Learning From Behavior: How to Understand and Help 'Challenging' Children in School

by James E. Levine

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Author: James E. Levine

Publisher: R&L Education

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1578868041
ISBN 13: 978-1578868049

Understanding children's problem behaviors in school? seeing beyond the surface actions to reveal and name the root needs fueling those actions? is vital to helping the child. Yet, whether teachers in schools or parents at home, adults often make quick, cursory assessments, then an intervention is sprung. Explanations might be sought from the child, who often resists and becomes more distant. Punishment can occur and things are "taken away," but the behavior worsens. These scenarios and similar occurrences frustrate parents, teachers, and other school professionals alike. In Learning from Behavior, Levine shows us how to observe, question, and think about problem behaviors in such a way that we can understand what is motivating the children to act as they do. Behavior, after all, often represents what the child cannot communicate, due to language limitations, level of psychological development, or traumatic experience. Children think differently; they are not small adults. We need to understand the behavior from the child's perspective before we can intervene to change the behavior. Author Levine shows us, incorporating illustrative vignettes, how to do that. Step by step, Levine, a clinical social worker experienced as a consultant to dozens of schools, helps us take the astute advice cited in one children's song we've all heard: "stop, look and listen," to first understand the behavior. Question the causes. Cases included in this book range from noncompliance and poor academic performance to disinhibition, suspected A.D.H.D., P.T.S.D., and injury-caused acting out. We hear about the history of behavioral interventions, listen as children tell us how they perceive these interventions, and look over the social worker's shoulder as effective helping strategies are put into action. As Levine explains, "Given the challenges we share communally in helping children, we should do everything possible to learn more about child

Review

Levine helps parents, teachers, researchers and other concerned readers understand the psychology behind children's problem behaviors in school. Using illustrative vignettes, he reveals the motivations that can cause behaviors such as noncompliance, acting out, and disinhibition. He goes on to suggest how a better understanding of the reasons for behavior can assist in the creation of effective interventions. (Reference and Research Book News)

In this important book, Dr. Levine shares the practice wisdom he has accumulated over the course of his career about working with behavior problems in school settings. His basic premise is deceptively simple to conceive but far-reaching and complex in its enactment. This book is a jewel and a must read for all health/mental health practitioners, parents and educators in any setting who are charged with understanding school-based problem behaviors in children and evolving appropriate interventions. (Mary F. Hall, professor, Smith College School for Social Work)

Levine, a clinical social worker and consultant, stresses that children's challenging behaviors may represent what a child cannot communicate verbally due to issues of language, cognitive development, or traumatic experience. Cases included range from noncompliance and poor academic performance to ADHD, PTSD, and injury-causing acting out. This book is intended for a wide range of clinical practitioners, as well as guidance staff, special educators, regular education teachers, alternative classroom staff, school administrators, graduate students in metnal health, and parents. (Research Book News, August 2009)

Levine provides answers in a new book that reads like a college text book while providing some interesting information....The case studies are extremely interesting and may provide excellent insight into how to better serve these types of students....This professional title would be best used by special education and regular education teachers. Guidance counselors may also find the information useful when dealing with challenging students. (VOYA)

About the Author

James E. Levine is director of James Levine & Associates, a multidisciplinary company in Western Massachusetts that specializes in helping children with developmental, psychological, and behavioral concerns. He is a graduate of Smith College for Social Work and Simmons College. In addition to his psychotherapy practice, he has been a graduate program adjunct faculty member at Smith College and Simmons College.

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Adolescent Psychology

Learning From Behavior: How to Understand and Help 'Challenging' Children in School