We have found that charting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis is very beneficial when helping our children with special needs or disabilities at home and in the classroom.  

It's been such a sanity saver.  

I love how it the process goes along with the Montessori Method of observing the child.

When a parent can understand the why behind the behaviors and respond appropriately it makes such a difference in daily functioning for all.

If you are not familiar with the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis, be sure to visit the post below to read excerpts from my new book explaining what it is and how to implement it.

The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis in the Montessori Classroom

If you are familiar with the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis and are looking for a printable to chart behaviors and patterns, look no further!  

Charting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis

Download the free ABCs of Behavioral analysis printable and print out as many as you'd like. You can do so by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post.

Store all copies in a binder and use them to find patterns in your child's behavior. 

Information recorded can also be used for documentation when working with doctors, specialists, therapists, etc.

This free printable is being given in conjunction with the release of my new book, The ABCs of Montessori and Special Needs.  The book is available now in ebook and paperback forms.  Just click the link below to purchase your copy today.

The ABCs of Montessori and Special Needs

When we understand the behaviors of our child with special needs and respond appropriately, we can help our child succeed in ways that were never possible before.

For those who are looking for more resources to help in understanding a child's behavior, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking the link below.

Click HERE to Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter

Don't forget your free printable!

The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy the resources below.

Read More »

Autism and Montessori Practical Life at Home

Implementing the Montessori Method at home with a child who has autism can be challenging depending on the child's sensory needs and behaviors.  

Practical Life oriented tasks can be particularly difficult due to delays in fine motor and lack of adaptive skills.

Recently I received an e-mail from a parent asking for help when it comes to Autism and Montessori Practical Life at Home.  This is my response.

Disclaimer:  The information in this post can not be considered a form of professional help.  In no way am I giving health advice.  My knowledge of special needs and Montessori comes from my experiences, training, and research related to my own family circumstances and situations.  I do not have a degree or professional training in any area related to special needs or Montessori.

When attempting to help a child with autism succeed in the completion of Montessori Practical Life tasks at home, it can be very helpful to work through the five steps mentioned below.  At times only one or two steps is needed to make necessary changes.  Other times, a parent may need to work through every step.

Five Steps to Improving Montessori Practical Life Experiences at Home

1. Understand the Behaviors

Every behavior has a purpose as said by the author Barry M Prizant in his book Uniquely Human.  If your child is acting out or refusing to complete Practical Life tasks at home, implement and/or review the The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis.

Chart your findings using our subscribers only freebie.  Once you understand the behaviors and implement this method, you may be able to make all of the necessary adjustments your child needs to succeed.  If you're still struggling, move on to step two.

2. Understand the developmental age of the child

The developmental age of a child with autism often does not match his chronological age.  In many instances there is a gap.  

If there are delays in development, the child's adaptive skills will reflect that.  

Adaptive skills are crucial to progression through the Montessori Practical Life curriculum, whether at home or at school.

Evaluate and understand your child's adaptive functioning.  

If your child is eight years old, but functioning at the age of a six year old, you will want to make sure that Practical Life tasks at home are appropriate for a six year old.  

Those that are more difficult can result in behavioral issues.

If you have applied the results of charting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis and made sure that Practical Life tasks are developmentally appropriate for your child and you're still having troubles, move on to step three.

3. Create a Child Led Plan to Enhance the Experience

Autistic children can often struggle with adaptive skills and motor skills, which result in struggles while completing Practical Life activities at home and school.

If you observe that a child is struggling with a specific Practical Life task, sit down with the child and ask how you can help.

Why is the task so hard?

If the child is able to express the reasons for difficulties, ask how you can help.

Ask how you can make the experience of completing a Practical Life activity special.

Listen to your child.

Make a plan with the child, that is initiated by the child, to help enhance the Practical Life experience.

If the child can not speak, do your best to observe the child to determine pitfalls and incorporate things the child enjoys into the Practical Life activity.

4. Break down tasks into simple steps

A child with autism often becomes overwhelmed easily when presented with large tasks.  Please be aware that what a parent may consider to be a small task can often be a large task in the child's eyes.  

