Behavior Bits
March 2022
Back to Basics
Last month's Behavior Bits touched a little on the concept of unconditioned reinforcers, like the feeling of a full belly or being well rested. How incredibly and powerfully satisfying are those, right!? I'd be willing to venture that I was not the only one drooling over (or dreaming about) when I can next meet these needs for myself.
I bring unconditioned reinforcers up again now because spring has sprung and I know many of us are exhausted. In addition to the trauma of natural disasters and pandemics these past few years, it has been a difficult school year to create a sense of safety through consistent routine for campuses. We are deprived of many of our basic needs, as we have been running into and out of crisis mode, accommodating staff shortages and classroom quarantines and the like.
This month's Bits operationalizes some behaviors which may indicate overwhelm, and provides some resources and suggestions for responding to it. You're not alone in it all, and however you respond (including by being present and sitting in your feels) is absolutely okay. You are doing your best wherever you are at. You've got this. I believe in you.
Geek Speak
What are some ways BCBAs can support our educator colleagues during this time? Coaching rather than consulting may be a more compassionate approach to meet everyone where they are at and empower meaningful relationships to be built and maintained. CAPTAIN has a fantastic coaching guide which is available for free, and highlights the following key aspects of effective coaching.
"Elements of Successful Coaching
The following items are essential to coaching success: (a) trust and mutual respect, (b) training, (c) willingness to change, and (d) professional attitude.
Trust and Mutual Respect
A reasonable level of trust is built, in part, by understanding which topics people are comfortable discussing and how to approach topics that may be somewhat sensitive. By understanding topic-comfort levels, coaches and inviting partners can more easily relate to each other. Trust between coaching pairs occurs as a result of respecting each other’s professional skills. Partners discuss goals and targets in a confidential and professional manner. Trust and mutual respect are evident between the coach and inviting partner when they:
• develop and share a consistent terminology
• agree on location for pre- and post-observation conferences
• listen actively, reflectively, and empathetically
• express feelings honestly • understand their partner’s level of concern and comfort
• are open to exploring and understanding each other’s belief systems.
Training
Organizational commitment to training is imperative in creating an environment that supports effective implementation of coaching and the systemic changes that sustain these practices (Joyce & Showers, 2002; Fixen, 2009). Training considerations include:
• Relevance—This professional development vehicle should allow educators to gain or perfect skills that are shown to positively impact learning by toddlers, children and youth. That is, coaching content should be based on educator acquisition and use of EBP and overall program improvement.
• Location—Coaching training should be conducted at sites that facilitate professional growth, including homes, schools or nearby college settings.
• Time—Coaching partners need time to practice under optimal conditions. The more practice opportunities that are provided, the more likely that coaching will become habit. Partners need time to observe and confer with each other. It is helpful to build time for coaching needs into typical work day routines.
• Content—Coaching instruction includes content on communication, identifying target behaviors and outcomes, implementing evidence-based practices, data collection methods and effective instruction techniques.
Willingness to Change
Coaching is predicated on a willingness to change and take risks. Inviting partners must be willing to alter existing behaviors or add new techniques to their repertoires. Not only must they attempt new skills, but ultimately they must work to ensure that these behaviors are mastered and maintained. Typically, this includes a transitional period when the inviting partner may feel clumsy or awkward as the partners are working toward mastery of new learning.
Professional Attitude
Coaching partners use coaching time to improve their craft. Pre-observation and post-observation conference topics are relevant to changing behavior to influence learner outcomes; conferences do not focus on personal information. Coaching pairs react to each other on a professional level, actively listening and responding to coaching topics identified within the coaching partnership.
Communication
Collaborations between a coach and inviting partner require effective communication skills. It is essential that coaching partners learn to convey clear expectations and feedback within partnerships by using (a) open questions, (b) leveling statements, and (c) communication conventions. Communication is impeded when either partner engages in these types of communication behaviors: anticipating, avoiding, cross-examining, denying others’ reality, diagnosing, judging, lecturing, moralizing, or teasing.
Open Questions
Open questions are invitations to respond with an elaborated comment of a listener’s choice. They elicit responses beyond a yes or no or statement of fact. When questions take a form that encourages elaborated responses, it is more likely that varied methods for improving teacher performance will emerge from discussion between partners (Rush et al., 2008). Open questions typically begin as follows:
• Tell me about …
• How do you … ?
• What did you … ?
Questions are open if their wording does not constrain the form of the reply. Examples of open questions are the following:
• What can you tell me about your experience with your behavior management system?
• How do you think the data recording system is working? • What happened when that behavior occurred earlier?
• What did you do when your plan didn’t work?
Questions are closed if their wording implies that only a short answer response is necessary. Questions that begin with are, do, have, should, will, would, or can invite only a yes or no in response. Those that begin with when, where, or who ask for a one or two-word reply. Examples of closed questions are the following:
• Would they behave better if you used another behavior management system?
• Are you satisfied with the data recording system? Do you want to change it? • When did that behavior occur earlier?
• Are you sure you implemented your plan right?
Leveling Statements
Leveling statements acknowledge that two parties may have legitimate and conflicting claims. Leveling statements employ the following strategies:
• Acknowledgement of another’s claims as valid,
• Assumption of other party’s competence, and
• Desire for compromise or negotiation.
Leveling is an appropriate communication technique that can be used if coaching pairs have different opinions that are legitimate ideas or complaints. Leveling statements serve to clarify claims so parties can negotiate and compromise without one getting the better of the other. Leveling is likely to result in a win-win outcome.
Conventions of Communication
Collaborative communication is enhanced when communication conventions for social and non-verbal communication skills are effectively applied to a coaching partnership. The use of these conventions help partners feel they have been listened to and are understood."
Read more, including the Potential Barriers to Coaching, and check out the resources like coaching logs found in the handbook.
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