Challenging Behavior in Elementary and Middle School » (1st Edition)

In the 18 years they’ve worked together, Barbara Kaiser and Judy Sklar Rasminsky–whose book Challenging Behavior in Young Children won a 2007 Texty Award for textbook excellence–have written a series of books unique in education. Combining Barbara’s three decades as a teacher and education consultant with Judy’s writing skills, their texts bring readers solid research and practical strategies in a reader-friendly style.

Barbara has presented workshops and keynotes on challenging behavior across North America; acted as chief consultant for Facing the Challenge, an instructional DVD based on Challenging Behavior in Young Children (Devereux Early Childhood Initiative, 2007); and advised the Addressing Youth Violence Project for Western Nova Scotia. She has taught at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and Concordia University in Montreal.

Judy, a freelance writer specializing in education and health, joined Barbara in writing The Daycare Handbook (1991). In 1999, their bestselling Meeting the Challenge was selected by the National Association for the Education of Young Children as a Comprehensive Membership Benefit. Judy’s articles have appeared in the Reader's Digest, the Los Angeles Times, and other magazines, newspapers, and textbooks. In 2004, she won several awards for her contributions to a history of the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC.

Winner of the 2009 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty) from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA).

Written by an educator and consultant who has spent 30 years working with children and families and a writer who specializes in education issues, Challenging Behaviors in Elementary and Middle School is a comprehensive and indispensable resource for everyone who plans to work–or is currently working–in elementary and middle schools. This new resources presents in-depth background information and strategies to help pre-service and new and practicing teachers understand, prevent, and address the behavior problems found so often in today’s schools.

The evidence-based techniques at its heart work with the most difficult behaviors and benefit every child in the classroom. They can be used alone or together, creating tools suitable for many different children and situations. The text brings together in one practical, academically rigorous, user-friendly volume facts and techniques drawn from neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, special education, classroom management child development, cross-cultural research, and proactive social and emotional skills programs. In addition to chapters on such strategies as positive behavior support and functional assessment and preventing challenging behavior, the book includes chapters on self-reflection, the teacher-child relationship, inclusion, bullying, culture, and partnerships with families. It also presents vital background on aggressive and antisocial behavior, the teenage brain, and risk factors for challenging behavior, as well as how to build resilience by focusing on children’s strengths. Every chapter ends with discussion questions, and many feature short case scenarios with problems to solve.Once again, the renowned author team of Kaiser and Rasminsky has written a compelling and necessary resource for teachers and educational professionals everywhere.

See what judges from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA) have to say about the 2009 winner of the Textbook Excellence Award (Texty):

“An excellent contemporary text for any beginning or seasoned education professional. It is easily readable, with all the research, as well as the descriptive, real-life scenarios to maintain interest. The suggestions, proactive measures, and analyses are clearly present to create a concise handbook for the challenges of the modern classroom.”

“This research based textbook is written in an easy-to-read conversational style. It is interesting, cover to cover, as well informative; it is also, practical and true to classroom life.”

“The authors suggest a variety of individual interventions and classroom management strategies to prevent, nip in the bud, deescalate, and survive the challenging behaviors of disruptive students. Of particular appeal are the episodes about two challenging pupils, Andrew (age 9) and Jasmine (age 13), which are sprinkled through the book.”

“This book should be a must read for present and future teachers. It was readable but most importantly not just by academicians but by anyone who has the desire to learn. It is convincing academically and scientifically but mostly it is thoughtful, practical and useful.”

“Its organization is impeccable. It goes from the general to the specific from the theoretical to the workable.”

“I felt chapter six ‘Opening the Culture Door’ to be of vital importance. The book does an excellent job in defining how these beliefs influence behavior and how the teacher can respond to these cultural differences.”

“I felt the chapter ‘Guidance and Discipline Strategies’ was excellent. A system where practical ways of dealing with the four states of mind are presented, offering strategies which bring the student back to the “competent state”. I was encouraged by the totally positive approach of the system.”

“The book is a classic to be studied and followed.”

Ch. 1 What Is Challenging Behavior? 9

Ch. 2 Risk Factors 20

Ch. 3 Protective Factors 46

Ch. 4 Behavior and the Brain 57

Ch. 5 Relationship, Relationship, Relationship 68

Ch. 6 Opening the Culture Door 95

Ch. 7 Preventing Challenging Behavior: The Social Context 122

Ch. 8 Preventing Challenging Behavior: Physical Space, Classroom Management, and Teaching Strategies 150

Ch. 9 Guidance and Other Discipline Strategies 177

Ch. 10 The WEVAS Strategy 198

Ch. 11 Functional Assessment and Positive Behavior Support 221

Ch. 12 The Inclusive Classroom 241

Ch. 13 Working with Families and Other Experts 264

Ch. 14 Bullying 280

App. A The A-B-C Chart 307

App. B The Functional Assessment Observation Form 311

App. C Converting an A-B-C Chart into a Functional Assessment Observation Form 315

References 319

Index 363