The Empower Program, K–2

Concrete Strategies for Positive Behavioral Support

Rachel Baker

Let’s face it—teaching can be stressful. In this generation of Common Core Standards and high-stakes testing, educators are often left without the time to plan positive behavioral supports or the sanity to cultivate compassionate relationships with their students. Even though they understand the critical relationship between behavior and instruction, they’re often left with the same hair-pulling question: How can I empower—rather than overpower—my students, while still keeping a controlled classroom so that I can teach and students can learn?

The “Empower Program” delivers user-friendly strategies that are realistic for educators to implement and practical for their students to use. Included are:

Classroom Scenarios “When this happens…”
Research and Relevancy “Why did that happen…”
Concrete Strategies “What can I do?”
Ready-to-go Resources “How can I do this tomorrow?”

This book is not going to antagonize teachers with theoretical concepts in ideal contexts; it is instead going to respect teachers and their classroom frustrations and provide them with practical steps that make buzzwords like “behavior management”…well…manageable.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 154 • Trim: 8¼ x 11

978-1-4758-2716-3 • Paperback • November 2016 • $38.00 • (£29.00)

978-1-4758-2717-0 • eBook • November 2016 • $36.00 • (£28.00)

Subjects: Education / Elementary, Education / Professional Development, Education / Behavioral Management

The Empower Program, K–2

Concrete Strategies for Positive Behavioral Support

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Let’s face it—teaching can be stressful. In this generation of Common Core Standards and high-stakes testing, educators are often left without the time to plan positive behavioral supports or the sanity to cultivate compassionate relationships with their students. Even though they understand the critical relationship between behavior and instruction, they’re often left with the same hair-pulling question: How can I empower—rather than overpower—my students, while still keeping a controlled classroom so that I can teach and students can learn?

The “Empower Program” delivers user-friendly strategies that are realistic for educators to implement and practical for their students to use. Included are:
- Classroom Scenarios “When this happens…”
- Research and Relevancy “Why did that happen…”
- Concrete Strategies “What can I do?”
- Ready-to-go Resources “How can I do this tomorrow?”
This book is not going to antagonize teachers with theoretical concepts in ideal contexts; it is instead going to respect teachers and their classroom frustrations and provide them with practical steps that make buzzwords like “behavior management”…well…manageable.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 154 • Trim: 8¼ x 11

978-1-4758-2716-3 • Paperback • November 2016 • $38.00 • (£29.00)

978-1-4758-2717-0 • eBook • November 2016 • $36.00 • (£28.00)

Subjects: Education / Elementary, Education / Professional Development, Education / Behavioral Management

Author

Rachel Baker is currently a social worker and outpatient therapist at the Child Guidance Resource Center in Philadelphia, PA, as well as a youth organizer in Camden, NJ. She serves as an education mentor for Montclair State University (in-service P-3 Alternate Route Students and Master of Arts in Teaching students) and as a guest speaker for early childhood classes. She has spent the last decade in schools as a teacher, social worker, and administrator for students K–8 and is committed to promoting social justice and educational equity through social-emotional learning and teacher support.

