Teaching Responsible Behavior

Book excerpt: "Teaching children and teenagers about responsible behavior is not easy! First, you must determine what "behaving responsibly" means for different age groups. Next, you must understand how responsible behavior can be acquired and how it affects academic achievement. Finally, you must know which instructional practices are effective. This practical guide is intended for educators (general and special), parents, mental health practitioners, and paraprofessionals in charge of adolescents possessing challenging behaviors. The instructional strategies provide insight for those already using the Developmental Therapy-Developmental Teaching approach; yet, it maintains a gradual step-by-step feature, offering easy comprehension to the novice. The central mission of this manual is "teaching students social and emotional competence to achieve responsible behavior." The instructional strategies are a combination of transactional, sociological, and clinical theories. Parents and teachers can learn to approach each situation differently, carefully matching an individual's needs. This revised edition comprises detailed chapters, complete with examples to help parents and teachers better understand the complexities of teaching responsible behavior."--Publisher.