Logistics

Morning routine – After helping with arrival and having your time with Skyler, please return to the
room. Help our students go through our morning meeting (huddle). During our reading session, help
redirect students as needed.
Data – It is expected that the middle school point sheet is completed nearly every day. This helps
track student goals and gives us needed information to make informed decisions. At the end of the
day, give completed forms to the teacher. They will be saved and stored. If you have any questions
about taking data, please ask. If you are unable to do it in the moment, write yourself a note and we
can discuss it later.
Breaks – Breaks are important. They help us reset and focus on the learners in our room. Your
designated break time – 10:50 to 11:20 – However this may need flexed depending on the needs of
the room.
RT/Makerspace – During RT/Makerspace is very important to help supervise students. This is also
the teacher’s plan time.
End of the day – Help get students prepared for dismissal and walk students out. Kids and parents
love to see everyone supporting them.
Specific things I am terrible at – Could you help us change the day on our calendar and reset our
schedule on the wall?
Dragon Dollars – Students love these tokens. These tokens allow for choice for positive behaviors.
The goal is to get 50 per day per student. Praise often. Praising and rewarding positive helps promote
more positive behavior.
Confidentiality – Be aware all data sheets, IEP information, etc. is protected information that cannot
be shared or shown to others.

ROLE OF THE Behavior Support Assistant:

General Information:
 Promote positive relationships.
 Provide support to the student, teachers, and other BSAs.
 Facilitate implementation of curriculum accommodations/modifications through direct/indirect
interactions
 Monitor student progress.
 Assist in shaping student behaviors.
 Know your schedule and follow it but be flexible. Changes are often made day to day and
minute to minute.
o Be mindful of the schedule. You may need to start a transition early to keep on schedule
depending on the students.
 Be kind and respectful of all students and staff members. Everyone works better when they
feel respected.
  Do not share or comment on individual needs of a student outside of those directly involved
with the student.
 If a student is a flight risk, maintain proximity, position yourself in front of exterior doors when
transitioning or walking in the hallways.
 Questions asked by the teacher should be answered by the student.
 Your tone of voice should be loving but firm when needed. Talk to students in a calm, nice tone
of voice…. not an annoyed and crabby tone of voice. Adolescents do not negotiate well publicly,
speak to or address behaviors in private as much as possible.
 Wait time----the amount of time will vary by student, but at minimum, a student should be given
10 seconds to respond before a cue of any sort is initiated.
 Documentation- You may be asked to help with student documentation. Please follow their
directions carefully because any stray off what they ask could skew the data.
 Always assume that a student can hear and understand you. Speak positively about yourself
and others. Avoid non-kid friendly conversations.
 Directions may need to be clear, simple, and specific about what you need/want the student to
do. (ex. First count, then break). When it comes to directions, the fewer words, the better.
 Engaging with students when they are doing things they enjoy helps to build relationships.
 Become familiar with their devices and assistive technology to help students fully access the
environment.
 Restraint- Physical restraint procedures may need to be utilized. We utilize a crisis team at the
Jones Center, while everyone is trained, call a hold to get the team to support. This is for your
protection and for the safety of the student.
 BSAs don't need to ask permission to leave the classroom. However, there are specific times
when leaving the classroom is best. The beginning of class is imperative, for the students to be
ready to learn. But after the teacher has started instruction and the majority of kids are on task,
that would be an appropriate time to slip out to use the restroom and come right back when
done.

