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How the Brain Influences Behavior
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How the Brain Influences Behavior
Management Strategies for Every Classroom



July 2008 | 264 pages | Corwin

"This is a timely topic with workable solutions that enables students to learn in today's classrooms. A must-read for educators working with diverse populations."
—Carolyn Chapman, Educational Consultant
Creative Learning Connection, Inc.

"This winning book presents clearly outlined brain research as it applies to proactively managing classroom discipline issues. A must-have for teachers who prefer to not only teach, but effectively reach every student too!"
—Toby J. Karten, Graduate Instructor
College of New Jersey, Gratz College

Use research-based strategies to improve behavior in the K–12 classroom!

Combining theory and practice, best-selling author David A. Sousa helps educators understand what is happening in the brains of students with behavior problems and offers practical, effective intervention strategies compatible with current findings in neuroscience.

In easy-to-understand language, the author presents current information on brain development and function and highlights factors that affect social and emotional decision making and negative behaviors like impulsivity, defiance, and violence. Comprehensive yet concise, this guide for K–12 teachers and counselors provides methods for teaching self-control and fostering positive relationships with troubled students and provides case studies that match effective strategies with specific behaviors. Educators will find answers to critical questions such as:

  • How does the rate of brain development explain the erratic behavior of adolescents?
  • What type of data collection can help teachers manage misbehavior?
  • Can peer influence help curb misbehavior rather than encourage it?
  • Why are boys more likely to misbehave than girls and what can teachers do about it?
  • How do school and classroom climates affect student behavior?

This invaluable handbook also features reproducible forms, worksheets, checklists, additional references, and an expanded list of primary research sources to help teachers understand and apply research-based principles for classroom and behavior management.


 
About the Author
 
Acknowledgments
 
Introduction
Are Behavior Problems on the Rise?

 
Can Neuroscience Help?

 
About This Book

 
Questions This Book Will Answer

 
Chapter Contents

 
Other Helpful Tools

 
 
1. Handling Social Misbehavior
The Social and Emotional Brain

 
Emotional Processing

 
Pathways of Emotional Signals

 
What Leads to Social Misbehavior?

 
The Teacher Is the Key

 
Interventions for Handling Social Misbehavior

 
Dealing With Social Anxieties

 
Using Social Stories to Modify Behavior

 
A Case Study: Using a Social Story for a Verbally Aggressive Student

 
A Social Story for Angry Students

 
Summary

 
 
2. Dealing With Impulsive Behavior
What Leads to Impulsivity and Violent Behavior?

 
Genetic Variations

 
Prenatal Exposure to Cocaine

 
Cerebral Lesions

 
An Important Word About Testosterone

 
Ignorance of Rules of Behavior

 
Some Strategies for Controlling Impulsive Behavior

 
Cognitive and Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions

 
Putting Impulsive Problem Behavior in a Social Context

 
Using Picture Books to Curb Impulsive Anger or Anxiety

 
Other Suggested Strategies

 
Summary

 
 
3. Teaching Self-Control Through Self-Verbalization
Examining Self-Control

 
What Is Self-Control?

 
Are Children Learning Self-Control?

 
Brain Structures for Self-Control

 
Do Mirror Neurons Play a Role in Self-Control?

 
Losing Self-Control

 
Helping Students Regain Self-Control

 
Verbal Self-Contol of Aggressive, Defiant, or Other Behavior

 
The Power of Self-Talk

 
The ZIPPER Strategy

 
"Say No and Walk Away" to Resist Peer Pressure

 
Self-Control Through Self-Talk and Self-Monitoring

 
The Nature of Attention

 
Self-Monitoring for Other Problem Behaviors

 
Self-Control Through Self-Rating of Emotional Intensity

 
The Anger Thermometer

 
Summary

 
 
4. Managing the Behavior of Boys
Why a Concern With Boys?

 
Gender Differences in Behavior

 
Genetic and Environmental Factors

 
Impact of Biology

 
Some Research Findings on Behavioral Differences

 
Using Research-Based Strategies

 
Movement-Based Instruction and Classroom Management

 
Boy-Friendly Instruction and Discipline

 
The Responsibility Strategy

 
And What About Girls?

