Development of effective social and appropriate behavior skills is necessary
for student to be successful in and out of the classroom. I would approach integration of social skills the same way I approach the development of a content lesson. I consider each of my students abilities, cultural background, gender, possible gender identity issues, family background, previous experiences and current behavior in the class. In addition, I also consider the entire class as well as the climate of each class period. Each class period has its own characteristics, strengths and weaknesses which I believe is just a result of how the personalities of the students mix. Many students begin their early school experiences with the necessary skills and experiences that promote adaptive relationships with peers and adults, other students may be less prepared to meet teacher expectations for a variety of reasons (Lane, Wehby & Cooly, 2006). One class may have a higher number of students that are comfortable and successful with social skills while another class may have less students with desired social skills. The climate changes from one class to the next which also changes my instruction. There are also days when the climate can change just because a particular student or students are absent, on a field trip, etc. and the direction of instruction changes. The school I teach at has a high incidence of students dealing with gender identity issues. As a staff we have been working towards creating a safe, positive, welcoming environment for these students as well as for the students that are uncomfortable with gender identity issues. A student will become very upset if called by the incorrect name/pronoun, especially if a substitute refuses to call the student by the preferred name. This is a very sensitive issue and realize that this can cause behavior problems that hinders a positive learning environment. To avoid a situation, I try to be as proactive as possible and ensure that there are no questions that causes a student to identify their gender. For example, students create a science avatar of themselves based off of their response to statements about science. I removed the last statement a couple of years ago that directed the student to draw a bow in the hair of their avatar if they are a girl and a bowtie on the avatar if they are a boy. Yet, this was only done after a student refused to complete the assignment and I questioned their motive for their behavior rather than providing the student with a negative consequence for the incomplete assignment. Once the changes were made the student happily participated. This is an example of how removal of the negative stimulus produced the desired behavior instead of using a negative consequence to achieve the desired response. Continually evaluation of social skills and behaviors is necessary to maintain a safe and supportive classroom. A rubric is a great way for students and the teacher to assess strengths and weaknesses. Students should assess their behavior regularly using the rubric and create personal goals for growth. The teacher can support the student with their goal through constructive, timely feedback as well as providing opportunities for students to practice these skills in different learning experiences. References Lane, K. L., Wehby, J. H., & Cooley, C. (2006). Teacher expectations of students' classroom behavior across the grade span: Which social skills are necessary for success? Exceptional Children, 72(2), 153-167.