examples of triggers was fourth suspension this year

[Guest guest]

Dear ne,I am a Spanish Teacher striving to learn how to better serve my diagnosed and non-diagnosed students. I don’t have any answers for you although I clearly support your advocating for your son to have the best IEP possible and then to have it followed. (cyber hug to fight the good fight) To make me a better teacher, can you further explain what you wrote below?“They claimed it was but then didn't even know his triggers when I asked. So how could they be implementing it?.....During the short times that she was there she observed on several occasions where the teacher and the aid clearly argued with my son and literally come down to his 13 year old Asperger/ADHD level.”I’d like to know, if you don’t mind, what are some of the triggers and what should a teacher do?Again, I’m not a special education teacher, but I do want to better understand and include better strategies in my teaching practice. I am always relieved when a student has an IEP – it means others have figured out what to do and will give me guidelines and information and that there is support in place. However, each year I encounter students who present in a similar fashion as my students with AS but whose parents become very defensive and insist their child isn’t different and thus I have no supports to turn to in managing this student. I teach 7th grade and some of these students could cope with one elementary school teacher all day but in middle school, the changing classes spotlights the child’s differences. So if I had a few examples of some triggers and how to handle them, it may make it easier for me to use that lens to see triggers in others. I have read The Explosive Child and it opened my eyes, but now I would really appreciate any triggers and suggestions on what a teacher should do when observing the triggers, especially for middle and high school students.If anyone else wants to add to this thread, I’d be most appreciative. Thank youE.C. Bernardwww.ecbernard.org

[Guest guest]

Thanks for asking this question. It would be great if teachers would be trained

in positive reinforcement strategies. This way there

would rarely be a trigger although there may be difficulties that

they struggle with. Every student would benefit. Training is available many

places, but I know of the original developers are from Yale Parent and Child

Conduct Clinic. They train over the phone too. It is a practice developed 30

years ago and is used in many trials to compare drugs to PMT (PMT is considered

better or as good often than medications). All kids and people do better with

this shaping strategy. PMT is an evidence based management program, yet people

use something more appropriate for the criminal justice system (harsh

punishments). PMT was around before ABA was developed they are very similar. I

think PMT is easier to grasp and is for any kind of

behavior issues.

Triggers:

1) Proding the student to transition faster, it is better

to let them start getting ready sooner than the others. Or help

them get organized.

2) Change in routine, you need to talk about the change

ahead of time.

3) Sustaining focus on boring tasks are very difficult

for AS kids, if you know this is a problem they are

usually given breaks (they may want to read alittle, or

get up).

4) Sarcastic comments or threats trigger anxiety/anger.

For example, do your work or you will lose recess

(this is a change in schedule that they will react to).

5) Any kind of criticism may trigger an argument. You want

to use positive reinforcement strategies.

6) Teachers/Parents need to focus on one or two behaviors they

want to work on and that is it. They want to teach

the behavior they want and praise any small steps.

The problem is often that the expectations for

behavior change are too high. If the kid was

more typical and could do better, they would not have a DX in the first place.

There reasoning skills are often good, but

emotional regulation is not. So they overreact very very

quickly. Even if they don't act out they often are very

anxious about life in general.

7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick partners

is a mess the AS kid is often left out.

8) Any work that involves social perspective needs

to be explicitly taught. Often there are problems in

reading comprehension and writing.

9) Organization is a mess, they need help.

Pam

>

> Dear ne,

>

> I am a Spanish Teacher striving to learn how to better serve my diagnosed

> and non-diagnosed students. I don't have any answers for you although I

> clearly support your advocating for your son to have the best IEP possible

> and then to have it followed. (cyber hug to fight the good fight)

>

> To make me a better teacher, can you further explain what you wrote below?

>

> " They claimed it was but then didn't even know his triggers when I asked. So

> how could they be implementing it?.....During the short times that she was

> there she observed on several occasions where the teacher and the aid

> clearly argued with my son and literally come down to his 13 year old

> Asperger/ADHD level. "

>

> I'd like to know, if you don't mind, what are some of the triggers and what

> should a teacher do?

>

> Again, I'm not a special education teacher, but I do want to better

> understand and include better strategies in my teaching practice. I am

> always relieved when a student has an IEP - it means others have figured out

> what to do and will give me guidelines and information and that there is

> support in place.

>

> However, each year I encounter students who present in a similar fashion as

> my students with AS but whose parents become very defensive and insist their

> child isn't different and thus I have no supports to turn to in managing

> this student. I teach 7th grade and some of these students could cope with

> one elementary school teacher all day but in middle school, the changing

> classes spotlights the child's differences.

>

> So if I had a few examples of some triggers and how to handle them, it may

> make it easier for me to use that lens to see triggers in others. I have

> read The Explosive Child and it opened my eyes, but now I would really

> appreciate any triggers and suggestions on what a teacher should do when

> observing the triggers, especially for middle and high school students.

>

> If anyone else wants to add to this thread, I'd be most appreciative. Thank

> you

>

> E.C. Bernard

>

> www.ecbernard.org

>