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4 Managing and improving behavior in inclusive educational environments
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Student behavior in classrooms is at the forefront of concern and importance among both initial-licensure and practicing teachers across all instructional content areas and across all grade levels. In Essential Elements of Discipline, C.M. Charles states, "Our schools are in the grip of a serious problem that is wreaking havoc on teaching and learning. That problem is student misbehavior. If you are now teaching, you have had ample experience with it. If you are preparing to teach, be forewarned: It is the major obstacle to your success and has the potential to destroy your career."1
More recently, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, concluded that classroom behavioral management — the ability to calmly control student behavior so learning can flourish — can make or break a teacher's ability to be successful and "is the hardest skill to master."2 There is widespread agreement among school personnel that classroom behavioral management is an essential part of their work, particularly in light of the frequently expressed perception that children are becoming increasingly unruly and difficult to teach.
In today's diverse public school classrooms, where pupils with various types of disabilities, English language learners, and at-risk students with attention problems and disruptive behavior are educated side by side, effective classroom management and discipline control have never been more important. Without proactive prevention methods and competent behavioral control and classroom management, effective content area instruction cannot occur.
It should also come as no surprise that teachers spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decrease the frequency of inappropriate behaviors in students. There is a need, therefore, for different and distinctive ways to prepare teachers to become better classroom and behavioral managers so that appropriate instruction can occur in a safe, orderly environment. This discussion, therefore, will address how teachers of all content areas and grade levels can learn to be better classroom behavioral managers and, hence, better teachers in general. The methods to be discussed are evidenced-based and have been shown to be effective with all students — those with disabilities and the non-disabled alike.
Physical organization of the classroom
Classroom space organization and arrangement is a very idiosyncratic and personal matter among educators, and when teachers are asked why they organize their instructional space as they do, many find it difficult to justify. Keep in mind, however, that while physical space arrangement in a classroom may not have a direct impact on how students achieve, it may affect their overt behavior. Teacher "blind spots" in a classroom should obviously be avoided and, if possible, educators should schedule consistent daily activities (e.g., large-group instruction, small-group teaching, student independent activities) in separate areas of the classroom that a teacher and perhaps a paraprofessional can monitor easily. It is also important for teachers to realize that poor space organization in the classroom, particularly during transition times from one activity to the next, can have an unwanted side effect in student misbehavior. The more the transition activity is disorganized — whether because of poor space management or lack of teacher attention — the more likely inappropriate student behavior will occur.
- Slideshow: Classroom arrangement
- Photographs depict four different classroom arrangements and discuss the merits of each.
For large-group, teacher-directed instruction and related activities, traditional rows facing the front of the room with the teacher's desk in the center-front are suitable. One side effect to avoid in this type of space arrangement in the classroom, however, is the "action zone" where the students in the front center of the room participate the most.3 All classroom space arrangements must allow for every student in any position of the room to be equally able to interact frequently with the teacher.
For discussions where the instructor wants the students to feel comfortable in participating in the dialogue, a semi-circular student desk arrangement with the teacher in the center is appropriate. With this type of seating format the teacher has direct or peripheral view of each member of the class, can make easy eye contact with everyone, and can encourage all students to participate. Teachers should also try to keep adequate space around each student desk to reduce density. Space density in instructional settings has been shown to be associated with student dissatisfaction, increased aggressiveness, and off-task behavior.
Another seating arrangement that can be used in the classroom that is ideal for cooperative group activities is sometimes called the "two-square" module. Four student desks are arranged where all four members of the cluster face each other, and a class of twenty-four students, for example, would be arranged into six four-member small groups. This arrangement is ideal for learning tasks where students are working in a cooperative set, and where each student contributes to the end product of the group. The cooperative grouping physical arrangement of desks in a classroom has been shown to positively affect students' social learning and concern for others. When students are forced to work together in a cooperative group, however, the noise level is likely to increase from students chatting with each other while working, and small group leadership power struggles may result in which students jockey for position. Moreover, in order to enhance harmony in the classroom, the teacher may have to rearrange the groups from time to time so that the right mixture of students in each group is guaranteed.
The wise and effective instructor uses the available classroom space to his or her instructional advantage. If available, teachers should also not hesitate to use solutions including:
- movable partitions to separate areas of the classroom if they assist in quality of instruction
- different teaching stations around the room to provide variety in lesson activities
- separate materials and activity stations that assist in keeping the room organized
- bulletin boards to publicize student work, daily schedules, and classroom rules (see below) that all should follow
Classroom rules
One critical facet of the overall behavior management method in a classroom is the presence of rules. Every teacher, no matter at what level she or he teaches, should establish rules so that the learning environment is consistent, orderly, and predictable — what I like to call the COP principle of classroom behavioral management. Without classroom rules, chaos is likely to occur, academic instruction is difficult to deliver in a reliable fashion, and a supportive, positive classroom climate is likely to suffer.
