View the ALSUP (Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems) on www.livesinthebalance.org. Pay close attention to pages 71-73, as there are several examples of unsolved problems. It is KEY to be specific about what the unsolved problem is.
With all of the demands throughout the day, it is hard to find the time to meet with students. Keep in mind however, when you are being proactive in trying to solve problem behaviors, you will spend less time in the long run dealing with those challenges throughout the day!
What are some times you are thinking you could carve out during the day each week to attempt to solve problems proactively? How does this relate to building relationships with your students?
It's like anything, if you want it bad enough you will make time for it. My time management (in terms of when I am not with students) is not great to say the least. I think I will have to schedule a planning period here and there in order to dedicate the time to filling this out and really understanding these unsolved problems.
ReplyDeleteI will direct you all to http://www.livesinthebalance.org/paperwork The ALSUP has been updated so it is fillable. Please note the ALSUP guide - it contains 4 very important guidelines for articulating unsolved problems
ReplyDelete1. They usually begin with the word "difficulty"; 2. they need to be free of any references to the kid's challenging behavior; 3. they needs to be free of adult theories; 4. they need to be split, not clumped (specific)
Can't wait to look up that link. I can't read the guide in the book. I have old eyes.
DeleteI really would struggle with when to have time to use this form. I feel like if it was incorporated into Data Days, or time was given during PLCs or something, it would be a lot more likely to happen, as it seems that the more people that come together to complete the list of difficulties, the more thorough of a picture can be created.
ReplyDeleteI also can get stuck in the mentality of how much content I have to teach, how needy my class is, and how some have recently been taken off their meds which has resulted in me having to run a daycare solo (yes, I'm still talking about that!)... but when I step back from it all and really consider the fact that an hour investment in completion and dialogue regarding a student (using this form) could save A LOT more time than that in my future classroom, time has to be made. My greatest struggle, is which child do I start with first?!
While we still have more learning/reading to do, I came across this link and thought it may prove to be a very beneficial resource as we move forward: https://99interventions.wikispaces.com/Lagging+Skills
When an emergency comes up I have the kids read or do journals. Of course this doesn't keep them going for long. Friday I had a student who really needed to talk with me and I spent 45 minutes with her and her journal getting out things from her past. She really needed that time so I just had to let everything else go for a while. I later had her bring down her lunch to talk to me some more. That was at her request. I can't do this everyday because I need a brain break and to take care of other things. But sometimes things are so important to a child you have to address it when it happens. I have kept back kids before a few minutes before specials if their have been complaints about them so we can address it. I don't like to do that too often.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, documenting the unsolved problems is a lot more difficult that it seemed at first. My mom helped me through one this weekend and I found that writing the unsolved problem without naming the behavior was the hardest part. One of the positive aspects of team teaching is being able to fill out these out together as a team. I can see us carving out time during our shared planning to collaborate. Having more than one person who knows the student I think is key. This is why I think it would be great to use these during Data Days or SAT.
ReplyDeleteThe time to use these is definitely important and as everyone else said, hard to come by without scheduling or planning ahead for it. I think it would be helpful to dedicate a part of planning to looking at this form once in awhile, or because I team with Laura and Lindsay, we could do it together regarding students we have pressing concerns with. I agree that Data Days or PLC time would be great times, too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could be filling out ALSUP forms instead of hiding meat in my room and taking pictures of it??? :-)
DeleteI briefly looked at that website, Lauren. It has some good ideas. Collaborative and Proactive Solutions is all about teaming with the kid. If you find yourself saying, "I have decided that . . . ", you are no longer collaborating - you are using Plan A. Having expectations is not Plan A, it is having expectations. When you make a unilateral decision about what is going to happen when an expectation is not met, is Plan A.
ReplyDeleteSo, yes, while completing an ALSUP and having Plan B meetings take time, you will end up saving time in the long run. The other positive of Plan B is relationship. Plan A damages relationships, Plan B builds/enhances them.