Description: Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (MADSEC), is pleased to offer this 6-part online series with co-founders of Navigating Behavior Change, LLC. Participants will progressively build their understanding of behavior and gain actionable skills to effectively intervene to decrease challenging behaviors. Topics will include understanding how challenging behaviors come to be, understanding the functions of behavior, identifying the function of behavior, selecting appropriate replacement behaviors, teaching behavior and social skills, and implementing evidence-based interventions.
Dates: Thursdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 & April 6, 2023
Time: 3:00-4:30pm
Location: Virtually via Zoom (links will be emailed to registrants)
Cost: $149
Presenters/Co-Founders:
Amanda Wilson, Ed.S., NCSP, BCBA, LBA Amanda is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and the co-founder of Navigating Behavior Change. She has 17 years of experience within the public school setting. In that time, she has worked with students across all disability categories, but her passion for applied behavior analysis has guided her focus primarily to students demonstrating significant challenging behaviors. Many of the students with whom she works experience autism spectrum disorders, emotional disturbances, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, mental health disorders, and trauma and stressor related disorders. Amanda is passionate about providing professional development to fellow educators so that they too can effectively and confidently teach the most challenging students. Amanda received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Alaska Pacific University, before receiving both a Master’s Degree and Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She received a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from St. Joseph’s University.
Danielle Gonyea, MS, BCBA, LBA Danielle Gonyea is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Licensed Special Education Teacher, and co-founder of Navigating Behavior Change. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Vermont. Danielle attended the Florida Institute of Technology where she completed certification as a Behavior Analyst. Danielle started her educational journey as a paraprofessional many years ago. She fell in love with the population of students who many deemed "too dangerous" or "difficult to connect with." She quickly began her teaching career which eventually led her into the consulting field. Much like her counterpart Amanda, the children with whom Danielle primarily works experience significant mental health disorders, anxiety, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. Current emphases of her work include trauma-informed practice, classroom transformations, and organizational behavior management (OBM).
Training #1: How did we get here? The shaping of socially significant behaviors.
Have you found yourself wondering, “Why on earth is he doing that? There are easier ways to get what he needs.” This training will provide a foundational understanding of how environmental variables impact and shape behavior over time. Participants will gain insight into why students may be struggling in different ways and how to alter variables in the future to prevent challenging behaviors. Finally, participants will acquire knowledge to assist them in being understanding and compassionate when faced with challenging behaviors.
Training #2: Why is he doing that? Considering the functions of behavior.
Often, student behavior doesn’t appear logical. At times, we may find ourselves wondering why a student is engaging in a certain behavior, yet we know it serves a purpose for them. This training will build upon previous information to gain an understanding of the primary functions of behavior- to get or get away from something. Participants will learn the rationale for making a data-based, educated hypothesis about why a behavior is occurring as well as why we need to avoid making assumptions.
Training #3: Do you know your ABC’s? Identifying what comes before and after a behavior.
You likely already know the alphabet, but are you familiar with the terms 'antecedents' and 'consequences?' In this training, participants will learn to identify what comes before and after a behavior (both directly and globally) to make an educated guess of the function. Participants will also learn how environmental variables stack up and "trigger" behavior, as well as increase, maintain, or decrease behavior over time. Data collection methods will be presented and discussed to assist participants in collecting meaningful and accurate data.
Training #4: Does it meet the function? Selecting appropriate replacement behaviors.
Have you tried replacing a challenging behavior with another more appropriate behavior in the past, only to have the student fail to use the new, more appropriate behavior? In this training, participants will learn to identify replacement behaviors which meet the same function or purpose as the challenging behavior. Participants will also learn about the rules of efficiency, effort, and reliability which impact the likelihood of a student utilizing a replacement behavior.
Training #5: What’s next? Explicitly teaching behavior and social skills.
You’ve identified the ABC’s, hypothesized the function of behavior, and selected a replacement behavior. Now what? How do you teach the behavior? In this training, participants will learn to implement two evidence-based teaching methodologies: Behavior Skills Training and Teaching Interactions. Participants will also learn the role of task analysis, prompting, fading, and generalization in the teaching process.
Training #6: What should I do? Selecting appropriate interventions.
Selecting and implementing appropriate interventions for challenging behaviors can be overwhelming. In this training participants will be presented a variety of evidence-based interventions. Participants will learn to select appropriate interventions based on identified functions of behavior. Participants will also learn the rationale for implementing both antecedent and consequence interventions.
