Special Education Preschooler needs consequences for behavior.?

Question

I work at a school for children with special needs I am in a preschool classroom and have a young child with Down's Syndrome. The child is very stubborn, they wont listen to teachers, throws toys hits others and teachers and damages other students belongings. We have used behavior charts, natural consequences and taking away free time or things students enjoy. These things seem to work for a while and then they no longer work. We always follow through with consequences but the student seems to no longer care after a while. The students parent does many things for them at home so it is a different environment at school when things are expected of them. This student is very smart and very capable of the things we ask them today. We try and stay positive and have been ignoring behavior that is for attention, but it is so hard. The student does these things for attention and doesnt care what the consequence is, even if they are completely ignored, WE NEED SUGGESTIONS! ANYTHING!

Answer 1

what do the parents suggest ? a nice time out ? make the kid sit in a "time out" chair. one minute for one year old. ( 5yr old gets 5 mins. time out). if they misbehave in the time out then they get additional time added on ( 30 seconds per behavior). you obviously can't hit the child but talk to the parents and see how they deal with the behaviors at home. after the time out you must get down face to face with the child and tell them what they did wrong and that it is not acceptable behavior. if they continue to do so then they will not be allowed to play with the others and/or have play time. my guess is that the child has more than down's syndrome wrong with him/her . i would guess possibly ADD or ADHD.

Answer 2

I don't know much about Down's but I would say the lack of realization of consequences for his/her actions is similar to the problems faced with disciplining children with ADD/ADHD.

I don't have any particular hints seeing as I'm a mere college kid with no real life experience but perhaps this clues you in to something.  :(

Good luck. Your work is truly admirable.

Answer 3

You need to explicitly teach the child the behaviors that you want him to do.  Choose behaviors that are incompatible with the misbehavior and then give the child reinforcers for doing what you have taught him to do.  For example, if the child is hitting others, you need to teach him "hands to yourself."  Downs kids are excellent at imitating, so show him how you put your hands in your lap, or at your sides, and say, "John, do this."  As soon as he does it, you say, "Great hands to yourself, John!  Here's a Skittle!" (or whatever token reinforcer is motivating to him - it's a rare child with Downs who won't work for small edibles.)  Keep teaching the appropriate behavior and reinforcing him for demonstrating it.

I agree with the concept of consequences, but often they are used as punishment rather than as a more powerful learning tool.  There are consequences to good behavior, too, and kids need to learn that "good choices" bring good consequences.  Again, make sure that you are specifically teaching and reteaching this concept.  "Good choice, Jennifer!  You finished your puzzle and put it back on the shelf.  You can go line up for recess."  "John, make a good choice and finish your work.  You won't be able to go for recess until your work is finished."  Then reinforce John for every effort he makes toward completing the task.  "Oh, good choice!  You put one peg into the pegboard!  Quick, get the next one!  You will be done soon, and then you'll be able to go to recess."

Ignoring misbehavior usually backfires, because kids will escalate their misbehavior until you have to pay attention to them.  It can be a tool if used properly, which means that you need to conspicously reinforce the children who are behaving appropriately, while not acknowledging the child who is misbehaving.  For example, if all the children are supposed to be sitting at circle with their hands in their lap, you go to each child who is sitting appropriately and give them a verbal reinforcement ("Joe, perfect sitting!"), along with a high-five and something else that the misbehaving child would like to have, whether it is a potato chip or an opportunity to do something very cool like play with a balloon or a flashlight or blow a soap bubble.  Eventually, if your reinforcers are powerful to the misbehaving child, he will comply with the directions being given.

So make a "menu of reinforcers" that are powerful to the student, and make sure you have access to them throughout the school day.  Teach the behaviors that you want the child to demonstrate, and reinforce everyone who is doing the right thing.  Kids with Downs are famously stubborn, but they are also quick to get with a program when they find out that it's the only way to get what they want.  While it is probably true that his parents are inconsistent at home, even very young children with significant disabilities can learn that there are different expectations in different settings.  We can't often change the child's home environment, but we can establish our standards at school and support the child to learn the behaviors needed.  Just remember that learning appropriate behavior is like learning any other skill - it needs to be taught, and reinforced, and it is a process, not an event.  It will take time, but you will succeed.