If you notice your child is overwhelmed or acting out, refusing to complete a task, try to break it down into smaller steps.  This process helps the child focus, succeed, and leads to a willingness to complete the task in the future.

Depending on the developmental age of the child, one of the smaller tasks may be all the child is capable of completing on his own at this time.  

Add steps slowly when the child has mastered the previous step.  

This will help the child feel capable and successful, which can be it's own incentive and lead to a desire to complete similar tasks independently.

If you've implemented steps one through four and still struggling, consider step five.

5. Eliminate the stress factor

It's so easy to become wrapped up in making sure the child completes the task on his own in a timely manner. At times this can lead to contention and disagreements, which are completely avoidable.  

Try to focus on what you want accomplished, which is usually the task at hand.  This can occur in more than one way.  

The child can complete the task himself or you can help the child, thus eliminating unnecessary meltdowns etc.  

Avoid the stress factor if you can.  By doing so you may eliminate several scenarios where tasks turn into battles for control, meltdowns, rages, etc.

In our home we have found implementing the 5 Steps of Improving Montessori Practical Life Experiences at Home crucial to our kiddos' success.  

Every child has the desire to be independent and successful.  

If a parent can observe the child, understand the behaviors, and put the necessary supports in place to help, Montessori Practical Life tasks at home can be completed successfully.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy the posts below.

Read More »

Understanding and analyzing the behaviors of a child is of the utmost importance for everyone involved. This is easier said than done. 

Every child is different, even those with the same disabilities and diagnoses.

As mentioned in one of my favorite books, Uniquely Human by Barry M. Prizant, all behaviors have purpose. 

Once a teacher understands the meaning behind the behaviors, she can provide supports necessary for him to be successful. 

A teacher can do this by using The ABC's of Behavioral Analysis in a Montessori Classroom.

The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis in the Montessori Classroom.

As part of our training, we were taught the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis. This process has helped us significantly in developing ways for our children to be successful in the Montessori home and classroom environment.

A is for the Antecedent

• What is happening right before the behavior occurs?
• What was the trigger? 

Take time to analyze each situation. Break situations down into observable, measurable actions. Record the events leading up to the undesired behavior. 

If there is no obvious antecedent for a behavior, or if the child responds inconsistently to a specific antecedent, ask the caregivers about behaviors at home. Learn more about the child’s physical, mental, emotional, and psychological state.

Sometimes, an explosive behavior may seem to arise out of nowhere because the child is still worked up over something that happened earlier in the day or an event in the more distant past. 

This information can help the teacher look for warning signs before things escalate, providing time to choose an appropriate response to the behavior.

B is for the Behavior

• How is the child responding to the antecedent?
• What is the child doing?

Once the teacher connects the behavior with the antecedent, she can begin to identify patterns. These patterns can help the teacher decide how to intervene. 

She might teach a child different coping mechanisms and ways of communication that are more productive. 

Or she can also make modifications to the physical environment that might prevent the antecedents from occurring.

If a teacher is working with a child who is particularly challenging, she can use the ABCS of Behaviors Analysis to chart positive behaviors and learn what makes the child comfortable and happy. 

Over time the teacher will see patterns that will help her know how to make learning experiences more positive.

C is for Consequence

• The consequence is the way in which an adult responds to the behavior

The teacher’s response to the child’s behavior ultimately determines how the situation is resolved. 

Choosing consequences that help the child meet his needs without reinforcing the negative behavior is key. 

If the consequence is appropriate, the child will have learned something new and feel empowered to do better. If the consequence is given inappropriately or reinforces the negative behavior, no progress will be made.

Documenting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis has affected our home and classroom for the better, more than any other intervention we’ve tried. 

If the teacher understands the needs and the struggles of the child, she can develop ways to help him.

Take the time to document each time a behavior occurs using our free printable.  Look for patterns. Once patterns are identified, create a behavior plan that will help the child be successful. 

