I took a class on PBIS.Positive Behavior. Intereventions and Supports. It is a professional development class all special education teachers are required to take. Reasearch has shown all children and all people need the same positive supports. Not all states have passed laws requiring Gifted children have a IEP. But if your child needs behavior supports to redirect his behavior at school with positive verbal promts. A behavioral intervention plan is designed to do that. Laura A. Riffel, Ph.D at
www.behaviordoctor.org has a free (FBA) Functional Behavioral Assessment Data Tool. You can e-mail : laura.riffel@yahoo.com if you would like supports or knowledge of what is considered the most effective way to address behavior in approiate ways. I took this class since my childs behavior interfered with his education and was so challenging. He also requires constant positive reinforcement. The information was also helpful to know how to support the teacher who hadn't had the class. Oklahoma State Department of Education is offering a three year program called PBIS that trains the whole school. A program that is supportive of all children and parents. I also found the college level book for teachers, Behavior Interventions for Teachers, and read it. I wish someone would have shared this information with me when my child was 3 years old. Since it would have allowed me to get the services at school he needed to be suscessful. It also gave me information I needed to work with the school so I knew what they were required to provide. Having the latest scientifically researched information on behavior resolved my anziety as to how to address his behavior. I also found a website Cybary Man's Education/Understanding Asynchronous Development in Gifted Children.... Wrightslaw.cybaryman.com/gifted.html that helped me very much. Hope this info was of use. P.S. try contacting your State Department of Education,Special Education services to see if they have free training classes for PBIS if you are interested in advocacy or sharing the information with your school distric. NCLB educational goal #8 made parents equal partners in our children's education where our opinion counts.
