Introduction

Welcome to Advanced Classroom Management: Children as Change Agents, a course geared primarily for professionals (e.g., regular or special educators, instructional assistants, school psychologist, counselors) serving children and youths presenting behavior problems in the school or community. This course focuses on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral interventions (often lumped together under the rubric "social skills") with an emphasis on teaching students how to change and manage their own behavior. Since previous knowledge and understanding of traditional behavioral (operant) concepts and strategies is required, it is strongly recommended that you take an introductory behavior management course to learn the basic terms and concepts of behavior management prior to taking this “advanced” course.

This computer-based instruction course is a self-supporting program that provides instruction, structured practice, and evaluation all on your home or school computer. Information on installation and technical support can be found, and will be covered in detail, in the User Guide section of your computer software.

Course Materials

Advanced Classroom Management: Children as Change Agents (software package)

Author: Dr. Joe Kaplan Ph.D.

Please keep the CD. There is a $25 replacement fee for CD-roms if you need to replace yours due to theft, damage, misplacement, etc. Call 1-800-313-6744, with your credit card information, if you need a replacement.

Academic Integrity Statement

The structure and format of most distance-learning courses presume a high level of personal and academic integrity in completion and submission of coursework. Individuals enrolled in a CBI distance-learning course are expected to adhere to the following standards of academic conduct.

Academic Work

Academic work submitted by the individual (such as papers, assignments, reports, tests) shall be the student’s own work or appropriately attributed, in part or in whole, to its correct source. Submission of commercially prepared (or group prepared) materials as if they are one’s own work is unacceptable.

Aiding Honesty in Others

The individual will encourage honesty in others by refraining from providing materials or information to another person with knowledge that these materials or information will be used improperly.

Violations of these academic standards may result in the assignment of a failing grade and subsequent loss of credit for the course.

Level of Application

This course is designed to be an informational course with application to educational settings. The intervention strategies are appropriate for the remediation of challenging behavior in students ranging in age from approximately six years through adolescence.

Course Objectives:

· Know the terminology in the areas of behavior management, self-management and cognitive-behavior modification

· Know the relative merits and limitations of the behavioral and social-cognitive approaches to behavior management

· Understand the rationale for teaching students how to self-manage their behavior

· Understand the roles that cognitions and emotions play in the development of behavior problems

· Apply the self-management strategies covered in the course to the behavior problems of their own students

· Diagnose behavior problems and assess the efficacy of self-management interventions

· Increase the probability of students using self-management strategies in and outside of the classroom setting

Course Description

The Advanced Classroom Management course was developed as an alternative to traditional behavior modification approaches to changing student behavior. Although the course discusses and supports several behavior modification techniques, it goes beyond the boundaries of this approach. ACM teaches a social-cognitive approach to behavioral remediation. It compares and contrasts the two approaches, allowing students to gain a knowledge and understanding of each, but not refuting the use of either approach.

ACM incorporates the use of cognitive restructuring to aid in the modification of student behavior. The course teaches how to assist students in retaining their thinking so they may break old thought patterns that led to many aberrant behaviors. The modification of a student’s thought process allows them to view situations differently, process them differently, and then, be able to react to those situations in a more socially acceptable manner.

This course also teaches how to motivate students to be their own agents of change. It gives teachers useable strategies on how to teach self-motivation skills to classroom students. When students learn these self-motivation techniques, they begin altering behavior and responding to social situations and events more positively without parent or teacher intervention.

Essentially this course teaches teachers how to train students to recognize, evaluate, and respond to difficult interpersonal, classroom, school, and social situations with limited outside intervention. When students learn how to retrain their negative thought process and become better problem solvers, it takes the pressure of remediation off the teacher and places it on the student where it belongs. When this process is taught and used correctly, it will significantly reduce the number of interpersonal conflicts a teacher needs to deal with during school days and free up more time for academic instruction.

Since this is an advanced classroom management course, it is strongly suggested that students taking this course have some type of formal course training in either behavior modification or classroom management. Classroom experience can be substituted for actual course training, but even experienced teachers should have some background training in classroom management or behavior modification.

