Dr. Ross Greene

Dr. Greene and Educators Panel answered some email questions from listeners this week who are in the beginning stages of implemention. Topics included the patchwork of behavioral techniques, how to convince colleagues to change their lenses and the pros and cons of having a principal involved in the core group (which both panelists are heavily in favor of).

The Educators Panel are joined today by Ryan Quinn, principal of Kennebunk Elementary school, a school that is currently in the early stages of implementing the CPS model. Ryan discusses how the implementation process is going thus far, adding that by using the model as part of the spectrum of interventions used at the school has already captured all of the kids that weren’t being understood and helped before. The Educators reflect on their respective experiences and offer advice on many aspects of implementation, such as how to move forward once a core group has been established, handling staff members who are nervous about implementing a new method of discipline, the importance of communication with parents regarding Plan B, and how the CPS philosophy reflects a shifting paradigm among current research and best practice in education. 

How do we do a better job of understanding and helping students with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges in our schools...while simultaneously feeling like we're "holding kids accountable"...while attending to the diverse needs of other students...while trying to make sure they all do well on high-stakes testing?  Not by simply increasing detentions, suspensions, and expulsions or referring behaviorally challenging kids into the judicial system!  In this program, Dr. Ross Greene -- author of The Explosive Child and Lost at School, and originator of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach -- helps you view challenging behavior in a more compassionate, accurate, productive manner and intervene more effectively. If you want to learn more about his model, have questions about how to get the ball rolling on using the model in your building or classroom, or are having difficulty using the model with a particular student, this is your opportunity to get your questions answered and listen to how other educators are overcoming obstacles and aplying the model.  You can join in live -- the program airs every Monday at 3:00 pm Eastern time -- or listen to archives of past programs.

On today's program, Dr. Greene was joined by Lisa, a high school special education teacher who's been leading the charge for Collaborative & Proactive Solutions in her school. Lisa told us about how she got the ball rolling in her building, how the core group was formed, and the challenges that lie ahead.

"It all starts with the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems".  Identifying lagging skills ensures that adults have the right lenses on.  Identifying unsolved problems that are congruent with the four guidelines helps adults and kids know what problems they're trying to solve.  Both are indispensible.

On today's program, Dr. Greene provided feedback to a caller on the wording of the unsolved problems she'd written for a student on the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems. That feedback might be helpful to you too!

The students are back, and so is the Educators Panel!  Our principals shared what they're doing at the beginning of this school year to further implementation of Dr. Greene's model (now called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions), with some exciting developments at Nina's school and some strategizing at Carol's new school. Tom had some difficulty avoiding the term "collaborative problem solving" (Dr. Greene is now legally prohibited from using that name to refer to his model), but made excellent progress on that during the program.    

On this program, we listened to an example of the Empathy step of Plan B recorded by the very brave staff at Anytown Elementary. Then we heard their self-assessment:  Nice job of engaging the student in the discussion and with reflective listening...but cut back on the amount the adults are talking and theorizing. 

Lots of ground was covered on this last Educators Panel of the current school year, including how to prove to kids and adults that we're taking challenging behavior seriously...and whether Plan B does the job. 

On this program, we listened to our first recording of a Plan B from the staff at Anytown Elementary...and, as with any first attempt at Plan B, some things went well and other things didn't.  But the ball is now rolling...

On this program, we listened to another recording of a meeting at Anytown Elementary in which the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems was being used...and this one was really good! A sign that a little feedback can go a long way...

Our good friends at Anytown Elementary sent in a recording of a meeting in which they used the Assessment of Lagging Skills for one of their students. It was a great first try, but they made some of the same mistakes that many folks make early on in their use of the ALSUP.  Feedback was provided!

Well, the Educators Panel covered lots of ground today -- including why we're now breaking records for the diagnosis of ADHD in kids in the U.S. -- but we also discussed how to break free from from the "Tyranny of the Urgent" and actually take the time to think about school discipline and focus on the individual needs of behaviorally challenging students.  Good program!

The sheer number of behaviorally challenging students and unsolved problems can be quite overwhelming as a classroom teacher is just getting started on solving problems collaboratively.  So start small...the faster you try to go, the longer it's going to take...

On today's program, Dr. Greene interviewed Matt Carlson, Principal at Georgetown Central School, one of many schools in Maine learning how to implement Dr. Greene's model of solving problems collaboratively through project funded by the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.  Mr. Carlson's has some very useful insights for anyone determined to transform discipline practices in a school.