September 17, 2018

Projects and activities that engage and interest students can go a long way toward reducing behavioral problems in your 21^st CCLC program. A strategic behavior management plan, however, can target problem areas and help your staff and students stay focused and productive. Your plan doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it should be targeted. Here are three information sources you can use as starting points:   

Behavior reports from the school. What trends do you see that need to be addressed? How might your program work with school-day staff, families and students to better understand these trends? Does the school use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) or some other system to address these problems? What strategies might be appropriate for addressing behavioral issues and trends in a 21^st CCLC setting? These are questions you can explore alongside school-day staff.

Observational data from your program staff. What behavioral issues has your program identified through formal or informal observations? What additional information or training does your staff need to understand the underlying issues? What strategies can you use to address these issues? For example, if problem behaviors are most likely to occur during certain activities or routines, are there changes you could make to reduce the likelihood of recurrence? 

IEPs and Section 504 plans. If a student in your program has one of these plans, discuss the plan with the school’s special education teacher(s) to make sure you know about any behavioral goals and strategies that are written into these plans. Identify specific ways your program can support these goals and strategies. 

You can use this information to identify and prioritize behavioral goals and strategies to implement in your program. For example, if you decide bullying is a significant problem, you might start by asking staff to read our Y4Y blog post on preventing bullying. Follow up with a meeting to discuss the resources and strategies mentioned in the post. Agree on specific steps for immediate intervention and long-term prevention. (The Y4Y Incorporating Multiple Viewpoints Checklist can help your staff consider practices that support a safe, respectful and inclusive environment.) Write down your goal and what steps you’ll take, and check in with staff regularly to assess progress and adjust your approach as needed.

Whatever your goal, the key is to keep it simple and be strategic. You can’t prevent or “fix” every problem behavior, but you can make a positive difference if you have a goal, a plan and the commitment to follow through.

 

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