I.

HISTORY A. T.C. is an African American, female who is 44 months old. She is the middle child, with an older brother and younger sister. She lives with her mother and grandmother. She visits her father who lives in New York, every six months. She has been in child care since she was 5 months old. B. Currently T.C. is in a preschool class with 24 other children. The preschool class consists of children who are 2 to 4 year olds. There are three staff members who are in the class on a consistent basis. C. T.C. has been in my classroom since March 2011. Our relationship has matured over the past year; she is one of my primary children in the class. I have diligently been working on building a positive, responsive relationship with her.

II.

DESCRIPTION OF CHILD A. I choose T.C. because I feel that she is a very intelligent little girl, but very sensitive and emotional. She is actively engaged when it comes to learning; however I feel that she is lacking within the developmental milestones of social/emotional development. B. T.C. shows strength in the area of cognitive, language and physical development. She also shows strengths within her fine and gross motor development. T.C. has knowledge of all letter recognition and number recognition as well. She is an active learner and takes on an initiative to learn. T.C. challenges are in the area of social/emotional

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development. She has trouble interacting with other children but on the other hand shows empathy for children when they are hurt. She tends to play well independently, but when it comes to sharing and following directions; she tends to have break downs. C. Since T.C. has transferred into the class 2011, she has had these break downs. When T.C. started in preschool she used to cry all day, and was not very verbal. Her language has developed and she tends to repeat the words she is being told. III. TARGET BEHAVIOR A. T.C. hits other children when she does not get her way. T.C. yells and screams when other children try to take toys. T.C. also throws her body on the floor when toys are taken away. B. The antecedents are when T.C. is in group play situations, (outside/play centers), transitions, circle time and free choice play C. The setting events are crying loudly, screaming at the top of her lungs, hitting other children and falling out on the floor D. The consequences are getting negative attention from adults, avoids transitions, and the children tend to back away, leaving her alone E. I choose this behavior because it seems to hinder T.C. from interacting with other children and has a negative effect on the classroom environment. Also I think that this behavior is hindering

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her learning process. I want to help T.C. but I am at my wits end trying to figure out what I can do to help her progress. F. This behavior has been evident since March 2011. G. The behavior tends to peek mostly in the morning before eating and before nap and right after nap when T.C. is waken up. IV. HYPOTHESIS A. My hypothesis statement is during group play situations (outside/play centers); transitions, circle time and free choice play T.C. will crying loudly, screaming at the top of her lungs, hitting other children and falling out on the floor to obtain toys, and to avoid transitions, and to be left alone. When this occurs, the children give the toys back and the children tend to back away; leaving her alone, a teacher intervenes and T.C. receives negative attention from adults; avoiding the transition. B. I came up with this hypothesis after observing T.C. for a month and found that she has trouble with interaction and avoids having to be a part of a group C. The scales I have used are a functional assessment, and formulated a positive behavior support plan. I have continued to utilize informal observations and have formulated record keeping system that relies on antecedent notes, a behavior chart and tallies that I have used on a daily basis.

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D. I choose to utilize these scales and measures because it is necessary to have all these behaviors accounted for. E. The information seemed over whelming at first but then I realized that it showed a routine to her behavior. V. BEHAVIOR PLAN A. When the behavior occur; hitting, screaming, crying, and falling out on the floor, teachers will work on changing the environment of the room by adding a safe place for T.C. to utilize. Teachers will talk with T.C. about her emotions and what emotions are; teachers will say, T.C. I see that your emotion is sad; I see that you are sad because you are crying. When T.C. is falling out on the floor; teachers will continue to ignore this behavior and move through the regular schedule routine. When T.C. hits another child teachers are going to say Uh-Oh what a bummer and redirect T.C. Teachers are going to respond to T.C. when she shows a new skills; or positive behavior by allowing another child to play with her, participating in small group, uses her words instead of crying and screaming, teachers will respond by verbal encouragement, saying I noticed that youwhatever T.C. behavior is at the time. B. I have recruited my two teachers assistant, my director and assistant director to help implement the plan. Also I have talked with T.C. mother and father and they have suggested ways that they can be a part of her motivation at school. ECD 245 Fall 2012

C. The reasons for these intervention strategies are when the behaviors occur; hitting, screaming, crying, and falling out on the floor; teachers will work on changing the environment of the room by adding a safe place for T.C. to utilize. T.C. seems to have an understanding of how to control these outbursts and she displays the need of being to herself, we want her to feel confident when playing with other children, When T.C. hits another child, the teachers are going to say, Uh-Oh what a bummer and redirect her to the safe place. When she is hitting we do not want to feed the behavior but give her an outlet of where she can go to get her body together, and to have a place where she doesnt feel so overwhelmed. Teachers will talk with T.C. about her emotions and what emotions are; teachers will say, T.C. I see that your emotion is sad; I see that you are sad because you are crying. We thought of this strategy because T.C. has a difficult time utilizing her words when she is upset, so we want to be sure to give her emotions a name that she can recall and hopefully start to use. When T.C. is falling out on the floor; teachers will continue to ignore this behavior and move through the regular schedule routine. We have noticed that T.C. will fall out to get the reward of negative attention, when this need is not fulfilled, T.C. will involve herself in the activity. When T.C. shows a new skill; or positive behavior by allowing another child to play with her, participating in small group, uses her words instead of crying and screaming, ECD 245 Fall 2012

teachers will respond by verbal encouragement, saying, I noticed that youwhatever T.C. behavior is at the time. The teachers thought that the encouragement piece is important because T.C. shows the need of learning how to interact with the children. D. I will include the parents by having T.C. mother come and volunteer in our classroom on Friday afternoons, and I will keep T.C.s mother current on T.C. behavior on a daily basis by making a telephone call if T.C. behavior is uncontrollable, by daily note if T.C. behavior is positive and a quick e-mail if T.C. has reached a new goal. T.C.s dad lives in New York, he is working with T.C.s mother to visit T.C. more and on a regular basis. Both parents have shown great interest in T.C.s social/emotional development. T.C.s father and mother have added Skype to their internet connection which allows T.C. to speak and see her father on a daily basis. VI. WHAT COULD GO WRONG? A. The variables that could go wrong are the way the safe place will be utilized; I dont want T.C. to get so familiar and comfortable within the space. I want to have the feeling of being involved not to be able to act unruly and then redirected there to get the independence of being alone; which she enjoys. Also if teachers and staff will be consistent enough to use the trigger words, and actions. I am also hesitant that T.C.s mother will follow through at home with the trigger words and having the safe place for her. ECD 245 Fall 2012

B. I think that T.C. behavior could regress and she could revert to screaming and crying instead of using her words. She also can become overwhelmed and become more aggressive. I hope that with consistent follow through by teachers, parents and other staff that we can help teach T.C. how to understand and learn her emotions.

VII.

ATTACHMENTS

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