Positive Strategies for Students with Behavior Problems

When a student’s challenging behavior can’t be resolved through either traditional disciplinary approaches or schoolwide positive behavior support (PBS), what can a teacher do next? This groundbreaking manual has effective solutions for educators from grades K–12. Developed specifically for use with children with persistent or severe behavior problems, this book introduces educators to the systematic Positive Strategies method, which helps teachers understand why behaviors persist, prevent problem behavior, and replace challenging behaviors with better alternatives.

Why does the Positive Strategies approach get results? Because it’s

• grounded in the proven and popular PBS approach that’s already used in schools across the country
• field tested with hundreds of school teams by the highly respected authors and collaborating school teams
• nonaversive, stopping escalating cycles of problem behavior and helping students develop a better way
• adaptable to the unique needs of individual children in different educational contexts
• equally useful for students with or without special needs

Teachers will get complete, step-by-step instructions on the two parts of the Positive Strategies method: 1) conducting functional behavioral assessments to see how student characteristics and environment interact with consequences to shape behavior, and 2) developing behavior intervention plans to prevent problem behaviors and teach replacement skills. Educators will also discover how to assemble effective school teams, implement the Positive Strategies method, and follow up with students to ensure the benefits are sustained.

With the appropriate, effective, and individualized solutions in Positive Strategies, school teams will help bring about long-term improvements in the social success, academic achievement, and overall quality of life for children with severe problem behaviors.