Generalizing

Overview

Assignment	Due Date	Format	Grading Percent
Parent Partnerships	Day 3 (1st post)	Discussion	3
Generalizing	Day 7	Journal	2
End of Course Survey	Day 7	Survey	0.5
Case Study: Mark	Day 7	Final Project	20

Note: The online classroom is designed to time students out after 90 minutes of inactivity. Because of this, we strongly suggest that you compose your work in a word processing program and copy and paste it into the discussion post when you are ready to submit it.

Learning Outcomes

This week students will:

1. Generate collaboration strategies to improve student behavior in the classroom and at home.
2. Create generalization techniques from the classroom to the “real world.”

Introduction

Welcome to the final week of class! In the past five weeks, you have learned how to how to recognize, observe, and identify a target behavior as well as determe the behavior’s function. Using tools such as an A-B-A observation chart, you will document what happened right before the behavior, describe what the behavior was as well as its consequence, and include how effective the consequence was as a negative or positive reinforcer. You have also learned techniques such as differential reinforcement to incrementally increase or decrease the target behavior through a positive reward system. This week, you will learn how to build a partnership with families so they can continue the system you’ve put into place at home. Students thrive when they know that, regardless of their environment, rules and consequences will always be the same. Finally, you will learn how to teach skill generalization, or how to teach one skill in multiple environments. For example, teaching students to say “please” and “thank you” while in your classroom is the first step in behavior modification, but having them use the same words regardless of the setting is when they have truly mastered that skill.

Required Resources

Required Text

1. Zirpoli, T. J. (2016). Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.
   1. “Generalization” in Chapter 10: Positive Behavioral Supports: Reinforcement Strategies
      • This section of Chapter 10 explains how to teach children to generalize a behavior from one setting to another, such as from school to home.

Articles

1. Bicard, S. C. & Bicard, D. F. (n.d.). Measuring behavior. The Iris Center. Retrieved from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/case_studies/IC…
2. Muscott, H. S., Szczesiul, S., Berk, B., Staub, K., Hoover, J. & Perry-Chisholm, P. (2008). Creating home-school partnerships by engaging families in schoolwide positive behavior supports. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(6), 6-14. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
   1. • The authors wrote an article to explain to teachers how to build a partnership with families and have positive behavioral continuity between school and home.
3. Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. (2013). School, family and community partnerships. Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org/family/family_partnership.aspx
   1. • This website explains through research findings why building a partnership with families is vital to the success of a student’s social and emotional growth through positive behavioral intervention and supports.

Multimedia

1. Barrett, S. (n.d.). Family involvement and PBIS [PowerPoint presentation]. Retrieved from www.pbismaryland.org/SI2010/PBIS%20and%20Family.pp…

Discussion
To participate in the following discussion, go to this week’s Discussion link in the left navigation.

1. Parent PartnershipsAs a teacher, it is your job to reach out to parents who are not as communicative as other parents. Read the following scenario and respond to the prompt below.

   Frank Smith, a student in your seventh grade English class, has been creating quite a stir in your class lately. This is not his typical behavior. Usually he come into class, sits down, and starts his warm-up, but recently he’s been walking in five minutes late without a pass, bothering students on the way to his desk, and submitting incomplete work. You’ve asked him if there is anything he wants to talk about or if there is anything going on at home, to which he always replies, “Nope.” You have tried calling his mother several times and giving notes to Frank to take home, but she has not returned any of your messages. As Frank’s teacher, what is your next step to try to develop a parent/teacher relationship?

   Use the following resources to help you decide the next step in reaching out to Frank’s mother.

   1. School, family and community partnerships
   2. Family Involvement and PBIS
   3. Creating home-school partnerships by engaging families in schoolwide positive behavior supports

   Guided Response: Read and respond to at least two of your classmates. As a parent, how would you respond to your classmates, and why? Was there any information written you felt could be misinterpreted in your classmates’ posts? Was anything ambiguous? What would be your next step, as the parent?

   Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.

Journal
To complete the following journal entry, go to this week’s Journal link in the left navigation.

1. Generalizing

You’ve taught your students to use good manners in your classroom, such as saying, “Excuse me,” “May I…,” and “Thank you.” Now that they have mastered this skill, you would like them to start using good manners in other environments. How will you teach them to generalize this skill in other areas such as in a restaurant, at home, or when visiting friends? How will you teach them to deal with hearing or seeing other people use poor manners?

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entries.

End of Course Survey

After you have completed the End of Course Survey, please complete the one question quiz to receive your points. If for any reason you wish not to complete the survey, you may do so and still receive the 0.5 points by completing the one question quiz.

Final Project
To complete the following final paper, go to this week’s Final Project link in the left navigation.

Case Study: Mark
Read the case study of Mark, located in Level A, Case 1 of The Iris Center’s “Measuring Behavior.” Using this case study, create a plan that addresses the following:

1. Justify Mark’s behavior with supporting evidence using a Behavior Theory.
2. Examine the one behavior you would target for change, explaining your decision with supporting evidence.
3. Analyze the best Differential Reinforcement strategy to positively reinforce Mark’s appropriate behavior, using resources to support your decision.
4. Create a data collection procedure for determining if the behavior plan is successful.
5. Create a plan to fade the Differential Reinforcement as Mark’s behavior improves and a plan if his behavior regresses.
6. Strategize ways to generalize Mark’s positively modified behavior outside the classroom.

Written Expectations

1. • Must be six to nine double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
   • Must include a separate title page with the following:
     • Title of paper
     • Student’s name
     • Course name and number
     • Instructor’s name
     • Date submitted
   • Must use at least four scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
   • Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
   • Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

1. Carefully review the

Grading Rubric

 for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Introduction

*Special thanks to Dr. Dawson for sharing her original guidance in this document.

For some parents, the only type of parent conferences are ones in which they hear that their child is “bad.” From my perspective, teachers, students, and parents should be working together toward a common goal—academic, behavioral, and social success. Reaching this goal requires collaboration and communication. To develop partnerships with our students’ parents, it is critical that we initiate communication—and not only about something negative. It is important to share with parents what their children are doing well so that if we must call to discuss a concern, parents are more open to helping solve issues.

When I first meet a parent and a student, I focus on setting a positive and welcoming tone. I give the parent and student the first opportunity to ask questions. While listening carefully, I take advantage of the opportunity to watch their body language, observe the interaction between parent and student, evaluate their potential needs, and determine how best to help them assimilate into a new school. During the meeting, I discuss my expectations for the new student, assure him that I am available to assist with solving issues, and, hopefully make him feel that coming to my school will be the best decision for his future. When a parent calls with a concern, my first goal is to determine what the core issue is so that I can begin to reduce her anxiety. I then ask her how she would like me to handle the situation. With this in mind, I can offer realistic suggestions and together we can decide on a plan of action.

When teachers, parents, and students work together, it is beneficial for all concerned. Continual positivity between school and home helps students experience continuity, which enables them to feel more confident, builds their self-esteem, and fosters a more productive environment in which to learn.