If the teacher can not find patterns and responses that are inconsistent at best, it’s time for further investigation into the emotional health of the child.

Reasons for Behaviors

The teacher may observe reasons why the child responds to situations in the way that he does. Some of these may include:

• Inability to communicate appropriately
• Transitions
• Noncompliance (The child refuses to do what’s asked of him.)

Inability to Communicate Appropriately

A child with disabilities may lack the ability to communicate appropriately in social situations. Instead of using words in response to the action of another, he may display negative behaviors.

When a teacher observes these occurrences and notices patterns using the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis she can begin to provide resources for the child to help him be successful when communicating with others. 

As the child learns to communicate effectively, behaviors will diminish and everyone involved feels successful.

Transitions

A transition is the time between the end of one activity and the beginning of another. A child with disabilities may struggle with transitions, resulting in some pretty significant behaviors.

As the teacher analyzes the child using the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis, she can observe where he has difficulties transitioning, and put proper supports in place to help during those times. 

Supports may include timers, auditory prompts, a visual schedule, and structuring preferred activities after non-preferred activities to provide incentive and reinforcements. Over time, when proper supports are put in place, the teacher will see a decrease in behavioral issues.

Noncompliance

At times, a child with disabilities may display inappropriate behaviors because he doesn’t want to do what’s asked of him. In these cases, it’s extremely important to analyze what it is he doesn’t like and respond appropriately.

If the requested task is something that’s mandatory, it will be important that the response to the behavior is consistent, appropriate, and does not reinforce the noncompliant behavior. 

If the teacher has flexibility in what’s asked, it’s important to remember that the main goal of behavioral analysis is to help the child be successful. 

The teacher can alter her request to ensure that the child feels empowered with choices, while reducing his noncompliant behaviors.

The teacher may continue to find unexplained difficulties with noncompliance if the child has a mood disorder or a trauma based disorder. 

In these cases, constant communication between the parent and teacher is crucial. At times medical intervention will be necessary. 

Once the child is stable, success is possible in the Montessori classroom setting. It just may take far more time than the teacher would like.

Behaviors in a Montessori Classroom

The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis work extremely well in a Montessori classroom as the teacher is constantly observing the child and following his interests, abilities and desires related to learning. 

In many instances behaviors improve through simple modeling and explanations. This occurs as the teacher presents Grace and Courtesy lessons in the classroom.

Grace and Courtesy lessons consist of instructions on social etiquette, manners, and appropriate behavioral responses to various situations in the classroom as they arise.

Transitions are minimal in a Montessori environment, as the child selects his own work and completes tasks at his own pace. 

Required transitions within the classroom are routine and expected. Experiences outside of the classroom are planned in detail before they are carried out, providing opportunities to address difficulties with transition.

Noncompliance is also minimal in a Montessori environment as the child selects his own work. The Montessori classroom supports a child’s need for control over his actions.

Tips for Montessori Teachers

1. It is important to remember that a child with disabilities may not remember from day to day, or hour to hour what they are “supposed” to do regarding social skills and behaviors in the classroom. Grace and Courtesy lessons may need to be presented several times.

2. Grace and Courtesy lessons may require visuals and hands-on materials to help the child learn. Once a child knows what to do, applying that knowledge can be extremely difficult. He may require more prompts, visual cues, and/or hands-on materials in order to be successful.

3. The abilities of a child may change often based on issues with sensory stimuli, self-regulation, triggers, and more. A child with disabilities may struggle to generalize skills. 

Don’t assume that because a child did well with a concept one day, he’ll do just as well the next. That’s rarely the case. Be patient.

4. If a child struggles with noncompliance in the classroom, it’s important to understand why the child is acting out. There are very few reasons why a teacher might run into this issue. Here are a few questions to reflect on.

• Are works on the shelves boring or too easy?
• Are the works too difficult?
• Is the child over stimulated and/or unregulated?
• Has the child been triggered emotionally in some way?
• Is the child struggling with issues not related to the classroom such as problems at home, emotional disability, etc.?

