Two meetings, back to back last week teachers said,
“My student doesn’t want anything anymore.”
Then an email from a teacher, “He refuses any reinforcers.”
It’s spring time and reinforcement isn’t working like it used to. This is not surprising. What worked in October may not work in April.
Have you noticed this in your school?
Students’ needs, interests and desires change. Reinforcement must change too.
Right now, the value isn’t “high enough.”
In plain terms, they don’t want it anymore.
Just like our needs change, students’ needs change too.
So, what can you do?
Do assessments AGAIN!
Go back to the basics:
I was in a middle school last week and the para-educator said the same thing, I can’t find a reinforcer she wants to earn. She just says “no” to everything.
We sat down together - the student, para-educator and me. I asked, what do you want to earn? The student created her own list on a whiteboard, numbered it and everything.
We provided a few suggestions but by the end there was a whole new menu:
-colored pens
-takis
-skittles
-fidget toy
-gum
-social walk
-slime
-J bucks (group work)
-draw Bill
-brain break dance
-take a break - hallway, classroom, or walk
Then she picked one - slime - and she worked for it.
I returned this week and my first question, “How are the reinforcers going?”
“It’s been good,” the para-educator said. “She’s mostly choosing breaks and walks. Thanks for sitting down and doing that with us last week, Kristy.”
Reinforcement isn’t static. It changes. If it stops working, don’t push harder.
Pause, reassess and adjust.
Sometimes, it helps to bring another person into the conversation. Reach out to your team, to your community, or to me! I am a part of your community!
If you are looking for support with developing plans for behaviors that work, please contact me here! Book a free consultation and we can see if it’s a right fit for your needs.
You don’t have to do this work alone.