Student Expectations

As a student you will be expected to:

· Complete all 4 information sections covering Advanced Classroom Management: Children as Change Agent, showing a competent understanding of the material presented in each section.

· Complete all 4 section examinations, showing a competent understanding of the material presented.

· Complete a review of any section on which your examination score was below 70%.

· Retake any section examination, after completing an information review, to increase that examination score to a minimum of 70% (maximum of 3 attempts).

· Complete all course journal article and essay writing assignments with the minimum word count shown for each writing assignment.

· Complete a course evaluation form at the end of the course.

Course Overview

Section 1, Chapter 1: Introduction

Presents a comparison of the behavioral and social-cognitive models of behavior management as they are used in the schools. Special attention is paid to the merits and limitations of each model and a rationale for when each should be used. A detailed description of how each model might be applied to a common behavior problem in the class is provided.

Section 1, Chapter 2: Self-Motivation

Discusses the concepts of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and introduces the concept of self-motivation (Self-mo). Provides a detailed explanation of how Self-mo can be used with students in school settings to eliminate and prevent behavior problems.

Section 2, Chapter 3: Cognitive Strategies: Changing Beliefs

Provides an introduction to cognitive behavior modification (CBM), types of cognitions, and how each influences emotions and behavior. Major focus is on the relationship between irrational thinking and anti-social behavior. Provides a detailed explanation of the CBM strategy, cognitive-restructuring, and how it can be applied to the behavior problems of children and youth in school settings.

Section 2, Chapter 4: More CBM Strategies

Covers the CBM strategies: self-instructional training (for destructive impulsivity), verbal mediation (dealing with temptation) and problem solving. Again, a detailed explanation of each strategy is provided along with its application in the classroom.

Section 3: Stress Management Strategies

Provides an introduction to stress and stress management, and the importance of the latter in preventing and dealing with behavior problems in the classroom. Focuses on the role of the CBM strategy, stress inoculation, in the management of anger in children and youth.

Section 4: Putting It All Together

Includes an explanation of how the teacher might decide which of the strategies covered in this course he or she should teach students; both the proactive and reactive approaches are discussed. With regard to the latter approach, a detailed explanation of the Pre-Mod analysis strategy for diagnosing behavior problems is provided. Also included is information on how to teach students self-management strategies so that they are more likely to use them outside of the lesson and the

classroom, and how to measure the efficacy of these strategies in preventing and eliminating behavior problems.

Examinations

At the end of each course section, you will be expected to complete an examination designed to assess your knowledge. You may take these exams a total of three times. The software will save the last score, not the highest score. After your third attempt, each examination will lock and not allow further access. Your final grade for this course will be determined by calculating an average score of all exams. This score will be printed on your final certificate. As this is a self-paced computerized instruction program, you may review course information as often as necessary. You will not be able to exit any examinations until you have answered all questions. If you try to exit the exam before you complete all questions, your information will be lost. You are expected to complete the entire exam in one sitting.

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Writing Assignments

This course has two required writing components.

To save your essays:

Macintosh: When you select the question or article you wish to write on, simple text or text edit will automatically be launched. When you are finished, simply click on FILE>SAVE. Do not select SAVE AS. You do not need to give the document a name before saving. When you are done, select FILE>QUIT. You must quit before you write another essay.

Windows: When you select the question or article, Notepad will automatically launch. When you are finished, click on FILE>SAVE. Do not select SAVE AS. You do not need to give the document a name before saving.

1) Essay Requirement: Critical Thinking Questions

There is a critical thinking question for each chapter or section. You will do research on the question and write a brief essay relating it to the course content (and your personal experiences when possible). To view the questions, click on ESSAY REQ, and then on CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS. You will see the questions, one for each chapter or section. Click on the question you would like to work on; this will bring up a screen where you can enter your essay. You must write a minimum of 500 words per essay.