5. If a child has been triggered emotionally, preferred activities may help. If not, try time in the Peace Corner with preferred sensory stimuli until the child is calm.

If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also enjoy the ones below.

Montessori Three Period Lesson Visual Prompts

A Day in the Life of a Montessori Family with Special Needs

Our Fallback Plan

Free Printables Page

Read More »

What You Don't Know President Trump

Dear President Trump,

No matter how much we prepared our three older children for an unfavored election outcome, they weren't ready.  There were so many strong emotions in our home the morning after Election Day.  Some were crying.  Others were screaming.  None of them could accept the results.

What you don't know President Trump is over the course of your election process, you touched a nerve with each of my children.  Things were said that they couldn't forget.

This post contains affiliate links.

You don't know this but they watched the news every night from the beginning of the primary election process to Election Day and heard every word you said.

You don't know this but they stayed up each night there was a debate, so they could listen and determine for themselves which candidate they liked best.

You don't know this, but they also stayed up until the wee hours of the morning on Election Day, when the numbers were coming in, because they wanted to know who the next President of the United States would be.   Unfortunately their eyes could not stay open long enough to find out.

Letters to the President

The morning after Election Day, I asked my children if they would like to write you a letter, in an effort to help them work through strong emotions.  They all agreed that it would be beneficial.  And so they wrote.  I've been holding on to these letters since that day in November, wondering if I should share them with you or not.

But today, I can't seem to shake this fear that fills my entire body and soul.  Tears won't stop flowing.  The letters my children wrote to you keep coming to my mind.

Tonight at dinner, I asked the children if it was okay if I shared them with the world, in hopes that you may read them too.  Without hesitation, they all said yes.  They wanted you to know how they felt the day after the election, and how they continue to feel.

I had to warn them that some people may not like their letters.  There may be some individuals who write mean things on Mommy's blog, facebook, Twitter or other social media accounts, because they don't agree.  My daughter spoke up and repeated words I have said to her many times,

"Just because they say them, doesn't mean we have to believe them or that they're true."

And so, today, I share with you three separate letters from three of my children.

From Bulldozer

Dear President Trump,

I feel mad that you will be our President.  You've made some bad choices.  I hope you make good choices so I can like you.

Sincerely,
Bulldozer (Age 8)

What you don't know about Bulldozer is that he has autism and ADHD.  My husband and I homeschool him because public education was not the right fit and at times simply too dangerous for his health.  Bulldozer suffers from over 30 food allergies.  He has environmental allergies as well.  A sticker from the grocery store can cause him to go into anaphylactic shock, as he also has a life threatening allergy to adhesives.

President Trump, you don't know how hard he tried to like you.  With every fiber of his being he tried to find the positive.  He'd listen to every speech he could, looking for ways to support you.  And even now, he is still hoping to find a way to like you.  Please help him.  He wants to look up to you.

From Princess

Dear President Trump,

I feel upset that you called women disgusting animals.  I am also mad that you are going to be our President.  I don't like you.

I hope that you will be a good President.  I hope that you will stop calling women disgusting animals.  Women are human not animals.

Sincerely,
Princess (Age 7)

What you don't know about Princess is that she was a foster child in our home, whom we adopted.  She came to us neglected and abused, so much that her brain is permanently damaged and she is unable to love others like most people can.  It's called Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). She also suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and an anxiety disorder as a result of the trauma she experienced before coming to us.  We homeschool her to help her feel safe.

You don't know this, but the person that neglected her the most was a woman.  Princess knows how cruel the world can be and if anyone has the right to speak poorly of women, it's her.  But instead, she works day in and day out to heal from wounds that were not her fault and to forgive those who have hurt her.  She works to trust people, especially women, so she can feel good about herself.

President Trump, she still has the desire to hope that you can help her too.  Please help Princess understand how amazing she is and that she is beautiful on the inside and out.

From Dinomite

Dear President Trump,

I am not happy that you made fun of a person with disabilities.  I have a disability called autism.  When you make fun of people with disabilities I feel sad.  I don't feel special anymore.

