Discusses skills and competencies needed by wilderness therapy workers, who require more than outdoor skills to promote change in adolescents with behavior problems. Skills include technical skills (outdoor competencies), soft skills (interpersonal helping skills), and advanced skills (psychotherapy and counseling knowledge). The paper discusses:…

Describes how elementary-school students with emotional and behavioral disorders worked in groups of four to complete design tasks. A chart shows progress in specific communication skills made by each student. (SK)

Defines obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as an anxiety disorder characterized by the presence of mental obsessions or repetitive behaviors based on psychological fears. Lists warning signs for teachers and suggestions for educational services for children with OCD. (LBT)

Coaches and school administrators have been threatened, verbally abused, or physically assaulted in school sports incidents. Threats to coaches arise in a sports atmosphere that many observers say is marked by heightened incivility from the professional ranks on down to inter- scholastic and youth leagues. The demanding, coarser attitudes of…

This article discusses why children tell a lie and how to help a child develop morality and responsibility for his or her actions. When viewed as part of a child's emotional and intellectual development, it is found that telling lies doesn't condemn a child to a life of betrayal or serious behavior problems. Recent research has shown that lying…

In Peru, identifying children with emotional and behavioral problems and designing appropriate intervention strategies has been progressive but slow. There has been little systematic effort toward establishing and working toward long-term goals, partially because of weak alliances among public and private institutions. In this article, the authors…

This article describes a systematic process for finding and resolving problems with classroom-based behavioral interventions in schools. Described is a step by step process for identifying and resolving issues that reduce intervention effectiveness. The article is organized around the Behavioral Intervention Troubleshooter, which is a checklist…

The term "twice exceptional" is used to describe gifted students who also have specific academic, behavioral, and social-emotional difficulties. This is a population of gifted students for whom the expertise and experience of school psychologists may be particularly relevant. This article discusses the ways in which school psychologists can help…

Over the past 15 years, positive behavior support (PBS) gained rapid momentum as it moved from research on the function of challenging behaviors in individuals situated in restrictive settings, to understanding the function of challenging behavior of individuals in natural settings, to initial legislation of positive behavior interventions and…

Well-informed teachers of young children recognize the importance of children's social development. The development of social skills lays a critical foundation for later academic achievement as well as work-related skills. Social development is such a key issue with young children that a number of methods to address social skills have been…

Researchers target 9th grade as the make or break year for completing high school. During the 9th-grade year, many students for the first time have to earn passing grades in core courses, and these core courses are typically some of the toughest and most rigorous academic classes a student must take in high school. Furthermore, the rising use of…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique needs regarding sexuality education. While the topic of sexuality has received increased attention in the fields of intellectual and developmental disabilities generally, less consideration has focused on the unique needs of individuals with ASD specifically. This paper presents one…

The Everyday Learning Series has been developed to focus attention on the every day life experiences of early childhood and to offer insight about how parents and care givers can make the most of these experiences. Having angry feelings or feeling aggressive is normal. Most children learn to manage such feelings in safe and acceptable ways,…

Special educators frequently provide consultation for parents and general education teachers who are struggling to manage student behavior. One intervention often discussed is the use of rewards to increase student motivation. While research has shown that well-designed incentive systems can provide an effective intervention, poorly designed…

The authors describe a model classroom for students with severe behavioral problems that parallels regular classroom instruction while emphasizing positive expectations, relevant curriculum activities, and good teacher-student interaction. The authors also provide suggestions for controlling negative behavior in areas outside the classroom,…