2) Essay Requirement: Journal Articles

This task requires you to write a review of three journal articles of your choice on a topic related to this course. You may choose your topic by entering the Key Words (click on the Key Words button) into a search engine of your choice (Google, Dogpile, Yahoo, etc.). Choose three relevant articles and write a 200-word review of each. You may also access the ERIC system and choose a related topic from a journal listed in that system. Or you can access www.scholar.google.com or www.findarticles.com .Write a critical summary of the information given in each article, explaining how the information relates to, supports, or refutes information given in this course. Conclude your paper with your thoughts and impressions. (200 words per journal article minimum.) Be sure to provide the journal name, volume, date, and any other critical information to allow the instructor to access and review that article.

To write your essays, click on ESSAY REQ. In the dialog box below that, click on JOURNAL ARTICLE ASSIGNMENT; this will expand the folder which contains links to the screens where you can write your reviews. When you are ready to stop, click on FILE>SAVE. You may go back at any point to edit your essays. For more information on the features of this assignment, please consult the HELP menu.

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Instructor Description

Dr. Joseph Kaplan has over 40 years of experience in education as a special education teacher, school psychologist, and teacher trainer at both the pre- and in-service levels. Dr. Kaplan recently retired from Portland State University, where he taught graduate students in the Department of Special and Counselor Education for the past twenty-five years. His areas of expertise are behavior management and teaching children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. His textbook, Beyond Behavior Modification: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach to Behavior Management in the School, is widely used in the field of special education and will soon be available in its fourth edition.

Contacting the Instructor

You may contact the instructor by emailing Dr. Kaplan at joe_kaplan@virtualeduc.com or calling him at (800) 313-6744 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. PST. Phone messages will be answered within 24 hours. Phone conferences will be limited to ten minutes per student, per day, given that this is a self-paced instructional program. Please do not contact the instructor about technical problems, course glitches, or other issues that involve the operation of the course.

Technical Questions

If you have questions or problems related to the operation of this course CD, please try everything twice. If the problem persists please check our support pages for FAQs and known issues at www.virtualeduc.com and also the Help section on your course disk.

If you need personal assistance then email support@virtualeduc.com or call (509) 891-7219. When contacting technical support, please know your course version number, it is printed on the CD label, your operating system and be seated in front of the computer at the time of your call.

Minimum Requirements

Macintosh Operating Systems

Mac OS 9.x or OS 10.x, 256MB of RAM and 5MB of free hard disk space, 15" or larger color monitor with a minimum resolution of 800x600, CD driver 4x minimum speed and a printer connected to your computer.

Windows Operating Systems

Windows 2000, XP Home, Professional or newer, 256MB of RAM and 5MB of free hard disk space; 15" or larger color monitor with a minimum resolution of 800x600, CD driver 4x minimum speed and a printer connected to your computer.

Please contact VESi if you have any questions about the compatibility of these systems.

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Refer to the addendum included with your software package regarding Grading Criteria, Course Completion Information, Items to be Submitted, and where to send your completed information.

Bibliography (Suggested Readings)

Self-Motivation

Brooks, A., Todd, A. W., Tofflemoyer, S., & Horner, R. H. (2003, Summer). Use of functional assessment and a self-management system to increase academic engagement and work completion. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5(3), 144-152.

Carter, J. F. (1993, Spring). Self-management: Education's ultimate goal. Teaching Exceptional Children, 25(3), 28-32.

Coyle, C., & Cole, P. (2004, March). A videotaped self-modeling and self-monitoring treatment program to decrease off-task behavior in children with autism. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 29(1), 3-15.

Davies, S., & Witte, R. (2000, March). Self-management and peer monitoring within a group contingency to decrease uncontrolled verbalizations of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychology in the Schools, 37(2), 135-147.

Firman, K. B., Beare, P., & Loyd, R. (2002, June). Enhancing self-management in students with mental retardation: Extrinsic versus intrinsic procedures. Education and Training in Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities, 37(2), 163-171.

Gable, R. A., & Hendrickson, J. M. (2000, August). Strategies for maintaining positive behavior change stemming from functional behavioral assessment in schools. Education and Treatment of Children, 23(3), 286-297.

Grandy, S. E., & Peck, S. M. (1997). The use of functional assessment and self-management with a first grader. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 19(2), 29-43.

