Collaborative Problem Solving - for Teachers

Every classroom has at least a few students who misbehave more than the rest. When one student acts out, this causes a disturbance to all. It can be difficult to manage one unruly student because each minute spent trying to fix his/her behavior is a minute taken away from the class. A quick reaction may involve repeating the rules. If the bad behavior continues, you may take the student outside for a minute or send him/her to the principal's office. But as all teachers will find, these techniques are rarely, if ever, effective at changing the student's behavior. Dr. Ross Greene suggests a method of collaborative problem solving with a different approach for teachers. This method is based on the idea that students do not lack motivation, they lack the skills necessary to do well. When a child can do well, he/she will do well.

When students have challenging behaviors in the classroom (for example, walking out during a lesson) it is not because they do not want to learn or do the work. It is because they do not have the skills (for example, cannot focus due to distractions from life at home).

When students are asked to do something beyond what their skills allow them to do, challenging behaviors occur.

Many people have a challenging behavior that they use when outside demands become too much: crying, screaming, swearing, sulking, etc. In a classroom setting, these may look like: talking out of turn, walking out of class, throwing a book or flipping a desk, or distracting other students. For the students who are often challenging, instead of correcting them (telling them what to do), you can instruct them (teach them the skills to respond to this same situation better in the future).

As a teacher, it is important to listen to your student's needs and pay close attention to the times when challenging behaviors occur.

These behaviors will most likely occur in similar situations every time. It is important to remember that each child has unique skills, needs, and challenging behaviors, so you must respond to each as an individual. Your reaction to their problem will be important in helping them develop useful skills.

If you show that you are willing to listen and constructively respond to problems, your student will learn to trust you and be more open to your help.

Just by really listening, it helps children learn adaptive skills and makes the demands on them seem easier. Together, these reduce challenging behaviors.

The three steps for successful collaborative problem solving are:

• Empathy/Reassurance - this is the "really listening" part where you identify the problem. It is not giving advice, not trying to fix a problem, but just listening. Ask the student about the problem ("what's up with...") and then really listen. Your student will not open up to you if they do not feel they can without being judged.
• Define the Problem - after listening, you should have a good idea of what situations provoke a bad reaction from your child. At this point, you may share your feelings because you took time to understand the student's needs and want to tell him/her that you can work together to make things better.
• Invitation to Solutions - now you may work with him/her to come up with a list of ideas on how to meet both of your needs.
  For example: "If I complete all my math problems without getting up from my seat, I get 10 minutes of computer time at lunch". Or, "If you do your spelling homework all week, then you can have a treat at the end of the day Friday - like a candy bar or playing your favorite song for the class".

Note: These steps are not meant to be used mid-lesson if there is an outburst from a student. The steps are preparatory and will help to lessen the difference between the demands on a child and his/her ability to meet those demands, decreasing the probability of a challenging behavior.

Dr. Greene has described Collaborative Problem Solving as "crisis prevention" rather than crisis management. You should not choose to teach or collaborate during a crisis. It is best to choose a neutral time when you are sure you can devote yourself to listening.

When you ask a student to do something and he/she refuses, the natural instinct may be to force the child to do it (e.g., "you have to") or coerce ("no one in the class will be allowed to go out for recess until you finish your work"). Although these may be automatic reactions, it is important to consider how you feel as an adult when others try to coerce or impose their will on you. Chances are, you do not like being forced to do things - and neither will your student.

If you can, try to let smaller issues go if you know challenging them will cause a bigger outburst. Your goal should be to teach by example (through listening) the skills each student needs to meet demands. Students often enjoy collaborating on solutions and once they feel they can succeed in their environment, they will.

For more information on Collaborative Problem Solving in the classroom, visit www.livesinthebalance.org. Also check out Dr. Greene's book, Lost at School (available at http://www.amazon.com).