During Class Activities:

 You should know and follow teacher’s daily routine (If you don’t know it, ask!)
a. Assist the teacher with passing out papers/materials.
b. Assist/redirect students to follow directions.
c. Walk around, make sure students are behaving, on task and making progress on the
assignment (without distracting from the learning environment).
d. Facilitate interaction between peers during group work.
e. Be engaged

 During lecture/direct instruction:

a. Assist with materials if needed.
b. Circulate among students without distracting from learning environment (i.e. speak quietly to
them if they need to be redirected or use nonverbal cues such as touching desk or pointing to
spot in book where they should be following along)
c. Listen to teacher directions so that you can clarify information/directions for students if they
need it.
d. Be engaged

 During notetaking:
a. Assist with materials (Pre-printed notes for students who need them)
b. Assist/ redirect students to follow directions and copy down all notes.
c. Circulate the room to monitor student progress and behavior.
 d. Assist students who are falling behind on notetaking.
 Write a few notes to catch them up.
 Help them summarize or shorten what the teacher wrote.
 Highlight where they should be writing.
e. Be engaged.

 End of class:
a. Check to be sure students have put materials and supplies away.
b. Double-check to make sure students have placed notes, homework etc. in their AVID binder as
appropriate.
c. Make sure students have turned in homework for that day.
d. Help any students who are struggling to get packed up, so they aren’t behind.
e. Help the teacher with any cleanup that is necessary.

Dealing with Behavior Problems

 Types of prompts Try the least option first, if possible

 Visual prompt – picture or visual cue that information about the direction
 Gestural – An action like pointing or reaching out. This can also be seen as modeling.
 Verbal – Telling the student, giving a hint, or repeating directions.
 Positional – Putting materials away. Standing in the way. Using proximity.
 Physical – Physically guiding the learner
 Redirection should be in the form of a tap on the desk, eye contact to let them know you see
them, a nonverbal cue such as pointing to the book, or a quick whisper.
 Quiet non-compliance from students will be dealt with on an individual basis but most of the
time, ignoring them will be the best choice.
o Give them a chance to comply.
o If they choose not to, then let them know that all the work will then be completed at refocus
time.
o Leave them alone and help others who are willing to work.
o Nothing else needs to be said to them.
 When dealing with students who are misbehaving or off task, the less talking at them from
adults the better.
 Students will have different plans for their behavior, be familiar with those plans and know
where plans are kept so that you can review them if necessary.

Food for thought: Reinforcement vs Punishment

 Reinforcement increases the chances that the behavior will continue
 Punishment decreases the chance that the behavior will continue

Behaviors typically have four functions

 Seek attention
 To get activity or tangible
 Escape or avoidance
 Sensory or need

Behavior Intervention Strategies

***All students Preventive & Proactive ***
 Develop relationships.
  Model appropriate behaviors
 Proximity Control
 Choices offered (giving a student or a class a selection of assignments, activities, etc. to increase
their motivation to complete what is asked)
 Redirection
 Cues or secret signals to students to change behavior (student needs to know what the signal
is) such as scratching nose when student needs to quiet down.
 Visual cues or signals to students to change their behavior.
 Planned Ignoring (when behavior is attention seeking)
 Private conversation with student
 Positive Narration (acknowledge all students exhibiting positive behavior and wait for other
students to exhibit behavior and then acknowledge them)
 Create a personal procedure or visual schedule for student.
 Self-Monitoring (with individual student or whole class): Student tracks on paper how many
times they exhibit the negative behavior and the positive replacement behavior the teacher wants.
 5 to 1 Positive to Negative Interactions (positive interactions can be praise, a greeting, a
compliment, or any positive attention towards the student such as a conversation about their
favorite book)
 Directly teach and re-teach classroom expectations, rules, procedures for transitions, etc. at
least every 2 weeks.