I hope you don't make fun of people anymore so I can feel special again.  I'm fine the way I am.

Sincerely,

Dinomite (Age 9)

What you don't know President Trump is that Dinomite is an amazing boy.  He is bright and kind.  Besides autism, Dinomite struggles with ADHD and an anxiety disorder.  We homeschool him, as public school was not the right fit, due to social pressures and sensory issues.

You don't know how hard Dinomite tries to be the best he can possibly be.  The effort he puts into overcoming his challenges is amazing.  He has such a sincere desire to be good.  Please help him stay that way.

You have broken Dinomite's heart.  He desperately wants to support and respect the President of the United States. He is so proud of being an American.  Please help him feel special again.

More You Don't Know

You don't know that we have a fourth child, whose nickname is Sunshine, who we adopted through foster care as well.  Through no fault of her own, she suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  She was born with Mild Cranial Facial Microsomia and suffers a vision impairment because of it.  Sunshine has also been diagnosed with a mood disorder and autism.

You don't know this, but because of behaviors related to Sunshine's disabilities, my husband had to quit his job.  He is at home with me full-time to make sure that everyone stays safe and that all of our children are taken care of.

Our children, yours and mine, are our country's future.  Circumstances in which we raise our children are not the same, but they all deserve an equal chance at success.

You don't know the financial struggles we've had.

You don't know how much we've fought for what's best for our children.

You don't know how hard we've worked to provide them with what they need.

You don't know the sacrifices we have made to provide our children with the very best opportunities and chances for success, so that when they grow up, they won't be reliant on others.

I used to feel so confident and full of hope, because of the choices we had made, but now...

You don't know the fear that fills my body and soul, as I worry that will all be taken away.

You don't know the nightmares I've had and the sleepless nights I've spent awake worrying about losing what we have.

Please help my children.  Give them hope and confidence that you will be there for them.

You don't know how much we all need that right now.

Because what you don't know President Trump, is that we want to support you.

We want to trust that you will take care of our children.

We want to believe that we will all be okay.

We pray that you will be able to give us that.

This is what we need.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Mother of Four Special Needs Children

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy the posts below.

Homeschooling My Autistic Child

Autism Support and Resources

Day to Day Life Parenting a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder

How to Recognize Signs of a Mood Disorder in Young Children

This post is part of the Parenting Children with Special Needs Series.  If you'd like to read more posts in the series this month, be sure to click the links below.

26 Things Every Special Needs Mom Needs to Know | Natural Beach Living

What You Don’t Know President Trump | Every Star is Different

5 Things I Wish Teachers Knew About My Child’s Anxiety | STEAM Powered Family

What I Wish You Knew About Special Needs Parenting | My Home Truths

What I Wish You Knew About Being the Parent of a Child with RAD | The Chaos and The Clutter

What You Need To Know, Betsy Devos | This Outnumbered Mama

What I Wish You Knew About Parenting a Non-Verbal Autistic Child | Kori at Home

What I Wish You Knew: Building the Grand Canyon Size Knowledge of A Special Needs Mom | 3 Dinosaurs

50 Things SPD Parents Secretly Wish They Could Say Their Families | Lemon Lime Adventures

Read More »

Sunshine loves to play in the snow.  One of her favorite outdoor winter activities is building a snowman.  

It only seemed fitting to create snowman activities for her.  All activities are designed for preschoolers and come with free printables.  Sunshine is loving them!

Winter activities are some of my absolute favorites!

Snowman Activities for Preschoolers with Free Printables

Here's what's on our Montessori shelves!

S is for Snowman

Sunshine continues to struggle learning her letters and sounds.  

After speaking to her doctor we believe that she may have some learning disabilities.  These combined with her vision impairment are proving to be a challenge in the classroom.  

We're excited to help her out in as many ways as we can so she can be successful.

In this activity, Sunshine will glue cotton balls onto the dots provided to create the letter "s" that will stand out from the page.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Snowman Activities Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Snowman Nomenclature Cards

Sunshine enjoys the process of matching three-part cards.  In this activity she will match up parts of a snowman.  I just love the images in this activity.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Snowman Activities Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Snowman Shapes

Sunshine is taking an interest in shapes right now.  She was so exited to show me a pentagon this week and tell me how many sides it has.  

