School Suspension and its

affects on behavior:
Prevention/ Alternatives to
out of school suspension
Marist College
Spring 2018
Julissa Marcano and Nicole Snook
About the Authors…

Julissa Marcano is a school psychology graduate

student at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. She

previously received her Bachelor’s degree in

psychology with a minor in counseling at Iona

College in New Rochelle, NY.

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 Table of Contents

Part 1: School Suspension

What is School Suspension……………………………………………………5
What can we do to prevent or reduce suspension?.............................................7
Improving school connectednes……………………………………………......8
Coach Card 1 & Intervention Kit: Establishing an Empathetic
Classroom Environment – Shared Identity……………………………………10
Figure 1: Connectedness/Empathy Quiz………………………...…….16
Figure 2: Lesson Plans…………...……………………………………18
Figure 3: Family Fact Sheet…………………………..……………….23
Figure 4: Treatment Integrity Checklist…………………………...…..26
Coach Card 2: Ripple Effects – Social/Emotional Skills Training……...…….27
Figure 5: Behavior Report Card…………………………………….…31
Coach Card 3 & Intervention Kit: Life Skills Training – Substance
Use Prevention……………………………………..….………………34
Figure 6: Example Lesson Plan…………………………………...…...40
Figure 7: Drug Use Self-Monitoring Sheet………………………..…..43
Figure 8: Student Health Survey…………………………………..…..45
Figure 9: Treatment Integrity Checklist…………………………….....49
Alternative Programs to Out of School Suspension…………………...............50

Part 2: Useful Websites for Support in Reducing School Suspension

Teach Safe Schools……………………………………………………………53
The National Association for Education of Young Children…………………54
Empowering Parents………………………………………………………......55
Naptime Academy……………………………………………………………………...……….56

Part 3: Useful Apps for Support in Managing Problem Behaviors

Teacher Buddy………………………………………………………..………58
Social Stories for Problem Behaviors………………………………..….……59
Parenting Hero………………………………………………………..………60

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 Part 1:
School Suspension

What is School Suspension…

4
 Effectively managing challenging student behaviors such as violence,

bullying, disrespect, both non-verbal and verbal aggression, disruptive classroom

behavior can be difficult. A commonly used management tool is excluding students

from school through the use of suspension. It has been documented that the rates of

school suspension are increasing (Hemphill, Plenty, Herrenkohl, Toumbourou, &

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

be limited. In turn, acceptable behavior is maintained and a message would be sent

that certain behaviors are not tolerated. Ironically , after a student is suspended,

they are often placed into the environment that they may have demonstrated

inappropriate behaviors in the beginning, thereby negating the effectiveness of a

“lesson learned” from being suspended (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013).

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

not pursuing a home-based education program, may engage in more inappropriate

behavior and may associate with other individuals which will further increase their

challenging behavior. Students who experience out of school suspension are as

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

likely to suffer from socio-emotional impairment, conduct disorder, and/or

depression. If adolescent problem behaviors are left unresolved; violence,

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

community may experience temporary relief from removing a student that is

displaying anti-social behaviors, however, suspending students removes potential

positive influences and provides an opportunity to develop antisocial peer networks

(Quin & Hemphill, 2014).

It is evident that students displaying problem behaviors would benefit from

interventions that maintain a positive relationship with the school. If suspension is

necessary, schools should guarantee that suspended students receive appropriate

adult supervision and a proper reintegration to school to encourage social inclusion

and academic attainment (Quin & Hemphill, 2014).

Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2013). Out-of-school suspension and expulsion

6
 (policy statement, Council on School Health). Pediatrics, 131 .

Hemphill, S. A., Plenty, S. M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Toumbourou, J. W., & Catalano,

R. F. (2014). Student and school factors associated with school suspension: A

multilevel analysis of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State,

United States. Children and Youth Services Review, 36, 187-194.

Quin, D., & Hemphill, S. A. (2014). Students’ experiences of school suspension. Health

Promotion Journal of Australia, 25(1), 52-58.

