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Navigating Challenging Behaviours in the Classroom

At the Early Learning Society of Kamloops, our commitment to providing high-quality care and education extends beyond the classroom. Recognizing the increasing number of children with unique and exceptional needs, we understand the importance of equipping our educators with the necessary tools to support every child's learning journey effectively. We recently partnered with the Kamloops Child Therapy and Family Resource Center (CTFR) to host an informational working session led by CTFR’s Behaviour Coordinator. This professional development opportunity aimed to provide educators with practical strategies for addressing behaviour challenges, particularly for children with exceptional needs.

The facilitator guided educators through a series of topics designed to deepen their understanding and expand their toolkit for supporting children. Here are some of the ideas shared:

1. ABC Behaviour Modification: This approach involves analyzing the Antecedents, Behaviours, and Consequences of a child's actions to better understand the factors influencing their behavior.
2. Extinction Burst: When implementing behaviour modification techniques, educators may encounter an extinction burst, where the undesired behaviour temporarily increases in intensity before decreasing.
3. Using Rewards Effectively: Emphasizing the value of using rewards as positive reinforcement. The reinforcement is agreed upon upfront rather than at the onset of a challenging event. Rewards can encourage desired behaviours, fostering intrinsic motivation and self-regulation in children.
4. Reverse Chaining: This behavioural strategy involves breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps and teaching them in reverse order.
5. Having Difficult Conversations with Parents: Effective communication with parents is essential for fostering collaboration and support in addressing behaviour challenges.

It's important to note that this working session provided only a brief overview of these topics, leaving much more to explore in depth in the future. Nonetheless, it laid a foundation for further learning and development among our educators.

The facilitator was able to engage participants through rich storytelling, drawing on his own experiences to illustrate key concepts. By incorporating real-life anecdotes and examples, he made the content relatable and actionable for our educators.

As the number of children with unique and exceptional needs in our classrooms continues to grow, educators are looking for more professional development in this area so they are equipped with the necessary tools and strategies to support children effectively. By investing in ongoing learning and professional development opportunities like this working session, we empower our educators to create inclusive, supportive environments where every child can thrive.