Assignment 1: Iris Analysis

SPD 614 Assignment 3.2

- Unit 3 Iris Analysis and End of Unit Reflection

Name: Molly Boyne

Date: September 14, 2015

Course: SPD 614

Instructor:

#1: Review the 3 Iris Modules on the direction page for this assignment and complete the Iris Analysis and questions below.

#2: Then… Complete the End of the Unit Reflection found at the end of this template.

PART 1: Iris Analysis and Summary:

Summarize the key points in “Perspectives and Resources” for ALL of the Iris Modules provided on the direction page for this assignment. Please be thorough with your summary of these sections to earn full rubric points. Fully explain perspectives and summarizes key points and key terms with clarity and detail to earn full rubric points. A clear understanding of the concepts presented in each module should be evident.

(The template will expand as you write.)

1. Analysis-Summary of Part 1: Understanding the Acting-Out-Cycle

Summary:

In the provided video, Dr.

Kathleen Lane introduces the acting-out cycle, and that this cycle has been proposed by Geoff Colvin and Hill Walker; their illustration shows in steps how problem behaviors occur. Colvin and Walker wanted to show that problem behaviors really do tend to start in a chain reaction. One way to stop the behavior from escalating is to catch the behavior at its starting stages and to be able to notice that stage. If this is manageable, then students tend to be in a better situation to listen and calm back down. In the video, she provides great information what a teacher can do differently if they notice a student who is struggling. Giving the student a short break in order to be able to cool off seems strategically productive. The Acting-Out-Cycle is a seven part emotional rollercoaster. The following emotions are

experienced:

1. Calm- it is important and effective to keep students in this phase. This can be established by the following:
o Creating a well established classroom environment
o Making sure the students understand the teacher’s classroom behavior expectations.
o The teacher should make sure the students receive enough attention and clear instructions.
3. Trigger- Quoted from the Module, “If attention is not devoted to maintaining calm behavior, students with behavioral concerns may move out of the Calm Phase and into phase 2”.
School based triggers
o A negative reaction with the teacher, or argument that did not sit well with the student.
o Any argument or other conflict with a classmate or friend in the classroom.
o Any change in the daily routine or schedule.
o A student not performing well on a task or assignment, and having a negative grade that can be upsetting.
o A student not understanding a given assignment or task presented in class.

Non-school based triggers

o A student being hungry
o A student not having had enough sleep
o Stressful situations at home
o Medical issues

4. Agitation- The agitation phase can take longer and can be identified by certain student behaviors such as: tapping their hands or darting their eyes around the classroom, moving around the classroom or continuously either stopping or starting their activities.
5. Acceleration- As described in the Module, at this point the student would show several behaviors such as questioning, arguing, refusing to do any work, starting to damage or partially destroy small things/property items just so they could possibly gain the teachers attention and overall to get noticed.
6. Peak- During this stage it would be considered too late for teachers to successfully intervene and prevent the behavior from escalating. One would have to simply deal with the behavior. Some of the behaviors associated with this phase, are:
o Students could focus on physically assaulting their classmates and peers
o Students with this peak behavior could hurt themselves
o Students could destroy school property or the property of their classmates
o Students could also start crying hysterically to show their frustration

7. De-escalation- Students would show confusion, disorientation, and their frustration and agitation would be far less severe and settling down. At this point, students would deny their involvement in the just recent behavior issue, and sometimes would try to blame their peers and classmates for the recent situation, but could also try to apologize to their peers.
8. Debriefing- this is a necessary step in the recovery phase simply because students otherwise would assume they got away with their behavior.

According to the module, teachers must establish strategies in which they are able to intercept problem behaviors before encountering the antecedent. Teachers need to intervene the acting-out-cycle before the situation becomes too escalated. It is much easier to control behaviors when teachers are aware of the antecedent. If teachers can prevent problems from escalating then they are able to prevent more serious behaviors that occur from acting-out.
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