Teach Skills and Break Habits: Growth Mindsets for Better Behavior in the Classroom

by Dan St. Romain

Overview

Good behavior is a skill that can be taught and developed through practice. It just requires a shift in our perspective.

If you have tried behavior folders, clip systems, or other interventions based on punishments and rewards, you've probably discovered these one-size-fits all approaches to behavior management all too often prove to be ineffective with the very students they were designed to help.

Teach Skills and Build Habits explores the reasons why what we've been doing isn't working, and how to find a new path and process that will lead to better behavior in the classroom, as well as success for students beyond their school years.

This book is for you if:

• You are an educator looking for help with student behaviors
• You spend more time managing behaviors than teaching
• Your current methods don't seem to be working
• You are looking for practical behavior strategies that can be used in a variety of settings

You will be empowered to:

• Focus on behavior change as a process of continual improvement
• Use behavior concerns as an opportunity to teach your students skills
• Help your students build on their gifts, accept their challenges, and practice areas of concern
• Build a foundation of good behavior in your students by establishing healthy relationships and creating a positive classroom climate

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781937870492
Publisher:	National Center for Youth Issues
Publication date:	06/13/2018
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	5 - 18 Years

About the Author

Dan St. Romain is a national independent educational consultant, based out of San Antonio, Texas, who provides staff development and consultative services to educators and parents working with children of all ages. Dan is passionate about helping individuals shift their perspective on discipline, understanding the best ways to provide support given the challenges posed in today’s society.

After receiving his master's degree in education, Dan worked in both private residential and public school settings. His work as a self-contained behavior unit teacher, Educational Diagnostician, Director of a Learning Resource Center, and behavior consultant afforded him experience at all levels, in both general and special education settings.

Dan's overwhelming strength is his skill as a presenter. Although his sessions are exceedingly interactive, his greatest asset lies in his ability to offer participants rich insight into the connectedness between educational practices and student behavior. Dan is the author of two books on behavior principles and a picture book series on social skills. After having worked in the school system for the past thirty years, Dan has retired and is excited about this next phase in life. Although he will continue to offer staff development and write, Dan hopes to spend a great deal more time with his wife (also a retired teacher) gardening and traveling.

Table of Contents

Letter to the Reader 7

Chapter 1 Changing with the Times 9

Chapter 2 Avoiding Systems Failure 23

Chapter 3 Assessing Outcomes 37

Chapter 4 Shifting Our Perspective 51

Chapter 5 Building the Foundation 65

Chapter 6 Teaching Skills 79

Chapter 7 Identifying Gifts and Challenges 99

Chapter 8 Practicing Skills 117

Chapter 9 Breaking Habits 131

Chapter 10 Progress as a Process 149

Chapter 11 Now What: Where Do I Start? 167

Resources 172

Acknowledgements 174

About the Author 175

Editorial Reviews

The shift in perspective Dan provides is huge. There are subtle changes in the way you can address students that have huge impact on their behavior. Instead of assuming students 'know better' and punishing them for not having the appropriate social behaviors, Dan equips us to teach them these skills and practice them.

Tara Mesing
Virginia Beach, VA

Dan's approach has been a game changer for me. As a new teacher I was struggling to find a behavior management system that would meet multiple needs in my classroom. His information gave me the tools I needed to create a better learning environment for my students. I use the callbacks with my students daily. These are a great way to remind them of my expectations, along with regulating their own behavior.
I cannot thank Dan enough for the peace of mind he has brought me. Yes, I will always have 'those' kids. But I know I am better prepared and equipped to help them meet their potential.

Sara Umphries
West Terre Haute, IN

After hearing Dan speak three years ago about behavior management, everything suddenly made sense to me. We teach everything else to children in stages, why not behavior? I immediately went back to my room and threw out my "card system." I explained the system being gone to my class and one of my students said, "I am so happy nobody will have to change their ticket anymore. That made me so sad."
I continue to apply Dan's approach to teach classes and parent's each year. His model creates accountability to the entire class; they use the callbacks on each other. My personal favorite is when they get in each other's space and say, "I have my space, you have your space." It creates mutual respect in my room. I wish I had known Dan 25 years ago when I first started teaching!

Susan Evans
Atlantic Highlands, NJ

From the Publisher