Chapter 1

The authors of this book have 40 years of teaching experience with general and special education. Just like us, they got tired of the students' behavior interfering with the daily school functions. They experienced great success with their intensive interventions and want to share them with us. Chapter One is a case for change...change from smaller statistics to the staggering numbers of emotionally disturbed doubling. Educational autism increased 90% from 1994 to 2006. In one survey it stated that students' either emotional or behavioral challenges are the primary reason that general educators leave the profession. We are frustrated because we cannot reach and teach the students. They point out that with academic strategies and instruction, teachers have always been proactive in teaching the skills before testing the students on the learned material. Yet we leave behavioral management to teach when the inappropriate behavior happens, making it reactive. One of our jobs in the public schools is to help our students become productive and contributing members of society. Some students may not be exposed to appropriate models and we cannot expect all children to teach themselves social and behavioral skills if they have never observed these in the world around them. Invest time in modeling and role playing everyday BEFORE the "test" of inappropriate behavior rears its ugly head. They tell the truth in saying that suspension does little more than provide a break for the school staff. It does not change the behavior of difficult students. For our at-risk kids, punitive approaches do little to develop personal responsibility or teach life skills. For the educators out there that say that "Parents should teach their kids how to behave" - guess what??? IT IS OUR JOB NOW. Seriously. Start looking through the want ads if you don't think this is in your job description...and it's not going to change any time soon. This is a case for change in realizing this is OUR responsibility.