What can we do to prevent or reduce school suspension?

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

such as remembering and pronouncing a student’s name correctly, not speaking

down to students or embarrassing them in front of their peers, and expressing

interest in their perspectives makes a difference. Jason A. Okonofua, David

Paunesku, and Gregory M. Walton conducted a study in 2016 that showed that

student suspension rates dropped significantly when their teachers participated in a

training to improve their empathy in student-discipline cases. The training involved

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

7
asked to write how they could incorporate these ideas in their own practice.

Throughout this training/intervention, teachers were treated as experts of positive

change for others. They were exposed to powerful stories on which they elaborated

in guided writing exercises, allowing them to take possession of the intervention

message, to associate it to their own practice and to advocate for others. This study

demonstrates that the simplest change in a teacher’s mindset when it comes to

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).

Let’s improve school connectedness!

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

autonomy, opportunities to demonstrate competence, support from adults,

appropriate supervision and acceptance of peers (McNeely, Nonnemaker, & Blum,

2002). Before this, problem behaviors need to be addressed. Problem behaviors

include violence, antisocial behavior, bullying, school rule violations, drug use, and

crime (Hemphill, Plenty, Herrenkohl, Toumbourou, & Catalano, 2014).

Resources

Hemphill, S. A., Plenty, S. M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Toumbourou, J. W., & Catalano,

8
 R. F. (2014). Student and school factors associated with school suspension: A

multilevel analysis of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State,

United States. Children and Youth Services Review, 36, 187-194.

McNeely, C. A., Nonnemaker, J. M., & Blum, R. W. (2002). Promoting school

connectedness: Evidence from the national longitudinal study of adolescent

health. Journal of school health, 72(4), 138-146.

Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage

empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(19), 5221-5226.

Sparks, S. D. (2016). One key to reducing school suspension: A little respect.

Education Digest, 82(4), 8

Coach Card 1 & Intervention Kit:

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 Establishing an Empathetic
Classroom Environment: Shared
Identity

Overview: As previously discussed, developing empathy within the classroom is

important, especially when it comes to reducing suspension. When students are

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

empathetic mindset can change an environment greatly. It is suggested that

educators consider students’ perspectives and be sensitive/aware to possible issues

that might be impacting a student’s decision to “act out.” Creating an empathetic

classroom may have the power to transform disciplinary interactions with students

10
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

biggest barriers to connecting with students is “group difference.” As humans, we

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

do this by completing a Shared Identity practice. This is completed by making a list

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

empathetic mindset requires challenging preconceptions we may have about others

and searching for commonalities we share versus differences. Using this technique

within the classroom can be very beneficial in ways such as cultivating a

“connected” environment (Flynn, 2016).

Resource

Flynn, M. (2016). Teachers can reduce suspensions by practicing empathy.

Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/

teachers_can_reduce_suspensions_by_practicing_empathy

Shared Identity

Target: Cultivate empathy

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Appropriate Grade Level: Middle to High School

Instructional Size: Whole Class

Duration & Frequency: One to two times per week for 30 minutes

***For the first 3 weeks it will only be 15 minutes,

after three baseline data points are collected,

implement the 8-week empathy skills training

Materials:

o Piece of paper

o Pencil

Progress Monitoring:

o Connectedness/Empathy Quiz (See Figure 1 for quiz)

o The first 3 administrations would serve as the baseline to analyze how

much students feel connected to one another and feel “understood” and

“respected.” Each subsequent administration of the quiz will

demonstrate how much more or less students feel connected, understood,

and respected using the following activities. After first three times of

administrating the survey for baseline, extend the empathy intervention

up to 30 minutes to teach about empathy

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

often lead to suspension

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

interest and experiences may be similar to yours.

5. ***Teachers should join the activity as well and partner up with a student

Adapted from https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/shared_identity#data-tab-

how

6. After the activity, administer the quiz. It is important to assure the students

that this will not be graded

7. After 3 weeks, On Mondays, both Shared Identity and Empathy skills training

will be taught. Implement 10-week empathy skills training to go along with

the Shared Identity activity (Lessons are explained in figure 2) On Fridays,

only complete the Shared Identity and the quiz

a. Lesson 1: What is Empathy?