Dates: Thursdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 & April 6, 2023
Time: 3:00-4:30pm
Location: Virtually via Zoom (links will be emailed to registrants)
Cost: $149
Presenters/Co-Founders:
Amanda Wilson, Ed.S., NCSP, BCBA, LBA Amanda is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and the co-founder of Navigating Behavior Change. She has 17 years of experience within the public school setting. In that time, she has worked with students across all disability categories, but her passion for applied behavior analysis has guided her focus primarily to students demonstrating significant challenging behaviors. Many of the students with whom she works experience autism spectrum disorders, emotional disturbances, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, mental health disorders, and trauma and stressor related disorders. Amanda is passionate about providing professional development to fellow educators so that they too can effectively and confidently teach the most challenging students. Amanda received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Alaska Pacific University, before receiving both a Master’s Degree and Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She received a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from St. Joseph’s University.
Danielle Gonyea, MS, BCBA, LBA Danielle Gonyea is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Licensed Special Education Teacher, and co-founder of Navigating Behavior Change. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Vermont. Danielle attended the Florida Institute of Technology where she completed certification as a Behavior Analyst. Danielle started her educational journey as a paraprofessional many years ago. She fell in love with the population of students who many deemed "too dangerous" or "difficult to connect with." She quickly began her teaching career which eventually led her into the consulting field. Much like her counterpart Amanda, the children with whom Danielle primarily works experience significant mental health disorders, anxiety, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. Current emphases of her work include trauma-informed practice, classroom transformations, and organizational behavior management (OBM).
Training #1: How did we get here? The shaping of socially significant behaviors.
Have you found yourself wondering, “Why on earth is he doing that? There are easier ways to get what he needs.” This training will provide a foundational understanding of how environmental variables impact and shape behavior over time. Participants will gain insight into why students may be struggling in different ways and how to alter variables in the future to prevent challenging behaviors. Finally, participants will acquire knowledge to assist them in being understanding and compassionate when faced with challenging behaviors.
Training #2: Why is he doing that? Considering the functions of behavior.
Often, student behavior doesn’t appear logical. At times, we may find ourselves wondering why a student is engaging in a certain behavior, yet we know it serves a purpose for them. This training will build upon previous information to gain an understanding of the primary functions of behavior- to get or get away from something. Participants will learn the rationale for making a data-based, educated hypothesis about why a behavior is occurring as well as why we need to avoid making assumptions.
Training #3: Do you know your ABC’s? Identifying what comes before and after a behavior.
You likely already know the alphabet, but are you familiar with the terms 'antecedents' and 'consequences?' In this training, participants will learn to identify what comes before and after a behavior (both directly and globally) to make an educated guess of the function. Participants will also learn how environmental variables stack up and "trigger" behavior, as well as increase, maintain, or decrease behavior over time. Data collection methods will be presented and discussed to assist participants in collecting meaningful and accurate data.
Training #4: Does it meet the function? Selecting appropriate replacement behaviors.
Have you tried replacing a challenging behavior with another more appropriate behavior in the past, only to have the student fail to use the new, more appropriate behavior? In this training, participants will learn to identify replacement behaviors which meet the same function or purpose as the challenging behavior. Participants will also learn about the rules of efficiency, effort, and reliability which impact the likelihood of a student utilizing a replacement behavior.
Training #5: What’s next? Explicitly teaching behavior and social skills.
You’ve identified the ABC’s, hypothesized the function of behavior, and selected a replacement behavior. Now what? How do you teach the behavior? In this training, participants will learn to implement two evidence-based teaching methodologies: Behavior Skills Training and Teaching Interactions. Participants will also learn the role of task analysis, prompting, fading, and generalization in the teaching process.
Training #6: What should I do? Selecting appropriate interventions.
Selecting and implementing appropriate interventions for challenging behaviors can be overwhelming. In this training participants will be presented a variety of evidence-based interventions. Participants will learn to select appropriate interventions based on identified functions of behavior. Participants will also learn the rationale for implementing both antecedent and consequence interventions.
MADSEC reserves the right to adjust the agenda or format at any time.
Cancellation Policy for Conference Registration: If you need to cancel your registration, you must submit written notification to MADSEC at least 10 days in advance of the event for refund less $25 administrative fee.
Cancellation Policy for Conference Registration: If you need to cancel your registration, you must submit written notification to MADSEC at least 10 days in advance of the event for refund less $25 administrative fee.