PREVENTATIVE BEHAVIOR STRATEGIES-JOURNEY

As a general rule, do not in any way play, laugh, or joke with Journey unless you have
built a strong relationship with him and know when that can be used. Journeys
behaviors feed off of students or staff allowing him to joke, get excited, silly, or noncompliant. Success in working with him is based on keeping him in a calming and
cooperative attitude throughout the day. Once/if his energy and/or excitement level goes
beyond this; there are things you can do to get him back to a more regulated state. Using
his preferred activities can be beneficial for getting him to participate in non-preferred
activities. For example, Tomorrow is your fishing day Journ, so lets make sure we have
a good day today. Addressing your expectations of him in the morning and at the switch
is a great way to begin working with him for that day. Always, no matter what the
circumstance, be on his side. He needs to feel that you are not instructing/directing or
ordering him to do things. Try and make his non-preferred activities not so scary. Hey
bud, lets get some reading in so we can Also, let him help as much as possible when
he is willing. Hey dude, can you do me a favor and grab a spoon for Connor? Allowing
him to be a leader of the class can go a long way.
If you are working with Journey and do not feel comfortable with using one or any of
these strategies below, dont hesitate to find me and I will be more than willing to assist
in any situation. If I am not around, find another staff who works with him regularly, but
make sure you observe the strategy being used to you can attempt it if it is needed again.
If one of the situations below occurs and it is bad enough, he will have something taken
away like his fishing day, the front seat, or his game boy in the car. However, this should
ALWAYS be mentioned after the behavior and ONLY when he is regulated. Mention of
taking things from him will escalate and lengthen his behavior.
All strategies/solutions below are designed to get Journey back to a blue state of
behavior
COLOR KEY
Regulated/Cooperative
Low Risk
Medium Risk
High Risk
Crisis/Assistance Needed
BEHAVIORS
-Helping with projects/students
him
how
blue

POSSIBLE STRETEGIES/SOLUTIONS
-No strategies or solutions
needed. Continue to give
positive reinforcement on
well he is doing (for all
behavior).

-Speaking with you in a normal tone

-Doing his reading/schoolwork
-Not laughing or joking
-Saying yes to everything asked of him
-Complimenting staff/other students
-Playing/fake fighting with Tosh.

-Tell him to be careful with Tosh

because Tosh gets hurt easily.
-Remind him how long he has
before leaving/next activity.

-Laughing/joking

-Change the subject, ask about

something involving home.
-Dont laugh or joke back.

-Bargaining for less schoolwork

-Offer less reading but with less

help. Instead of 10 cards
help, he can do 5 on his

with
own.
write
a red
addition to
want to do.
-Wearing a costume or mask to school
exciting
Journ), but then
mention it again. He
take it off without the
-Asking or whining about being hungry/thirsty

all
hungry, that
looking for a
Dont give
and DONT ever

-Say okay, we wont do that

much but I want you to
your name 5 times or do
box. Something in
what he doesnt
-Acknowledge it when he comes
in or puts it on in a nonway (Cool mask
dont
should
attention.
-He is allowed one bottle of water
per day, and just tell him to fill it
up if there is none left.
-There will be healthy snacks in
the classroom cupboard at
times.
-If he has already eaten a bunch
and he still says hes
just means he is
reason to be upset.
him more food,
buy him

food/drinks with your

money.
-Asking for a break in the office
you feel
break. Just make
only for a small amount
time (max 10 minutes).

own
-This is fine. In fact, this can be
something to suggest if
he may need a
sure it is
of

Strategies/solutions in this section may be used for most behaviors. For example, if the
strategy for smiling is not working, use the strategy for loud laughing and joking, and
onward down the list.
-Smiling at staff for extended seconds
doesnt
him. He is
you to be silly.
Immediately tell him its time to
move on to his next activity.
-Louder volume of laughing/joking
that he
excited. This tells
are able to recognize
him to get that way.
-Talking in gibberish/bathroom humor

an
something
-Whining/crying about not getting his way
been
fill time.
done
his way
Whining could be

-Turn your back to him or put

your head down so he
notice you look at
trying to engage

-This is a good time to be direct.