13
 b. Lesson 2: Discussion about empathy

c. Lesson 3: Empathy continuum

d. Lesson 4: Empathy continuum

e. Lesson 5: Walking Forward

f. Lesson 6: Discussion about Walking Forward

g. Lesson 7: If you really knew me…

h. Lesson 8: Discussion about If you really knew me…

**Adapted by Sakofsky, M. J. (2009). The Impact of Empathy Skills Training

on Middle School Children, Counselor Education Master's Theses, The College

at Brockport: State University of New York.

8. Lessons should be administered after the first 15 minutes of Shared Identity

9. After the lesson, administer the quiz

Family Component

 A fact sheet can be found in figure 3 to be distributed to parents/guardians at

home describing what empathy is and discussion on why it is important to

practice at home and in school. This provides information on how parents

can cultivate empathy in children and provides tips/ideas/strategies that

parents can use.

Resource

Weissbourd, R., and Jones, S. (n.d.). "How Parents Can Cultivate

Empathy in Children." Making Caring Common Project, Harvard Graduate

School of Education. Retrieved from: https://mcc.gse.harvard.

edu/files/gse-mcc/files/empathy.pdf

14
15
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

2. During the past week, I have felt alone.

a. Strongly Agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly Disagree

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

4. In the past week, I felt connected to my classmates.

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

9. In the past week, I made an effort to understand someone else.

a. Yes
b. No

10. In the past week, I felt respected by my classmates

a. Yes
b. No

11. In the past week, I felt respected by my teacher

a. Yes
b. No
12. In the past week, I demonstrated empathy at home.
a. Yes
b. No
13. In the past week, my guardians demonstrated empathy towards me
a. Yes
b. No

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Figure 2: 10 Week Lesson Plans

Lesson 1: What is empathy?

Purpose: Define empathy. Differentiate empathetic responses from non-empathetic

responses. Identify the benefits of empathy.

Materials: poster board and markers

1. Establish group rules

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

Lesson 2: Discussion about empathy

1. Discuss three things the students learned from the previous lesson

2. Ask things such as

 How does it feel to share your work with others

 How does it feel to receive compliments and encouragement for your

work

 What did you like about the poster activity

 Discuss personal experiences when students may have been

empathetic

Lesson 3: Empathy continuum

Purpose: Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

1. Explain to students that empathy involves feeling for others and

understanding what someone else is experiencing

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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

person in the scenario

Strong feelings of Average amount No feelings of

empathy of empathy empathy

3. Scenarios: ***these are examples, teacher can modify and add more if desired

a. Juan is new at school. He doesn’t speak English and no one is sitting

with him at lunch.

b. Nicole is giving a presentation in front of class. She is getting mixed

up and has a red face.

c. James just got glasses for the first time. He is being teased for wearing

them and being called “four eyes” and “nerd”.

d. Emily forgot her math homework and now the teacher is giving him a

0 for it. He looks like he might cry.

e. Susie’s dog died and she seems upset.

4. After reading scenarios, ask questions such as:

 What do you think was the reason you felt more empathetic towards

some children than others.

 Did it make a difference if the person was a boy or girl in the situation

 Did it make a difference if any of the situations happened to you

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Lesson 4: Empathy Continuum

1. Discuss scenario activity from last week

2. What did you feel to decide how empathetic you felt?

3. What did it feel like to see how much others felt or how less they felt than

you?

4. What did you like about this activity?

5. What didn’t you like about this activity?

Lesson 5: walking forward

Materials: SPACE in a room

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

should listen carefully and respect one another.

