Environment Check

Universal. Prevention. Environment. Behavior. Classroom management.

• Step 1: Examine the Environment: What does the child's environment look like? What are the rules and consequences for breaking the rules? Is it loud or quiet? Is it stressful or peaceful? How would you behave in a similar environment?

• Step 2: Label Environment: Label the things in the environment that are helpful or positive. Then, label the things in the environment that may be part of the child's problem behavior. This may look like a pro and con list of positive and negative aspects of the environment.

• Step 3: Problem Solve: Look at your labeled list. Circle two items on the negative list that you can control. Think about what you would have to do to make that negative aspect better.

• Step 4: Make a Menu: Make a menu or list from the two options you have picked. Step by step, how could you change this aspect of the environment and how would you guess the child would respond.

• Step 5: Check It Off: Throughout the day, look at your menu. Are the steps of the menu being followed to make the environment more positive for the child? Check off the items on the menu that are going right as they happen. Keep tabs on the items that are not going as planned. Use this information to focus on those problem items.

• Step 6: Reflect: After about a week, take a step back to see if the problem behavior is still present. How has the environment changed? What could be done differently? If needed, go back to step 1.

• Be patient and open to suggestions.

• Ask for another person's opinion.

• Keep track of the items you listed as helpful and the items you listed as harmful.