Winner of the 2009 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty) from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA).   Written by an educator and consultant who has spent 30 years working with children and families and a writer who specializes in education issues, Challenging Behaviors in Elementary and Middle School is a comprehensive and indispensable resource for everyone who plans to work–or is currently working–in elementary and middle schools.  This new resources presents in-depth background information and strategies to help pre-service and new and practicing teachers understand, prevent, and address the behavior problems found so often in today’s schools.   The evidence-based techniques at its heart work with the most difficult behaviors and benefit every child in the classroom. They can be used alone or together, creating tools suitable for many different children and situations. The text brings together in one practical, academically rigorous, user-friendly volume facts and techniques drawn from neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, special education, classroom management child development, cross-cultural research, and proactive social and emotional skills programs.  In addition to chapters on such strategies as positive behavior support and functional assessment and preventing challenging behavior, the book includes chapters on self-reflection, the teacher-child relationship, inclusion, bullying, culture, and partnerships with families. It also presents vital background on aggressive and antisocial behavior, the teenage brain, and risk factors for challenging behavior, as well as how to build resilience by focusing on children’s strengths. Every chapter ends with discussion questions, and many feature short case scenarios with problems to solve.Once again, the renowned author team of Kaiser and Rasminsky has written a compelling and necessary resource for teachers and educational professionals everywhere.     See what judges from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA) have to say about the 2009 winner of the Textbook Excellence Award (Texty):   “An excellent contemporary text for any beginning or seasoned education professional.  It is easily readable, with all the research, as well as the descriptive, real-life scenarios to maintain interest.  The suggestions, proactive measures, and analyses are clearly present to create a concise handbook for the challenges of the modern classroom.”   “This research based textbook is written in an easy-to-read conversational style.  It is interesting, cover to cover, as well informative; it is also, practical and true to classroom life.”   “The authors suggest a variety of individual interventions and classroom management strategies to prevent, nip in the bud, deescalate, and survive the challenging behaviors of disruptive students.  Of particular appeal are the episodes about two challenging pupils, Andrew (age 9) and Jasmine (age 13), which are sprinkled through the book.”   “This book should be a must read for present and future teachers.  It was readable but most importantly not just by academicians but by anyone who has the desire to learn. It is convincing academically and scientifically but mostly it is thoughtful, practical and useful.”    “Its organization is impeccable.  It goes from the general to the specific from the theoretical to the workable.”    “I felt chapter six `Opening the Culture Door’ to be of vital importance.  The book does an excellent job in defining how these beliefs influence behavior and how the teacher can respond to these cultural differences.”    “I felt the chapter `Guidance and Discipline Strategies’ was excellent.  A system where practical ways of dealing with the four states of mind are presented, offering strategies which bring the student back to the “competent state”.  I was encouraged by the totally positive approach of the system.”     “The book is a classic to be studied and followed.”   

Table of Contents:
Introduction   CHAPTER 1: What Is Challenging Behavior?          Is challenging behavior ever appropriate?             What happens to students with more serious behavior problems?             Does challenging behavior always develop the same way?             What do the theorists say about aggression and antisocial behavior             Does culture play a role in aggressive behavior?             What do you think?             Suggested reading             References   Chapter 2: Risk Factors          What causes challenging behavior?             Child Risk Factors                         Genes                         Gender                         Temperament                         Complications of pregnancy and birth             Problems with brain function             Environmental Risk Factors                         Family factors and parenting style                         Peer influences                         School                         Poverty and the conditions surrounding it                         Exposure to violence                         Violent media                         Turbulent times                         Understanding risk                         What do you think?                         Suggested reading and resources                         References   CHAPTER 3: Protective Factors               The first wave: What qualities help a child bounce back?                         Individual factors                         Family factors                         Community factors             The second wave: How do protective factors work?             The third wave: Integrating biology and intervention             What do you think?             Suggested reading             References   CHAPTER 4: Behavior and the Brain             Early Experience and the Brain                         How does the brain develop?                         How does experience affect brain development?                         Are there any critical periods in the social and emotional realm?                         How does early experience affect the stress system?                         What role do genes play?             The Adolescent Brain                         How does puberty affect the brain?                         What about cognitive development?                         What happens when emotion and cognition are out of sync?             Aggression and the Adult Brain                         Which parts of the brain are involved in aggressive behavior?                         What does all this mean?                         What do you think?                         Suggested reading                         References   CHAPTER 5: Relationship, Relationship, Relationship          The caring connection             Understanding Yourself                         “Who are you” said the caterpillar                         What influences the way you relate to a child with challenging behavior?                         What is self-reflection?                         How do you reflect?                         When do you reflect?                         Are there any techniques to help you reflect?             Understanding the Child                         What is the role of attachment?                         How does attachment affect behavior?                         How does temperament influence attachment                         What happens to attachment as children grow older?             Establishing a Relationship with the Child                         How does a close relationship with a teacher protect a child?             How can you develop a positive relationship with a child with challenging behavior?             What is self-reflection?                         How do you reflect?                         When do you reflect?                         Are there any techniques to help you reflect?             Back to the beginning             Establishing a Relationship with the Family                         What keeps teachers and families apart?                         Getting to know you                         What about parent-teacher night?                         