Academic Interventions for any struggling student

 Giving extra time to complete tasks.
 Simplifying complex directions
 Handing worksheets out one at a time – or shortening an assignment by folding the
paper in half
 Providing study skills training/learning strategies
 Setting short term goals for work organization
 Writing key points on the board
 Make sure directions are understood.
 Having student review key points orally
 Teaching through multi-sensory modes
 Give students choices.
 Allow for multiple forms of output for assessments.
 Utilize mnemonic cues (e.g. songs, cartoons, rhymes, stories, images: for teaching
math facts, vocabulary, or steps in process)
 Provide clearly written directions and instruction in a step-by-step manner with
illustrations and use as few words as possible.
 Write instructions on the board as well as say them aloud.
 Provide varied tasks texts or supplementary materials at different levels of reading
difficulty.
 Divide instruction into shortened segments and provide feedback to students before
moving to the next segment.
 Break assignments into smaller chunks to give student opportunities to respond
frequently.
 Use direct, systematic instruction for students who show areas of concerns.
 Use technological tools or computer software to allow students to access content in
multiple ways (ReadWrite Google extension)
 Use multi-sensory techniques to present information.
 Use visuals, charts, and models for concept reinforcement.
 Use graphic organizers to focus attention on key elements, concepts, or ideas.
  Provide practice opportunities using multiple modalities.
 Provide opportunities for students to respond in a variety of ways (questions, dry-erase
boards, thumbs-up, partner share, graphic organizers)
 Offer materials, tasks, and learning options at varied levels of difficulty.
 Clearly explain each academic task and the specific criteria needed to successfully
complete the task.
 Monitor student understanding continuously so misunderstandings can be clarified and
corrected immediately.
 Reinforce memorization of steps using repetition in a variety of contexts where memory
is required (oral, written, act it out)
 Anchor new knowledge to previously learned knowledge.
 Provide a master set of notes, when notetaking is required, to improve student’s notes.
 Create and provide students with an easy-to-follow visual that specifies problem-solving
steps in a clear manner that students may reference as needed.
 Review and practice previously taught material frequently.
 Use illustrations, diagrams, demonstrations, charts and manipulatives to present
instruction.
 Use organizers to focus attention and increase comprehension of concepts to be
learned.
 Invite students to use their own words to summarize key points in a lesson.
 Allow students opportunities to move about the room during instruction when
appropriate.
 Clearly state the learning target and/or objective of the lesson before beginning
instruction.

Say this …. NOT that

The goal is to use directives that are saying what you WANT the student to do. NOT what they are doing
wrong
Words to avoid: “NO” … “Don’t…” “STOP” ....
Use Positive praise restating the specific directive: “Thank you for lining up safely” “Thank you for using your
walking feet in the hallway” And remember TONE, CADENCE and VOLUME are everything!
SAY THIS NOT THAT
“Use your walking feet please” “Don’t run in the hall.”
“Stop running in the hall!”
Find a student displaying the correct behavior… Stop
Give that student positive praise: “I like the way you are ___. ” …..tapping your pencil
Wait 30 seconds, then as soon as student B follows the direction- …..kicking your feet
quickly praise “great job Student B for ___.”
If they don’t catch on and follow the directive-
Restate the expectation (voice volume, no distractions)
“Remember we are working on sitting quietly.” “Stop talking!”
“I am looking for a learner/student who is sitting quietly” “Why are you still talking out?”
“The direction is to sit in your chair.” “Sit in your chair!”
Then immediately praise as soon as they sit. If even for 5 seconds. “Get out from under the table!”
“Remember Safe hands/body/feet.” “Don’t Hit! Don’t Kick!”
“Let’s make a safe choice”
“Remember- you are working on EARNING your prize/ticket/clip “You will not get your prize if
up.” you keep acting like this!”
“I will take your prize away if you
Do not TAKE away something they already earned due to following act like this”
the directions. Think of it as equivalent to taking away your paycheck
for the time you already worked….)
“Show me you can be safe in the classroom” OR give the directive you “Don’t run in the classroom.”
want them to do “Please line up” “Please have a seat” (then wait for at
least 30 sec before repeating the direction again) “SIT DOWN”
Then praise immediately
“I will set a timer for 1/2/3 minute (whichever is reasonable) then we “It’s time to go- let’s go now!!”
can line up and go to….”
Find a student on task and praise them “I like the way “Kelly” is “Stop talking out, signing, yelling,
sitting so quietly and ready to learn” etc”
“School-appropriate language please” “you can’t say those words in
school” “stop swearing”