 
The Rise of Cyberbullying

 
Bullying Versus Cyberbullying

 
Dealing With Cyberbullying

 
Summary

 
 
5. Building Positive Relationships With Troubled Students
Relationships and Research

 
Insights From Neuroscience

 
Some Research Findings

 
Developing Teacher-Student Relationships

 
The Importance of Positive Relationships With and for Students

 
Reaching Unreachable Students With Dialogue Journals

 
The Lunch Bunch: An Educator's Idea

 
Managing Serious Behavior Problems Through Adult Mentoring

 
Summary

 
 
6. Using Peer Relationships to Modify Behavior
Examining Peer Relationships

 
Dealing With Peer Influence: A Two-Edged Sword

 
The Desire to Be Liked

 
Peer-Mediated Behavior Management Strategies

 
Peer-Mediated Anger Management

 
Factors to Consider in Peer Mediation

 
Peer Confrontation to Curb Misbehavior

 
The Mystery Motivator/Mystery Character Intervention to Decrease Inappropriate Behavior

 
Group Contingency Interventions

 
Summary

 
 
7. Managing Oppositional Behavior
What Is Oppositional Behavior?

 
Causes of Oppositional Behavior

 
Students With Oppositional Behavior in the Classroom

 
Teacher Knowledge of Oppositional Behavior

 
Teacher Frustration and Countercontrol

 
Defiant Students: Explosions Waiting to Happen

 
Avoiding Triggers for Misbehavior in the Classroom

 
Teaching Students to Relax

 
Other Strategies

 
What About Oppositional Defiant Disorder? (ODD)

 
Development of ODD

 
Treatment of ODD

 
Summary

 
 
8. Developing Positive Self-Esteem
The Nature of Self-Esteem

 
The Power of Self-Esteem

 
Research on Self-Esteem

 
Guidelines for Building Self-Esteem

 
Building a New Perspective on the Troubled Student: The Strength-Based Assessment

 
What Is Strength-Based Assessment?

 
Motivation and Attribution Retraining

 
Motivation Research and Attribution Theory

 
The "Shine My Light" Strategy

 
Summary

 
 
9. Putting It All Together
Educational Climate: Are We Happy Here?

 
What Is Classroom Climate?

 
The Biology of Happiness

 
Successful Behavior Management in the Classroom

 
Assessing Classroom Climate

 
Classrom Management and Cultural Diversity

 
Guidelines for Managing Diverse Classes

 
Positive Behavioral Supports in the Classroom

 
What Are Positive Behavioral Supports?

 
The Functional Assessment of Behavior

 
The Behavioral Improvement Plan

 
Multitiered Interventions and the Student Support Team

 
Summary

 
Conclusion

 
 
Appendix
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Resources
 
Index

“This winning book presents clearly outlined brain research as it applies to proactively managing classroom discipline issues. A must-have for teachers who prefer to not only teach, but effectively reach every student too!”

Toby J. Karten, Graduate Instructor, College of New Jersey, Gratz College
Author, Inclusion Strategies That Work!

“This book is a must-read for those interested in managing classroom behavior in a manner that is both effective and research based.”

Stephen D. Shepperd, Principal
Sunnyside Elementary School, Kellogg, ID

“This is a timely topic with workable solutions that enables students to learn in today’s classrooms. A must-read for educators working with diverse populations.”

Carolyn Chapman, Educational Consultant, Creative Learning Connection, Inc.
Author, Differentiated Instructional Strategies

Written by the renound Sousa, this book combines theory and practice in a user-friendly approach. Research findings have been explored and applied to behaviour management in the classroom. The aim is to help teachers understand behaviour and how to deal with it effectively using strategies which have been experimented with in research. A really interesting read to help explain behaviour.

Sasha Pleasance
Care & Learning Opportunities, South Devon College
May 16, 2012
Key features
This exciting new book, written by a top-selling author at Corwin Press, will:

  • Provide research on how to apply brain-compatible learning to classroom management strategies
  • Understand how neuroscience research can be utilized to improve behavior in the K-12 classroom
  • Offer specific strategies and tips for working with specific student populations, including students that are defiant, violent, attention-seeking, and inattentive in the classroom
  • Discuss how the brain is different for boys and girls and how behavior varies among cultures 
  • Provide an expanded list of primary sources for those who wish to review the core research on the brain and behavior.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Introduction

Chapter 1


For instructors

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