3. Every student starts off standing near each other in a straight line

Statements:

 Walk forward if you are male

 Walk forward if you are female

 Walk forward if you have brothers or sisters

 Walk forward if you have ever felt afraid

 Walk forward if you have ever felt alone

 Walk forward if your parents are divorced or separated

 Walk forward if you don’t live with your parents

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  Walk forward if you have lost someone you love

 Walk forward if you have cried at least once this year

 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

thought you were too big

 Walk forward if you have been embarrassed in a classroom by a

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:

a. How did it feel to walk forward?

b. How did it feel to see others walk forward with you?

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

may or may not be like you?

Lesson 6: Discussion

1. Discuss the walking forward exercise from previous week

2. How did it feel for people

3. What did you like about this activity?

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 4. “We are all more alike than you think”

Lesson 7: If you really knew me…

1. Have students break up into small groups

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

will begin by saying example:

 My name is and if you really knew me, you would know that

my grandmother lives in a nursing home or I am afraid of the dark….

3. Ask:

 How did it feel to share your own experiences?

 How did it feel to hear other share?

 How do you think this activity helped you to understand others that

may or may not be like you?

Lesson 8: Discussion about if you really knew me…

1. Review all activities

2. Discuss how these activities have helped them

3. Conclude

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Figure 3: Family Fact Sheet

How Parents Can Cultivate Empathy in Children

Empathy is at the heart of what it means to be human. It’s a foundation for acting ethically, for
good relationships of many kinds, for loving well, and for professional success. And it’s key to
preventing bullying and many other forms of cruelty.
Empathy begins with the capacity to take another perspective, to walk in another’s shoes. But it is
not just that capacity. Salespeople, politicians, actors and marketers are often very skilled at
taking other perspectives but they may not care about others. Con men and torturers take other
perspectives so they can exploit people’s weaknesses. Empathy includes valuing other
perspectives and people. It’s about perspective-taking and compassion.

How can parents cultivate empathy? The following are five guideposts based on research and the
wisdom of practitioners.

1. Empathize with your child and model empathy for others

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

23
 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.

3. Provide opportunities for children to practice empathy

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.

5. Help children develop self-control and manage feelings effectively

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

25
 Treatment Integrity Checklist:

Treatment Integrity Standard Yes No

1. 3 baseline data points were collected through

quiz after 15 minutes of Shared Identity

2. 16 intervention points were collected through

quiz (Quiz after combined Shared Identity and
empathy skills training on Mondays and quiz after
shared Identity on Fridays).
3. Students and teacher paired up with one another
to complete Shared Identity exercise
4. Students were given the time to think about the
student and how they may be different from them

5. Students made a list of all the things that they

may share in common with the other student.
6. Students reviewed list with their partner

7. Lessons were taught in combination with Shared

Identity exercise on Mondays
8. Parent factsheet was distributed.

26
 Coach Card 2:
Ripple Effects -
Social/Emotional Skills Training

Research has shown that behavior support within the school system can be

beneficial for all students especially when it comes to preventing problem

behaviors, school suspension, and dropout rates. A multi tiered system approach

can be used to improve outcomes for all students (Sugai & Horner, 2009). Ripple

27
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

for failure. Ripple Effects provides affordable, culturally responsive, individualized,

evidence-based digital tools for delivery of social-emotional –behavioral supports

and training for both students and staff. It offers opportunities for educators to

train and modify according to what is appropriate to their concerns. Focused

manuals are also available in which preconfigured plans make it possible for

educators to customize universal programs to promote SEL, target prevention to

address group and individual risk factors and personalize delivery of the

intervention (Ripple Effects, 2017).

Ripple Effects includes a module on Suspension Alternatives, which can be

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

lead to out-of-school suspension (Ripple Effects, 2017).

Ripple Effects also provides materials to engage parents, certificates of

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,

develop social-emotional abilities, mitigate the impact of trauma, and promote

equity (Ripple Effects, 2017).

28
Resources

Sugai, G. & Horner, R. H. (2009). Responsiveness-to-intervention and school-wide

positive behavior supports: Integration of multi-tiered system approaches.

Exceptionality, 1(4), 223-237.

Ripple Effects (2017). Social-emotional learning & behavioral intervention.

