For parents of a child with behavioral issues, meeting with the classroom teacher can be a regular occurrence. Some children have trouble sitting still, following directions, and acting appropriately in school. In certain instances, there is more behind these behaviors than immaturity. When teachers and school administrators have tried the usual remedies without success, they may suggest starting functional behavior assessment steps.
To be an effective partner in the process, you have to understand exactly what functional behavior assessment, or FBA, involves. Most educators genuinely care about the youngsters they teach. When children struggle, they want to help. Inappropriate behaviors don't just happen. There are reasons for them. Finding those reasons and changing them into positive energy is the goal.
There are a number of professionals involved in the FBA process. The school psychologist often leads the team and talks to individuals who have regular contact with your child. She also sits down with your child to evaluate his thought process and to conduct behavioral testing. Other members of the immediate team usually include the child, the parent, classroom and special education teachers, and school administrators.
Before inappropriate behaviors can be assessed, they have to be defined. Generalizations like disruptive and inappropriate are too vague to have much value. What is required are accurate, unbiased details regarding specific incidents that have occurred in and out of class. The more information the professionals have, the better the eventual plan will be.
Analyzing the data is the next step. The experts are looking for clues to the reasons behind the behaviors. They analyze when and where instances occur and how often. They want to know if there are common factors at play immediately preceding an incident, and if particular people might trigger an inappropriate outburst. Conversely, specialists analyze the times when the child is calm and happy. They try to find out whether this happens at certain times, in certain places, or around specific people.
Once the data has been analyzed, the professionals try to come up with a hypothesis for the reasons behind the inappropriate behaviors. This is not an easy process. Many times it is a process of elimination. Specialists have to assess the possibilities that the child is evading or trying to escape an uncomfortable situation. They know behavior is the child's way of accomplishing a goal.
Finally the specialists devise a plan of intervention. This is designed to redirect the child's energy into positive behaviors and reward him for his efforts. There are no set guidelines for this plan. Each one has to be tailor made to fit the unique circumstances surrounding each child. The plan might include changing the physical environment, adjusting teaching methods, varying routines, or changing the consequences for negative actions.
Being a kid is harder for some than others. Sitting still, listening instead of talking, and being judged by test papers can be too much for certain types of kids. Getting to the root of the reasoning behind inappropriate responses to classroom routine can set a special child on the road to academic success.
To be an effective partner in the process, you have to understand exactly what functional behavior assessment, or FBA, involves. Most educators genuinely care about the youngsters they teach. When children struggle, they want to help. Inappropriate behaviors don't just happen. There are reasons for them. Finding those reasons and changing them into positive energy is the goal.
There are a number of professionals involved in the FBA process. The school psychologist often leads the team and talks to individuals who have regular contact with your child. She also sits down with your child to evaluate his thought process and to conduct behavioral testing. Other members of the immediate team usually include the child, the parent, classroom and special education teachers, and school administrators.
Before inappropriate behaviors can be assessed, they have to be defined. Generalizations like disruptive and inappropriate are too vague to have much value. What is required are accurate, unbiased details regarding specific incidents that have occurred in and out of class. The more information the professionals have, the better the eventual plan will be.
Analyzing the data is the next step. The experts are looking for clues to the reasons behind the behaviors. They analyze when and where instances occur and how often. They want to know if there are common factors at play immediately preceding an incident, and if particular people might trigger an inappropriate outburst. Conversely, specialists analyze the times when the child is calm and happy. They try to find out whether this happens at certain times, in certain places, or around specific people.
Once the data has been analyzed, the professionals try to come up with a hypothesis for the reasons behind the inappropriate behaviors. This is not an easy process. Many times it is a process of elimination. Specialists have to assess the possibilities that the child is evading or trying to escape an uncomfortable situation. They know behavior is the child's way of accomplishing a goal.
Finally the specialists devise a plan of intervention. This is designed to redirect the child's energy into positive behaviors and reward him for his efforts. There are no set guidelines for this plan. Each one has to be tailor made to fit the unique circumstances surrounding each child. The plan might include changing the physical environment, adjusting teaching methods, varying routines, or changing the consequences for negative actions.
Being a kid is harder for some than others. Sitting still, listening instead of talking, and being judged by test papers can be too much for certain types of kids. Getting to the root of the reasoning behind inappropriate responses to classroom routine can set a special child on the road to academic success.
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