Answer 4

In these circumstances, the school district is required under federal (and state) special education law to do a functional behavioral assessment and develop a behavior intervention plan.  If that's been tried by district personnel but not successfully, then the district should be looking for qualified outside experts to do the evaluation and assist in developing a plan.  Such plans often require adjustments and modifications until an effective intervention plan is arrived at.

I hope the parents are being advised of their right to get an independent assessment at the district's expense if the district plan is ineffective.

Answer 5

Understanding the impact of developmental delays is not easy. Remember, no child wants to fail...you are misreading his motive.  It's not for attention. he's asking you for help in the only language he knows.

Children repeat behaviors as long as they are not re-directed away from them.  You need to know that the child's developmental delays (due to Down's) are getting in the way of true communcation...but there is hope.

Give the parents, and yourself,  a copy of Dr Ross Greene's 'The Expolsive Child'.  It'll help them see that they are overlooking the real issue - communication delays.

Try catching the child doing something 'right'.  Planned ignoring is helpful for minor issues.   For these kids with delays consequences aren't in their vocabulary - so you're barking up the wrong tree here.  Try quickly earned rewards,  and you'll see a big difference soon.

Best of Luck!

Answer 6

Get some books on Oppositional Defiance Disorder.....what is hard with these kind of kids (I have one too) is that...just when you think you get it figured out...they change the behavior again.  You all are going to have to show a united front....do the same things...this child is taking the control.  Students "not caring" is another control tool....if they dont - then you dont - then it starts all over again - repetition is huge with these kids...  See if you can get student involved in helping...kids love to help!!!  You also need to plug into our school's resources and counselors etc...that is thier Job to help with all this and they are connected with information resources etc....  maybe student could even use a med change - or if not on meds - maybe start - and this is NOT a bad thing!...keep after it..you will get it worked out...

Answer 7

OH boy, you have your hands full.  Extinction (ignoring unwanted behaviors) does work if implemented properly.  I have a sp. ed. son who is autistic spectrum and he usually has a classmate with down's in his classes, this year included.  I do not believe in taking away his recess, all kids especially sp. needs kids need this break to regroup and especially if he is ADD/ADHD.  Time outs I would think unlikely to work as you have seen.  It may be time for meds but it doesn't sound like the parents would be on board for that.  The parents are in denial that they have a cute little problem that in a 2-3 years is going to be a 65 lb 4 and a half foot problem, much harder to contain.  The parents are part of the problem.  The kid needs consistency, and they aren't going to comply with any program.  Can you ask the parents to find an alternative school?  Have you tried ABA therapy?  Is he getting adequate OT for sensory issues?  Have you tried positive reinforcement?  You have already tried punishment with limited success, so it is unlikely that negative reinforcement will work.  Kids that are oppositional defiant are much more difficult to deal with than what you describe.

Answer 8

ignoring poor behaviors is not an effective tool.  you say that y'all follow through with his behavioral charts etc., and are actively enforcing consequences when poor choices are made.....are you equally as emphatic about reinforcing POSITIVE behavior.  if he is on any type of behavioral plan, point sheet, etc. then there must be consequences as well as positive behavioral enforcers.

of course, every child is different-but perhaps if you find a task that is of value to him you can reevaluate his behavioral plan.  for example, johnny loves attention and seeks it regularly regardless if it is positive or negative reinforcement...so, find a way to use this to your advantage.  if johnny enjoys being in front of the class have him start each half hour with the ability to be a "helper", even if it only means holding the pointing stick during circle time, etc. giving him the attention that he craves with little distraction to your structured teaching time (sorry, i'm unaware of your daily activity schedule).  basically he will start out with rewards and his consequence can be NOT receiving this attention.  when he has problems you can mark off (take away) one of his attention-time activities and replace it with a more isolated activity, or perhaps "shift" the activity temporarily to another child (if he is a competitive individual).  hopefully his desire for the activity and attention will push him to behave properly-especially since the reinforcement is given at frequent, consistent intervals.  

i think the most important aspect of dealing with promoting positive behavior in down's syndrome is to make sure that expectations and rules are explicit, easily understood and VISUAL.  sounds like you are doing a great job in trying to be consistent...good luck.