Retrieved from https://www.rippleeffects.com/

Ripple Effects

Target: Decrease problem behaviors and develop social-emotional abilities

Appropriate Grade Level: 2nd -11th grade

Instructional Size: Whole Class (universal), small group, individual

Duration & Frequency: Whole school year

Location: Regular academic classrooms

Materials: Ripple Effects Digital Tools ($$$) Price varies, however one may test

drive the program for free.

Progress Monitoring: Behavior Report Card completed by teacher (See Figure 1 for

example). This can be modified to be once a month for universal instruction, or

once a week for small group and individual instruction.

Directions:

1. Set a site-wide goal for the school. In this case the goal would be to reduce

the amount of out-of-school suspension being used as discipline.

29
2. Implement weekly lessons focusing on topics such as personalized skill

building, motivation, and problem solving.

3. Assess areas of disproportionate referrals, such as structural unfairness,

unconscious bias, discriminatory treatment, and behavior differences among

students.

4. Track student behavior weekly using a behavior report card. Behavior

reports can be customized for free based on the goals of the school on

Intervention Central.

30
Figure 5 – Progress Monitoring Behavior Report Card

31
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

instructor projecting the program and facilitating discussion around it

o Ripple Effects can also be infused directly into regular academic classrooms,

where specific lessons and learning activities can be matched to language arts,

social studies, health education

32
o Fully self-contained, multimedia apps deliver targeted intervention directly

to students with adult facilitation and/or private student exploration

o Ripple Effects provide strength-based screening tools and data management

tools

o Fits in with the PBIS framework of data-driven decision making, cultural

responsiveness and behavioral training with a focus on positive

reinforcement

o Provides concrete, specific interventions for school-based, behavioral

problems, as well as for behaviors that may happen outside of school

o Supports children with IEP’s

o Can be used within In school suspension

33
Coach Card 3 & Intervention Kit
Life Skills Training:
Substance Use Prevention

34
 Most schools in the United States, a first-time offense of substance use, such

as smoking on school grounds, warrants school administration being notified as

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

exclusively remedial consequences or a combination of punitive and remedial

consequences (Evan-Whipp, 2004).

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 violent and aggressive behaviors and adjustment problems in the workplace.

Adolescences is a time of experimenting with substances begins to occur. Because

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

(Griffin & Botvin, 2010).

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

35
pressure. Students learn to examine their own self-image, set goals and track

personal progress, analyze problems situations, and determine consequences in the

Personal Self-Management Skills portion. In the General Social Skills section,

students are provided with necessary skills to overcome shyness, communicate

effectively, use both verbal and nonverbal assertiveness skills, and learn about

options other than aggression or passivity in tough situations. The Life Skills

Training program is implemented by trained classroom teachers, counselors, or

other health professionals. Training is provided for staff prior to implementation

through a one-and-a-half-day workshop to ensure fidelity of implementation.

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

youth substance use. Health Promotion International, 19(2), 227-234.

Griffin, K. W. & Botvin, G. J. (2010). Evidence-based interventions for preventing

substance use disorders in adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of

North America, 19(3), 505-526.

36
 Life Skills Training

Target: Decrease substance use and increase social and self-management skills

Appropriate Grade Level: High School

Location: Classroom

Frequency: 15 classes (1 per week), 40-45 minutes each

Materials: 15 lessons plans

Week 1: Self-Image
Week 2: Decision-Making
Week 3: Smoking Myths & Realities
Week 4: Smoking & Biofeedback
Week 5: Alcohol Myths & Realities
Week 6: Marijuana Myths & Realities
Week 7: Advertising
Week 8: Violence and the Media
Week 9: Coping with Anxiety
Week 10: Coping with Anger
Week 11: Communication Skills
Week 12: Social Skills I
Week 13: Social Skills II
Week 14: Assertiveness
Week 15: Resolving Conflicts
(see Figure 6 for sample lesson plan)

Progress Monitoring: Daily drug use self-monitoring log

Introduce that the follow weeks will be spent focusing on building

appropriate interpersonal skills, self-management skills, and skills to avoid drug

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

37
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

given after the completion of the 15 weeks to be used as a comparison.