Should teachers visit families at home?                         The next step                         What do you think?                         What would you do?                         Suggested reading                         References   CHAPTER 6: Opening the Culture Door             What Is Culture?                         What does culture have to do with identity?                         Are cultures really so different?                         The melting pot and the salad bowl             When Home Culture Meets School Culture                         The culture of school             How does culture influence behavior?             How can you make your teaching more culturally responsive?             Some Cultural Characteristics                         Does each culture have its own special characteristics?                         Why all this matters                         What do you think?                         Suggested Reading                         References   CHAPTER 7: Preventing Challenging Behavior: The Social Context          How does prevention work?             We’re all the same, yet we’re all different             Creating the Social Context                 What kind of social context fosters prosocial behavior and discourages aggressive behavior?                 What is the teachers’ role in the social context?                 Why should we include children with challenging behaviors?                 How can you create a caring, cooperative, and inclusive community?             Teaching Social and Emotional Skills                         How do children learn social and emotional skills?                         How do you teach social and emotional skills?                         What skills do children need to learn?                         What do you think?                         Suggested reading and resources                         References   CHAPTER 8: Preventing Challenging Behavior: Physical Space, Classroom Management and Teaching Strategies                   The Physical Space                             Where will they sit?                             Where does the teacher belong?                             Other spaces                             Deck the walls                             Taking responsibility in the classroom             Classroom Management                         Providing a daily schedule                         Using procedures                         Managing the group             Teaching Strategies                         Differentiated Instruction                         Sharing responsibility and providing choice                         A compendium of teaching strategies                         Homework or not             When Circumstances Change                         Providing reassurance                         Talking about feelings                         Routines and activities                         Maintaining the social context                         Connecting with colleagues and parents                         Taking care of yourself                         What do you think?                         Suggested reading                         References   CHAPTER 9: Guidance and Other Discipline Strategies             How do strategies differ?             What makes a strategy work?             What is developmental discipline?             How does Teacher Effectiveness Training work?             How useful is positive reinforcement?             What about natural and logical consequences?             Time-out, punishment, and time away             How does culture influence guidance?             What do you think?             What would you do?             Suggested reading             References   CHAPTER 10: The WEVAS Strategy          The competent state and calibration             The anxious state             The agitated state             The aggressive state             The assaultive state             The open state             What do you think?             What would you do?             Suggested reading and resources             References   CHAPTER 11: Functional Assessment and Positive Behavior Support          Performing a Functional Assessment                 When is it appropriate to use functional assessment and positive behavior support?                 How do you figure out the function of a behavior?                 What functions can behavior serve?                 What about appropriate behavior?                 Working as a team                 How do you get the information you need for a functional assessment?                 How do you develop a hypothesis?             Creating a Positive Behavior Support Plan                         How do you develop a positive behavior support plan?                         How does the plan look?                         What do you think?                         Suggested reading and resources                         References   CHAPTER 12: The Inclusive Classroom             About Inclusion                         Why is inclusion important?                         How does IDEA work?                         What’s happening on the front lines?                         How is a child who needs special education identified?                         Does IDEA include all disabilities?                         Can IEP address behavior?                         Who is responsible for implementing an IEP?             Preventing and Addressing Challenging Behavior in Children with Disabilities             Does a student’s disability play a role in challenging behavior?             Who can help?             How can an inclusive social context prevent challenging behavior?             How can you organize the physical space to prevent challenging behavior?             How can classroom routines and teaching strategies prevent challenging behavior?                     How can you respond effectively to challenging behavior?                     Additions to the toolbox                     What do you think?                     What would you do?                     Suggested reading and resources                     References   CHAPTER 13: Working with Families and Other Experts             Preparing to Meet the Family                         How do families react to news of challenging behavior?                         How do you feel?                         How can colleagues help?             Meeting with the Family                         How do you arrange a meeting?                         What should happen in a meeting with the family?                         How do you close a meeting?                         What if you and the family disagree?             Working with Other Experts                         What about getting additional expert advice?                         What do you think?                         What would you do?                         Suggested reading                         References   CHAPTER 14: Bullying             What is Bullying?                         How common is bullying?                         Who are the students who bully others?                         Who are the targets of bullying?                         Who are the bystanders?             How Can Teachers Reduce and Prevent Bullying?                         The whole-school approach                         Working in your own classroom                         What helps students cope with bullying?             Responding to Bullying                         What does the law say?                         How do you respond to bullying?                         What if you don’t see the bullying?                         What do you say to students involved in bullying?                         Working with the parents of students involved in bullying                         What do you think?                         What would you do?                         Suggested reading and resources                         References   Appendix A: ABC Chart   Appendix B: The Functional Assessment Observation Form   Index