Module One

Reading Two - Thinking about ED

Youngsters today are different. Youngsters today are no different than they were years ago. Which is it? We have little to tell us. The basic human gene pool does not seem to have altered and youth still go through developmental stages much as before. The appearance of children is the same and the things they want to do in their spare time seems to be similar, too.

At the same time, we have very different behaviors in the classroom and the teacher in control in the front of the room is rare. Here is a list about teacher perceptions of behavior…before and after.

In the past, youngsters were punished for: Common concerns today include:

1. Talking to neighbors
2. Passing notes
3. Chewing gum
4. Walking around the classroom
5. Being off task
6. Not doing homework
7. Pranks on neighbors
8. Taking things that belonged to the classroom

Common concerns today include:

1. Shootings
2. Drug abuse
3. Vandalism and stealing
4. Attacking school personnel
5. Indecent gestures and language
6. Stealing and illegal activities
7. Dishonesty
8. Assault and abuse of fellow students

Children still do the things we used to punish for, and children did the things we now focus on, so what is the difference?

Questions about Students with Behavior Problems

1. What is behavior or misbehavior?

2. Would it be reasonable to characterize any of the actions teachers find unacceptable as developmental -- meaning age appropriate at some points during maturation?

3. What is the difference between being bad and being considered emotionally disturbed?

   1. Could any of these listed behaviors be considered evidence of an emotional disturbance?

   2. Are any of the behaviors illegal? Would that make them serious enough to be a disorder?

4. How many are situational issues - things that are related to what is expected at school but not issues in other situations?

5. Are any of these behaviors created by expectations that do not match with normal student behavior, or that are in direct conflict with human needs?

6. Does it make a difference if a youngster chooses to misbehave or is internally compelled?

There are numerous people who built conceptual frameworks for explaining human behavior. Understanding different philosophies or ways of describing human nature tells us a great deal about how people look at the actions of children. It tells us a lot about how our society has matured in our vision of who human beings are.

It also provides help in realizing why there are such varied responses to a student act. Each philosophy has a different way of looking at behavior. . . and each philosophy provides a different set of tools for ameliorating uncomfortable, unwanted or dangerous actions. . . getting the child to stop or change the actions. Here is a brief summary of five different ways of explaining behavior.

Try the following activities as a way of reviewing these ideas.

Take a specific behavior problems - for instance a student who is having trouble sitting still or paying attention during class. Suggest the type of intervention that each conceptual framework would sponsor.

Take a student who is violent with others. Suggest the type of intervention for each framework.

A student is having auditory hallucinations. Suggest a possible treatment from each framework

A student is anorexic. Suggest a possible treatment from each framework

How Do I Feel?

Each philosophy discusses how others feel about the child. They do not really help us understand the student or how the student feels. A student who is distressed really needs our understanding.

Here is a look at my beliefs about human nature and youngsters who are doing things I do not value. They will not necessarily match with your perceptions. Think about how they differ and how you will treat youngsters and actions that are unwanted, based on your own beliefs.

• I am a wonderful human being first, and a person with a behavior problem second.

• If I am self involved it may come from a need to maintain ritual and secure a sense of safety. Until I feel safe, I may not be able to move out of myself to empathize with others.

• I have needs, yet I may lose my ability to express those needs.

• If I am feeling rage, disappointment or depression, I may behave in ways that express how unfulfilled, thwarted and unhappy I am. I will often do it without considering the outcome or consequences.

• I may not be able to understand myself, to be insightful. If I have been hurt or feel abandoned, I may blame myself, feel thwarted, find myself unable to communicate in rational ways, and I may express needs in ways that oppress others.

• I may not be able to get outside myself, and may blame myself for things that I cannot control and did not choose or create. If I have been hurt or feel abandoned,

• I am likely to believe it is because I am unlikable. If people are hurting me, I am likely to believe I have done something to cause it and am likely to change my behavior to prevent a repeat, and when the hurt is inflicted again, I may continue to search for my own culpability, rather than understanding that I am not the cause.

• I am a social creature and learn things through relationship, support, care, and nurturance. It is a long process, taking at least the first 18 years of my life, though I will not really understand myself or be fully mature as long as I live.

• I may behave as I do because of biochemical or hereditary influences. No matter what the underlying issues or causes , I will respond best when I feel respected and have a sense of support that includes unconditional positive regard.

• I grow best when I feel safe so I can move beyond my own pain and reach out to help others.

Safety

Safety is the most important and powerful way to hasten growth. Here is a chart that suggests ways we can provide support for youth who are having difficulty.