When I saw this activity, I couldn't resist adding it to her shelves.  Sunshine will be so excited to learn some new shapes and review old ones.

Source:  The free printable for this activity can be found at Totschooling.

Building a Snowman Sequence

Sunshine will sequence the cards provided and place the number under each step in order.  

I love the cards used for this activity because after the first few, Sunshine will really need to pay attention to details.  It's not as simple as it looks.

Source:  The free printable for this activity can be found on TpT by Randi.

Snowman Baking Soda Science Experiment

Picture Courtesy of Little Binds for Little Hands

Sunshine is so excited about this activity.  It's definitely something new for her to try.  

We will be making the snowmen together and then carrying out the experiment during learning time.  

I love that this is not only a science experiment but also a great way for her to practice fine motor skills.

Source:  Instructions and ingredients for this activity can be found at Little Bins for Little Hands.

Snowman Water Transfer

Sunshine will practice her pouring skills, pouring water into each of the snowmen.  

Once finished she can use the dropper to transfer the water back into the glass.

Snowman Cutting Activity

Sunshine has been begging for a new cutting activity, even though she really struggles to develop the skill.  I wasn't going to disappoint her!  

In this activity, Sunshine will cut on the lines between each snowman using the scissors provided.

Source: I created the printable for this activity. Snowman Activities Printable Pack 1 is a free printable. For your copy, follow click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Metal Inset Shaving Cream Activity

Sunshine is struggling with writing skills, so we've decided to back up and start from the very beginning of the Montessori writing curriculum, using the metal insets.  

We're not using them with a pencil yet.  Instead we will spray shaving cream on the cookie sheet provided. Sunshine will then place the metal inset on top of the shaving cream and trace the shape using her finger.

We've decided to use the circle shaped metal inset, so she can create her own snowman in the shaving cream.

Snowman Invitation to Play

We were hoping to have snow this week to build a snowman outside, but it's supposed to be warm all week. So instead we created a Snowman Invitation to Play.  

Sunshine can create as many snowmen as she'd like using the materials provided.  Materials include:

• Black and orange pony beads
• Twigs
• Black buttons
• Googly eyes
• Red felt scarves (I cut them out myself.)

Snowman Sensory Bin

I am so pleased with this sensory bin.  It may be my favorite yet.  Sunshine is enjoying it as well.  

What's more fun than a snowman themed sensory bin, especially when it's made with items you have on hand at home?  

The sensory bin includes:

• Cotton balls
• Foam snowflakes
• Foam snowmen
• Black felt top hats (I cut them out myself.)
• Black buttons of various sizes
• Red felt scarves (I cut them out myself.)
• Orange foam carrot noses (I cut them out myself.)
• Twigs
• Small black rocks to represent coal

We are so excited for such a fun time with our snowman activities in the classroom.  Sunshine is so happy when she sees scissors, play dough and a sensory bin on her shelves.

For those who would like more seasonal activities and printables, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking the link below.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter

Don't forget your free printables!

Snowman Activities Printable Pack 1

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy the resources below.

       

 

This post is part of the 12 Months of Montessori Series. For more fabulous Montessori winter themed posts, check out the links below!

The Best Kindergarten and Preschool Penguin Activities | Natural Beach Living

17 Printable Pictures of Animals that Adapt in Winter | The Natural Homeschool

Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Winter {Free Printables} | Living Montessori Now

Practical Life for the Winter -- Toddler Nose Blowing | The Kavanaugh Report

Montessori Inspired Polar Bear Unit | Mama’s Happy Hive

Montessori Inspired Antarctica Shelf  | The Pinay Homeschooler

Indoor Snowball Fight | Grace and Green Pastures

Winter Books for Preschoolers | Christian Montessori Network

Hands on arctic themed activities| Welcome to Mommyhood

Read More »