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Behavior Support Services

Texas School for the Deaf provides a full array of behavior support services for all students. Our Behavior Support Coordinators provide training to school and residential staff and participate in student support team meetings.

 

Our behavior team participates in the evaluation process and is responsible for creating, implementing, and monitoring behavior programming. When working to support an individual student, they work with school and dorm staff to assist in identifying the root cause of negative behavior using an effective problem-solving process. Comprehensive support plans involving the use of positive behavior support strategies are developed by the school to include the teaching of appropriate interpersonal and/or social skills. TSD also provides a student support room in each department where students can problem solve, calm, and take a necessary break. 

 

Texas School for the Deaf uses Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) strategies to assist students in learning responsible and appropriate behavior.  https://www.pbis.org/

 

TSD employs the MANDT system as our Tier One level of support. It is also our de-escalation system for students who become aggressive.  “One of the main goals of The Mandt System® is to teach you how to effectively manage a potentially negative or even dangerous situation by first calming your emotional response and managing your own behavior so you can interact with other people positively.  We do this by teaching principles, not techniques, in all our programs.”  http://www.mandtsystem.com. Mandt for Families is a great tool to help caregivers create consistency and predictability at home. Families will benefit from their proven relationship building healthy communication and conflict resolution techniques. Learn more at www.mandt4families.com or by emailing [email protected]. 

 

Conscious Discipline https://consciousdiscipline.com/. This program is used in our lower grades (ECE/Elementary) and provides students with the practical skills students need to manage their thoughts, feeling and actions. Conscious discipline helps children who are physically aggressive (survival state) or verbally aggressive (emotional state) become more integrated so they can learn and use problem-solving skills (executive state). 

 

Zones of Regulation https://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html. Here is a link to handouts that can be used at home. These are in Spanish, English, and French. https://www.zonesofregulation.com/free-downloadable-handouts1.html

Zones of Regulation Chart 

Restorative Discipline https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/health-safety-discipline/restorative-discipline-practices-in-texas Restorative discipline is a relational approach to building school climate and addressing student behavior. The approach fosters belonging over exclusion, social engagement over control, and meaningful accountability over punishment. I Message and Respect Agreements are available for parents to assist in implementing RDP in home learning.

 

STAR Autism Program https://starautismsupport.com/ The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, Krug, 2004) teaches children with autism the critical skills identified by the National Research Council. The ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching functional routines form the instructional base of this comprehensive program for children with autism. STAR Home supports: https://starautismsupport.com/classroom-tools?rcpid=933

 

 

Additional Behavior Resources for Parents: 

 

https://www.parentcenterhub.org/behavior-athome/

 

https://childmind.org/article/managing-problem-behavior-at-home/