Gureasko-Moore, S., DuPaul, G. J., & White, G. P. (2006, March). The effects of self- management in general education classrooms on the organizational skills of adolescents with ADHD. Behavior Modification, 30(2), 159-183.

Hoff, K. E., & DuPaul, G. J. (1998). Reducing disruptive behavior in general education classroom: The use of self-management strategies. School Psychology Review, 27(2), 290-303.

Kern, L., Marder, T. J., Boyajian, A. E., Elliot, C. M., & McElhattan, D. (1997, Spring). Augmenting the independence of self-management procedures by teaching self-initiation across settings and activities. School Psychology Quarterly, 12(1), 23-32.

Kern, L., Ringdahl, J. E., Hilt, A., Sterling-Turner, H. E. (2001, May). Linking self-management procedures to functional analysis results. Behavioral Disorders, 26(3), 214-226.

McConnell, M. E. (1999, November-December). Self-monitoring, cueing, recording, and managing: Teaching students to manage their own behavior. Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(2), 14-21.

Mooney, P., Ryan, J., Uhing, B. M., Reid, R., & Epstein, M. H. (2005, September). A review of self-management interventions targeting academic outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Behavioral Education, 14(3), 203-221.

Moore, D. W., Prebble, S., Robertson, J., Waetford, R., & Anderson, A. (2001). Self-recording with goal setting: A self-management programme for the classroom. Educational Psychology, 21(3), 255-265.

Peterson, L. D., Young, K. R., West, R. P., & Peterson M. H. (1999, August). Effects of student self-management on generalization of student performance to regular classrooms. Education and Treatment of Children, 22(3), 357-372.

Reid, R. (1996, May). Research in self-monitoring with students with learning disabilities: The present, the prospects, the pitfalls. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(3), 317-331.

VanLeuvan, P., & Wang, M. C. (1997, January-February). An analysis of students' self-monitoring in first- and second-grade classrooms. Journal of Educational Research, 90(3), 132-143.

Wolters, C. A. (1999). The relation between high students' motivational regulation and their use of learning strategies, effort, and classroom performance. Learning & Individual Differences, 11(3), 281-299.

Young, K. R., West, R. P., & Peterson, L. (1997, Summer). Teaching self-management skills to students with learning and behavior problems. Reclaiming Children and Youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Problems, 6(2), 90-96.

Cognitive Restructuring

Flanagan, R., Povall, L., Dellino, M., & Byrne, L. (1998, Summer). A comparison of problem solving with and without rational emotive behavior therapy to improve children's social skills. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 16(2), 125-134.

Haines, A. A., Davies, W. H., Parton, E., & Silverman, A. H. (2001, January-February).Cognitive behavioral intervention for distressed adolescents with Type I diabetes. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 26(1), 61-66.

Horan, J. J. (1996, October). Effects of computer-based cognitive restructuring of rationally mediated self-esteem. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43(4), 371-375.

Kovalski, T. M., & Horan, J. J. (1999, Summer). The effects of Internet-based cognitive restructuring on the irrational career beliefs of adolescent girls. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 13(2), 145-152.

Nielson, D. M., Horan, J., & Keen, B. (1996, Summer). An attempt to improve self -esteem by modifying specific irrational beliefs. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 10(2), 137-149.

Sapp, M. (1996, Summer). Irrational beliefs that can lead to academic failure for African American middle school students who are academically at-risk. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 14(2), 123-134.

Sharp, S. R., & McCallum, R. S. (2005). A Rational Emotive approach to improve anger management and reduce office referrals in middle-school children: A formative investigation and evaluation. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 21(1), 39-66.

Silverman, S., & DiGiuseppe, R. (2001, Summer). Cognitive-behavioral constructs and children's behavioral and emotional problems. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 19(2), 119-134.

Wilde, J. (1999, Summer). The efficacy of short-term rational-emotive education: A follow-up evaluation. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 13(2), 133-143.

Wilde, J. (1996, December). The efficacy of short-term rational-emotive education with fourth-grade students. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 31(2), 131-138.