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

of introduction, 5 minutes of warm-up exercise, 30 minutes of discussion

with exercises, and 2-3 minutes of summary. Lessons will need to be

developed by teacher/counselor implementing program.

3. Remind students to complete the self-monitoring log. Collect completed logs

each Friday.

Adapted from Botvin’s Life Skills Training program. The Life Skills Training program

can be purchased, providing complete guides, teachers manuals, and resources at

https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/botvin-lifeskills-training-middle-school-

program/

At Home Component:

Family Matters is a parent/guardian-led program designed to be carried out in the

home. The goal of Family Matters is to prevent adolescent tobacco and alcohol use

by intervening with the family. The program consists of four booklets,

38
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

completion of the program (Bauman, 2002).

All materials can be downloaded from http://familymatters.sph.unc.edu/index.htm

Resource

Bauman, K. (2002). Family matters: A family-directed intervention designed to

prevent adolescent alcohol and tobacco use and its evaluation. Retrieved

from http://familymatters.sph.unc.edu/index.htm

39
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.

40
 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.

41
 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. ______________________________________

42
 Figure 7

Daily Drug Use Self-Monitoring Log

Student ID# __________________________________ Primary Drug Used: _________________________________________

Secondary Drug Used: ______________________________________________

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

43
Example of Progress Monitoring

The total number of days used is recorded for each week.

Date Baseline Intervention
10/7/2017 7
10/13/2017 6
10/20/2017 7
10/27/2017 6
11/3/2017 6
11/10/2017 5
11/17/2017 5
11/24/2017 6
12/1/2017 5
12/8/2017 4
12/15/2017 4
12/22/2017 3
12/29/2017 2
1/5/2018 3
1/12/2018 2
1/19/2018 1

44
Figure 8

Student ID#______________________________________ Pretest ______

Posttest______

Section A
1. How many years old are you? (Circle One)

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

2. Are you: Male Female ___________________________

3. Who do you live with most of the time? (Pick Only One)

One parent Two parents Guardian, foster parent, or relative Other:

________________

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: __________________________

5. What grade are you in?

6th grade 7th grade 8th grade 9th grade

6. What grades do you generally get in school? (Pick Only One)

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

45
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.  

46
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.

Strongly Neither Agree Strongly

Agree Disagree
Agree Nor Disagree Disagree
1. Kids who drink alcohol
are more grown-up.     
2. Smoking cigarettes
makes you look cool.
    
3. Kids who drink alcohol
have more friends.     
4. Kids who smoke have
more friends.     
5. Drinking alcohol makes
you look cool.     
6. Smoking cigarettes lets
you have more fun.     
7. Kids who smoke
cigarettes are more grown-     
up.
8. Drinking alcohol lets you
have more fun.     

Section D
Directions: Please fill in the circle to show how much you agree or disagree with each
statement.

Strongly Neither Agree nor Strongly

Agree Disagree
Agree Disagree Disagree
I would say NO if someone tried to get me to:
1. Smoke a cigarette.     

47
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.     

Thank you for completing this survey!

48
Figure 9: Treatment Integrity Checklist

Data Collection Yes No N/A Comments

1 week of Baseline data points
were collected using self-
monitoring worksheet
Student Health Survey was
completed prior to
implementation
15 weeks of intervention data
points were collected using self-
monitoring worksheet
Student Health Survey was
completed following completion of
implementation
Students’ goals were determined
using appropriate means – either
ROI or peer comparison
Procedure Yes No N/A Comments
A new unit of skills was introduces
each week
Students were given the change to
practice examples during each
lesson
Majority of students engaged in
discussion during each lesson
A quiz was given at the end of
lesson based on material just
taught
Self-monitoring sheets were
collected each Friday.

49
 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

intervene and teach appropriate positive behaviors. Staff can be trained to

implement programs in the ISS classroom to promote prosocial behaviors

(Blomberg, 2004).