Tell him you are noticing
is getting overhim that you
what causes
-Completely ignore. If he is talking
this way with Tosh or other
students/staff, remove him from
that situation, and ask him
unrelated question about
like fishing.
-This is an ideal time to use other
staff/teachers. Andrea has
giving him tasks to do to
-Crying is actually better than
whining. This means hes
with his behavior and on
back to blue.
stopped by

grabbing Carlos,
another staff he is
to give him a task, or
advice on an issue they
having.
-Hiding in corner/under table
this
not. You
other staff
for this.
-Screaming/swearing/threatening
will
behavior.
hes
would like
him to take some
himself. It is easier to
explain to him what he could have
done differently once he is back to
blue.
he will
Jack),
positive
hes
Lets just
bit. Continue
doing great
with the
-Bolting/running away
He is
away.

Andrea, or
familiar with
ask his
are
-Tell him to let you know when hes
ready, but overall, leave him there.
He will get himself out of
behavior more often than
could also use the
strategy from above
-Do not ever tell him what he is
doing wrong or to stop. It
increase and lengthen the
-Tell him that you realize hes upset
and to let you know when
ready to talk. Ask if he
a break and allow
space for

-Keep a low tone and presence.

Dont match his intensity;
feed off of it.
-If it is directed at a student because
of a confrontation (Spencer,
tell him to ignore them in a
way. Just ignore him dude,
trying to make you upset.
get some space for a
to reinforce that hes
and that hes dealing
situation correctly.
-Let it be. Just inform teacher or
another staff that he is gone.
too afraid of being alone to
completely run

-If he is in view, find another trusted

staff to go to him and ask him an
unrelated question (fishing,
karate).
it is
and to
ready.

-If there is no one around and he is

near you, let him know that
fine for him to take a break
let you know when he is
-If he starts throwing or destroying
items, see strategies below

-Throwing/destroying items
starts. 1
many. This has
in a long time but it is
possibility.
gets to
taken
a corner
swearing, or
Once he
use coinciding
work your way back
NOT let him be on his
though because he will find
things to throw or destroy.

-Catch them! Then go take

them away as soon as it
item thrown is too
not happened
always a
-The goal here is to work down the
ladder of behavior until he
blue. Once his items are
away, he will likely go into
or under his desk, start
lock himself in the office.
does one of these,
strategies and
down. Do
own
more

-Spitting/hitting/kicking
-My favorite! Remain calm, do not order him to stop, you can clean your face later.
Separate yourself from him if you are out of the car and let him be by himself. Journ,
Im gonna let you have a break cause I dont really want to be hit/kicked/or spit at. So let
me know when youre ready to calm down.
-If you are in the car, you may need someone (male preferably) to hold his hands/feet
until you can get to school or the next destination. Do not pull over unless he is after the
driver, then get him out of the front and move him. I would rather we get to a safer
location faster than to sit in a small car space for an extended period of time, especially if
Iris is in the car.
-This is something that is not a tolerant behavior with me. Although it is better to remain
calm in the moment, once he is back in the blue you can let him know that his fishing day
or another preferred activity will be taken away.

-If this is constant enough, it will usually lead to a full physical meltdown. If that
happens, see below for strategies.
-Full physical meltdown
-This has not happened in a long time! If/when it does, it will be scary. A lot of the
behaviors from above will seem to combine all at once and he will need to be restrained.
Make sure there is a cleared/padded room and AT LEAST 2 male staff to assist in holding
him down. This can last up to 30 minutes before he calms down.
-The fastest way to start working your way down the ladder is if he starts crying. Once
you see this, then offer him some water. If he nods his head, the meltdown will start to
decline. The goal is to get any type of rational response from him, and then you can
begin to work with him.
-For the next 10 minutes or so while he is calming down, be his hero. Get him anything
that he wants. He will probably ask for ice because he feels hurt, water, or wet towel to
wipe his face and head.
-Once about 20 minutes have passed since he has fully calmed down, then you can
address him with strategies that he could have tried. He will be very receptive and act
like a puppy dog. When he first at Cypress, he was not able to even remember what had
happened so I want to make it a point to make sure it is talked about even if for a few
minutes. The more he is personally aware of how he behaves, the more he is able to
prevent it on his own.