Jessica Hernandez

TED 414 Dr. Sapp

August 4th, 2016

Individual Behavior Management Plan

The Hyperactive Student

The Student and Behavior

Chanse is a 1stgrade student with hyperactive tendencies. He often is disruptive in class during lessons, group work, or individual work. When it comes to doing his work, Chanse seems to be distractive and fidgeting around. He makes noises, shouts out in class, and kicks the tables. He seems to have a problem staying focused and on task in the classroom. Chanse often times gets out of his seat and roams around the classroom, sometimes bothering other peers in the classroom.

The Purpose of the Behavior

According to Intervention Central hyperactive students tend to have a very high energy level, act impulsively and can be behaviorally distracting (Intervention Central, 2013).There can be a number of reasons that some students have short attention spans, may seem hyperactive, or are impulsive. Chanse might be seeking attention. Students who are hyperactive often times are unaware that they are being disruptive during classroom instruction. Chanse’ behavior can be simply be hisneeds to move around and the fact that he can’t be able to focus without taking a break from tasks. Having strategies will definitely help Chanse be successful and at the same time not feel like he is being disruptive in class. In Education World it expressed that we not only want to make it clear to students of unacceptable behavior, but also want to make it clear of what behavior is acceptable (Ken Shore, 2015). Chanse needs consistency, structure, routines, procedures, and rules that will positively influence and help him develop the appropriate behavior inside and outside the classroom.

Two Teacher’s Perspectives

We asked two classroom teachers what they did when students cussed in class. Here are their responses:

  • “What I do when I have a student who is hyperactive is usually sit the student close by me, so I am aware of what the student is doing. I also like to use certain strategies, especially non-verbal cues, for instance tapping the student on the shoulder or making eye contact to remind the student of both positive and negative behavior.”

~Dawna M., Long Beach Unified School District, 20th-year teacher~

  • “I let the student express what he/she is feeling and have them take a brain break. Most of the time what the student needs is just to move around and do something. I also remind the student about the rules and routines, so he/she is aware of what is expected. I really find it helpful to have the student take on roles/jobs to help me out around the classroom and let the student be able to move around.”

~Josie T., Long Beach Unified School District, 4th-year teacher~

Strategies to Modify the Behavior

The following are some useful strategies to have in your stockpile.

  • Give the student a break – Don’t push the student to do a lot of work and stay on track. Sometimes the student needs a brain break since he/she will become more restless. Have the student engage in some movement during the break, going to the bathroom or getting a drink of water, for example.
  • Provide opportunities for the student to release excess energy- Allow student to redirect his/her seemingly boundless energy by engaging in constructive activities rather than moving around aimlessly (ex- decorate a bulletin board, collect papers, pass out papers, deliver a message).
  • Establish a signal to cue a student that she is out of her seat- Arrange a subtle signal with a hyperactive student to alert them to return to their seat. That might be a wink of your eye, a touch on your shoulder, or a pull on your ear. If necessary, follow up the signal with a verbal reminder to the student to return to their seat.
  • Set up a workspace for the student- Establish physical parameters for the student by placing masking tape around their desk to make a square or rectangle, putting the tape about a foot or so beyond the desk on all four sides. Tell the student that this is their "office." Explain that he/she can stand up or move around as long as she/he stays within the boundaries of her workspace, but that she/he can't leave the space without your permission. This will give the student a feeling of freedom, but also help the student learn some self-control. With time, you might want to make the space smaller by bringing the tape closer to his/her desk.
  • Seat the Student Next to Distraction-Resistant Peers -One useful strategy for managing low-level motor behaviors is to seat the student next to peers who can generally ignore those behaviors. Rearrange seating in the classroom so that the student is sitting near peers who are good behavior models and are not readily distracted by that student's minor fidgety movements or playing with objects.
  • Ignore Low-Level Motor Behaviors -Selective ignoring can be an effective teacher response to minor fidgeting or other motor behaviors. If the student's 'fidgety' behaviors are relatively minor and do not seriously derail classroom instruction, the teacher should simply not pay attention to them.
  • Ticket, please- If the student gets out of their seat often to do such things as sharpen her/his pencil or ask a question, you might give her/his a limited number of tickets and require that she/he give you one when she/he wants to leave her/his seat. When the student runs out of tickets, she/he is not allowed to leave her/his seat. If the student does, take away three minutes of his/her recess. That will help teach the student self-control while lessening her/his out-of-seat behavior.

Online Resources

  • Learn about the Hyperactive Children's Support Group is a registered charity, which has been successfully helping Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and hyperactive children and their families for over 35 years. Our specialism is advocating a dietary approach to the problem of hyperactivity.
  • Thomas Armstrong has a book titled ADD/ADHD Alternatives in the Classroom. It has important and helpful information about how to help and use alternatives with children that have ADD/ADHD. Armstrong urges educators and parents to look for the positive characteristics in learners who may carry the ADD/ADHD label. What can teachers do to boost the success of students with attention and behavioral difficulties?You can buy it new for $11.95 or used for $4.24 at online bookstores like Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Click the link below to read the table of contents.
  • This resource kit provides CCI teachers, and other childcare professionals, with valuable information regarding students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. This kit includes a large range of electronic and print resources as well as information pertaining to ADHD, differentiated teaching, and more - all which aids teachers in welcoming students with ADHD into the classroom.

References

"Helping the Student with ADHD in the Classroom: Strategies for Teachers." LD On-Line: The

World's Leading Website on Learning Disabilities and ADHD. Web. 02 Aug.

2016.

"Dr. Ken Shore: Hyperactive Students."

Web. 04 Aug. 2016.

"School-Wide Strategies for Managing... HYPERACTIVITY." Response to Intervention.

wide-strategies-managing-hyperactivity. Web. 04 Aug. 2016.