Cognitive Behavior Modification

Robinson, T. R., Smith, S. W., Miller, M. D., & Brownell, M. T. (1999, June). Cognitive behavior modification of hyperactivity-impulsivity and aggression: A meta-analysis of school-based studies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(2), 195-203.

Self-Instructional Training

Cassel, J., & Reid, R. (1996, June). Use of a self-regulated strategy intervention to improve word problem-solving skills of students with mild disabilities. Journal of Behavioral Education, 6(2), 153-172.

Hughes, C., Hugo, K., & Blatt, J. (1996, May). Self-instructional intervention for teaching generalized problem-solving within a functional task sequence. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 100(6), 565-579.

Hughes, C., Killian, D. J., & Fischer, G. M. (1996, March). Validation and assessment of a conversational interaction intervention. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 100(5), 493-509.

Johnson, L., Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (1997, January-February). The effects of goal setting and self-instruction on learning a reading comprehension strategy: A study of students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(1), 80-91.

McLaughlin, T. F., Williams, B. F., & Howard, V. F. (1998, May). Suggested behavioral interventions in the classroom to assist students prenatally exposed to drugs. Behavioral Interventions, 13(2), 91-109.

Winsler, A., Diaz, R. M., Atencio, D. J., Mc Carthy, E. M., & Adams Chabay, L. (2000, October). Verbal self-regulation over time in preschool children at risk for attention and behavior problems. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 41(7), 875-886.

Verbal Mediation

Cole, P. G., & Pheng, L. C. (1998, December). The effects of verbal mediation training on the problem-solving skills of children with partial sight and children without visual impairments. International Journal of Disability Development and Education, 45(4), 411-422.

Neuman, Y., Leibowitz, L., & Schwarz, B. (2000, Spring). Patterns of verbal mediation during problem solving: A sequential analysis of self-explanation. Journal of Experimental Education, 68(3), 197-213.

Problem Solving

Suzman, K. B., Morris, R. D., Morris, M. K., & Milan, M. A. (1997, September). Cognitive-behavioral remediation of problem solving deficits in children with acquired brain injury. Journal of Behavior Therapy & Experimental Psychiatry, 28(3), 203-212.

Sukhodolsky, D. G., Golub, A., Stone, E. C., & Orban, L. (2005, Winter). Dismantling anger control training for children: A randomized pilot study of social problem-solving versus social skills training components. Behavior Therapy, 36(1), 15-23.

Stress Management

Benson, H., Wilcher, M., Greenberg, B., Huggins, E., Ennis, M., Zuttermeister, P. C., Myers, P., & Friedman, R. (2000, Spring). Academic performance among middle-school students after exposure to a relaxation response curriculum. Journal of Research & Development in Education, 33(3), 156-165.

Deffenbacher, J. L., Lynch, R. S., Oetting, E. R., & Kemper, C. C. (1996, April). Anger reduction in early adolescents. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43(2), 149-157.

Gilbert, J. N., & Orlick, T. (1996, December). Evaluation of a life skills program with grade two children. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 31(2), 139-152.

Gonzales, N. A., Tein, J. Y., Sandler, I. N., & Friedman, R. J. (2001, July). On the limits of coping: Interaction between stress and coping for inner-city adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16(4), 372-395.

McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Tomasino, D., Goelitz, J., & Mayrovitz, H. N. (1999, October-December).The impact of an emotional self-management skills course on psychosocial functioning and autonomic recovery to stress in middle school children. Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science, 34(4), 246-268.

Miranda, A., & Presentacion, M. J. (2000, March). Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of children with ADHD, with and without aggressiveness. Psychology in the Schools, 37(2), 169-182.

Prins, P., & Hanewald, G. (1999, June). Coping self-talk and cognitive interference in anxious children. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 67(3), 435-439.

Sukhodolsky, D. G., Solomon, R. M., & Perine, J. (2000, September). Cognitive-behavioral, anger-control intervention for elementary school children: A treatment outcome study. Journal of Child & Adolescent Group Therapy, 10(3), 159-170.

No authorship indicated. (2005, Spring). Helping children cope with anger: A cognitive behavioral intervention. Adolescence, 40(157), 231.

Updated 3/10/08