In schools across Orange County, Florida, a Positive Alternative to School

Suspension (PASS) program is being utilized. PASS is a short-term, on-site

intervention classroom initiative designed to tackle the needs of student who have

committed a school level behavioral infraction. It is intended to assist students in

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

in a classroom and is self-contained. Students do not typically leave the classroom

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

discussed. Throughout the day certain periods are designated to character

development, and social skills while others are contributed to classroom

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

environment and become concerned about their progress.

Resources

Blomberg, N. (2004). Effective discipline for misbehavior: In school vs. out of school

suspension. Concept: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Graduate Studies, 1-11.

Johnson, D. Personal Communication, April 17, 2018.

51
 Part 2:
Useful websites for support
in reducing school
suspension

52
Website: http://www.teachsafeschools.org/alternatives-to-suspension.html

Overview: This website provides evidence based information and strategies to

assist school communities in preventing school violence. Its mission is to help

schools establish a supportive, safe and welcoming learning environment where

students can be successful. Contributors to the website include members of the

Melissa Institute Scientific Board and other experts from the fields of psychology

and counseling services. It provides resources to improve school safety that is

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

manage their classrooms appropriately in order to nurture an inviting school

environment. This website provides information on psychological issues that

impact learning and safety as well. Handouts, links, and downloads are also

available for educators to access.

53
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.

The organization is made up of nearly 60,000 members of the early childhood

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

higher education initiatives. A part of this website is also dedicated to Standing

Together Against Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood Education, which

provides research and resources about suspension and targeting it in the early years

to achieve greater success in older years.

54
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

regarding their children. The online coaching does require a subscription of

$99/year, but a 7 day free trial is available. Empowering Parents also provides

articles written by experts, with ranging topics. In regards to school suspension,

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

elementary aged children. Empowering Parents also provides a wide range of

courses available for parents, which include topics such as step-by-step parenting

for challenging children, a complete guide of consequences, and learning how to

work with your partner to effectively parent as a team.

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Website: https://naptimeacademy.com/prevent-expulsion-early-care/

Overview: This website includes information targeting infants, toddlers, and

preschoolers. Naptime Academy works cohesively with the State of Arkansas

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

include lessons on supportive classrooms, nurturing relationships, understanding

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

expulsion in the “early years.”

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 Part 3:
Useful apps for support in
managing problem behaviors

This app is $2.99 and provides student

management ideas for all grade levels. It

offers strategies to deal with defiance, lying,

cheating, stealing, bad language, violence,

disruptive behavior, entitled behavior,

disrespectful behavior, poor self-esteem,

temper tantrums, repeat offenders, poor

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social skills, bad attitude, bullying, and anger.
Rating: 5.0

Rating: 5.0

This bundle app is $9.99 and includes 5 different apps.

These 5 apps all have social stories and other tools and

supports to help improve challenging problem behaviors.

They were developed to teach different strategies for

managing problem behaviors. Calm counter includes a

social story and a visual/audio tool that walks children

through self-calming strategies when they are angry or

anxious. Wait time includes an illustrated social story

No rating available This app is $2.99 and provides tips and advice form
about waiting. Turn taker teaches taking turns and good
Social Stories for Problem experts on communication between adults and children.
Behaviors
sharing behavior with an illustrated social story, a
o Can be used by both Parenting Hero presents practical skills that can be used
teachers and parents
customizable sharing timer and a prompting tool. Gong
immediately to make relationships with children more
shopping includes a social story and visual tool to help
satisfying and rewarding. Interactive graphics and story
reduce problem behaviors caused by children wanting to
guides will help cope with children’s negative feelings,
pick out a toy or treat for themselves in a store. Running
Rating: 4.8Rating: 4.8 engage children’s cooperation without bribes, threats or
Social Story teaches children about not running away, and
Parenting Hero
punishment, set limits while maintaining good will,
running safety.
encourage children to assume responsibility, resolve

conflicts creatively, and use praise effectively.

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