For more information, visit www.empowerprogram.net

Table of Contents

Foreword
Dr. Anne Kendall, Psychologist
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Introduction
Why Empower?
SECTION 1 - ENVIRONMENT
Environment Classroom Scenarios – “When this happens…”
Environment Research and Relevancy – “Why did that happen?”
Environment Concrete Strategies – “What can I do?”
SECTION 2 - ABILITY
Ability Classroom Scenarios – “When this happens…”
Ability Research and Relevancy – “Why did that happen?”
Ability Concrete Strategies – “What can I do?”
SECTION 3 - MOTIVATION
Motivation Classroom Scenarios – “When this happens…”
Motivation Research and Relevancy – “Why did that happen?”
Motivation Concrete Strategies – “What can I do?”
Appendix A: Environment P.O.P Resources
Learn Your ABC’s Glossary
Correct and Connect Redirection Glossary
Executive Questioning Help Sheet
Rebuilding Area Making Suggestion Sheet
VENT Solution Sheet
RENT Solution Sheet
REBUILD Solution Sheet
RESPOND Solution Sheet
Appendix B: Ability P.O.P Resources
Common Language Prompts Sheet
Master Teacher Lesson Frame
Weekly Framework for Instructional Activities Grid
Student Social Skills Cards
Lesson Plan 1: Tone of Voice
Lesson Plan 2: Facial Expression
Lesson Plan 3: Body Position
Lesson Plan 4: Personal Space
Lesson Plan 5: Communication
Lesson Plan 6: Keeping Your Cool
Lesson Plan 7: Time and Place
Lesson Plan 8: Waiting
Lesson Plan 9: Asking for Attention
Lesson Plan 10: Listening
Lesson Plan 11: Handling Frustration
Lesson Plan 12: Communicating Frustration
Lesson Plan 13: Moving On
Lesson Plan 14: Accepting Consequences
Lesson Plan 15: Respectfully Disagreeing
Lesson Plan 16: Communicating Concerns
Lesson Plan 17: Joining a Group
Lesson Plan 18: Compromise
Lesson Plan 19: Problem Solving
Lesson Plan 20: Choosing Who Goes First
Lesson Plan 21: Identifying Goals
Lesson Plan 22: Breaking Down Big Goals
Lesson Plan 23: Strategies to Reach Your Goals
Lesson Plan 24: Strategies for Working in Groups
Lesson Plan 25: Finding Focus
Appendix C: Motivation P.O.P Resources
Quick Guide to Student Access Supports
SIMPLE Student Tracker
SCHEDULE Student Tracker
GOAL-REWARD Student Tracker
About the Author

Reviews

The Empower Program, K–2 is a beneficial, organized social skills curriculum that allows all those that utilize it to infuse essential social skills into the classroom and in other aspects of the school. Because of its multi-sensory approach and scripted lesson plans, it makes it easy for all school staff members to deliver and implement the social skills, while also engaging the students. The depth and dynamic approach to the curriculum make it much more than just a positive behavioral support system.
— Brett Hoyt, school psychologist, Camden Community Charter School (Camden, NJ)

The Empower Program, K–2 social skills curriculum created by Rachel Baker has impressed me in several important ways. It is clearly built on a foundation of respect for students. The practices it teaches are developmentally appropriate. Throughout its processes, the importance of student choice and responsibility for self and others  is emphasized. As a result of the above, I have advocated its full implementation in both charter schools with which I work.
— Gaeton Zorzi, senior vice-president for elementary programs, superintendent, CSMI, LLC, New Jersey Charter Schools

As a member of the Culture Team, it is very easy to rely heavily on consequences when students present challenging behaviors. After working closely with Rachel and being introduced to The Empower Program, K–2, I was able to create and implement various structures and supports for my students. The structures and supports that I was able to implement gives students the tools and space they need to express themselves appropriately and respectfully. This has helped to create a more positive culture and has decreased the need for consequences such as suspensions and detentions.
— Brandon Millwood, director of culture, Paul Robeson Charter School (Trenton, NJ)

The Empower Program, K–2 works for maintaining discipline while making the students feel empowered. It teaches our learners to have a sense of responsibility for the actions they choose while giving them the tools they need to make better choices.
— Khaleo Brown, student support officer, Camden Community Charter School (Camden, NJ)

My 2^nd grade students love The Empower Program, K–2 because it gets them involved physically and keeps them actively engaged by letting them think, discuss, and practice acceptable responses when situations or other people make them upset. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to give students of all ages the tools to self-regulate and increase personal awareness and responsibility to make positive choices.
— Leslie Johnson, 2nd grade teacher, Camden Community Charter School (Camden, NJ)

In November 2009, I introduced pieces of The Empower Program, K–2. We reviewed a social skill a week, focusing on the ones my students needed immediately (quiet hands, calm body, quiet tone) then moved on to the others. I also set up a calm corner (a chair with a binder filled with all of the social skills). There are pictures for my nonverbal students, and they choose one of each picture. The teacher that assists the student or tells the student to go to the calm corner also assists in answering the questions. I love how the program has given my students a voice when they forget what they should be doing.
— Joyce Marie Lewis, special education teacher K–2, P.G. Chambers School (Cedar Knolls, NJ)