
student to access academic work being completed in class. This allows students to
remain on track with their coursework and not fall behind. As for lesson plans that
involve character development, lesson plans are developed through what PBIS
offers. Diana shared that rates of suspension have decreased and that students
benefit from the PASS program greatly. Students benefit from the structured
Resources
Blomberg, N. (2004). Effective discipline for misbehavior: In school vs. out of school
51
Part 2:
Useful websites for support
in reducing school
suspension
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Website: http://www.teachsafeschools.org/alternatives-to-suspension.html
Melissa Institute Scientific Board and other experts from the fields of psychology
intended to help educators assess the safety in their school and develop and
intervention plan to meet their school’s needs, and consider alternatives to school
suspension and zero tolerance programs. It also provides resources to help school
professionals assess their school’s social climate, involve parents, and help teachers
impact learning and safety as well. Handouts, links, and downloads are also
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Website: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/suspension-and-expulsion-
early-childhood
Overview: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
works to promote high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8.
community and more than 50 Affiliates who work together to achieve a vision: “That
all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach
their full potential.” NAEYC provides evidence-based resources, tips and ideas for
families, information on how to support teachers and students in the classroom and
provides research and resources about suspension and targeting it in the early years
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Website: https://www.empoweringparents.com/article-categories/child-
behavior-problems/
Overview: This website is run by experts in the fields of Psychology and Social
Work. Empowering Parents allows parents to speak one-on-one with one of the
website’s many expert coaches regarding problems and/or concerns they have
$99/year, but a 7 day free trial is available. Empowering Parents also provides
parents may consider reading articles pertaining to abusive & violent behavior,
aggression, anger & defiance, arguing & fighting, bullying, disrespect, power
struggles, stealing, substance use & risky behavior, and yelling & swearing. This
website also provides sample behavior charts that may be used with preschool and
courses available for parents, which include topics such as step-by-step parenting
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Website: https://naptimeacademy.com/prevent-expulsion-early-care/
Division of Child Care and Early Care and Education (DCCECE), the University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas State University Early Childhood Services
and the University of Arkansas Early Care and Education Projects. Naptime
Academy includes 30-60 minute online courses on practical strategies to use in the
classroom and home. The courses meet the immediate learning needs of caregivers
to improve their skills in caring for young children and working with parents and
behaviors, working with families, and etc. As part of the learning process, videos are
shown to demonstrate and model difficult conversations with parents and how to
solve challenges in the classroom. External resources are also available to print for
personal use related to topics being taught. There are two payment options that
include purchasing a plan for $24 a month or $99 a year. Its goal is to prevent
56
Part 3:
Useful apps for support in
managing problem behaviors
Rating: 5.0
These 5 apps all have social stories and other tools and
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