One purpose of classroom rules is to express the behavioral expectations of the teacher (and the students, if they contribute to the formation of the rules). Rules are also important in helping teachers to reinforce students for behaving appropriately. (Read about reinforcement techniques below.) Teachers need to remember that rules are simply not posted on a bulletin board and ignored; they are to be reviewed frequently, especially in the beginning of the school year, and updated as necessary to guide behavior throughout an entire term.
When establishing classroom rules, it is particularly important to discuss the need for them with the students. Teachers should emphasize to students that societies and communities have rules (e.g., traffic rules, speed limits, no-trespassing rules, tax laws, etc.), and as a classroom community it is important for its "citizens" to develop and live by certain rules, too. Students need to understand how rules establish order and safety in an environment, and that they help students to work and cooperate in a safe, respectful manner. Some have suggested that students should participate in establishing classroom rules. Many believe that doing so helps students claim additional ownership of their own classroom and what they expect of their own behavior as well as that of their classmates.
Establishing and implementing classroom rules
Jones and Jones stated that effective, general rules in a classroom should pertain to (a) health and safety (e.g., "Walk in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria."), (b) property loss and damage (e.g., "Respect others' personal property and touch it only with the person's permission."), (c) legitimate educational purpose (e.g., "Be on time for class and with all assignments."), and (d) disruption of the learning process (e.g., "Ask for permission to speak before saying anything in the classroom.").4 The following are characteristics of good classroom rules regardless of teaching level:
- The fewer, the better.
- It is wise to keep the number of rules to a minimum. For primary-level students, three or four rules should suffice; for older adolescents, as many as five or six may be necessary. There are ways to cover many activities in a rule by composing it in a broad fashion. Instead of limiting the rule to only the classroom (e.g., "Walk at all times in the classroom."), a broader rule could state, "Always walk in the classroom, hallways, and cafeteria.").
- Use simple language.
- There is no need to write elaborate rules with complex language. Just be direct and simple (e.g., "Raise your hand and wait for the teacher to call on you before speaking."). If anything, direct, simple language allows for students to remember the rules more easily.
- Use a positive voice.
- If at all possible, write the rules in a positive format and tone. Try to avoid, "You shall not talk in the classroom without teacher permission," by stating the same rule as, "Ask for permission to speak before saying anything in the classroom."
- Special context, special rules.
- Different rules can be used for special situations and learning stations in the same classroom environment. Rules for using computers in a classroom (e.g., "Always use headphones when listening to music on the computer.") can be made very specific to that activity and station only.
- Create an effective display.
- Rules need to be prominently displayed in the classroom or in a special activity area. When students are first learning the rules in the beginning of the school term they need to be bombarded and reminded of them as much as possible. Put them on a bulletin board, duplicate them on the classroom whiteboard, write them on a handout to distribute to class members, and place them in special activity areas (e.g., computer stations). I once witnessed a teacher hanging each classroom rule from the ceiling on both sides of long poster board for all to see in any section of the room. (Now that's displaying them prominently!)
To firmly establish the rules in the classroom, the teacher needs to model what she or he means in terms of the desired behavior. Show students several times what is meant by raising one's hand to ask for permission, sitting quietly at one's desk, walking around the classroom, and anything else covered by the rules. There will be a need to review and re-teach the rules daily at the beginning of any school term, and perhaps once a week for the first months of school. It is also imperative that the teacher lives by the same student rules in the classroom. If chewing gum and eating snacks are not allowed, the teacher should abide by the rule in the same manner as any student to show that she or he is an equal partner.
It appears that classroom rules alone are usually insufficient for promoting appropriate student behavior. However, when combined with the development of a positive classroom climate, teacher reinforcement of desired pupil behavior, and the teaching of appropriate replacement behaviors that substitute for inappropriate ones, classroom rules provide a solid foundation for the consistent display of proper student behavior in the classroom. (For ideas on formatting rules for display, a Google image search for "classroom rules" yields a plethora of examples for most grade levels.)
Creating a positive classroom climate
The general mood, tone, aura, ambiance, and "vibe" in a classroom can be referred to as its climate. What a teacher does in full view of his or her learners and how an instructor interacts with his or her students affects classroom climate. An overly negative, critical, and punitive person who assumes the role of a teacher is likely to display similar behaviors in the classroom to the detriment of attaining a positive classroom climate. Likewise, an aggressive student who bullies, intimidates, physically threatens, calls others names, and is verbally abusive toward others in a classroom can also affect the climate in a not-so-positive way. You can almost feel the nervous apprehension and discomfort that exists if you have ever been in a classroom where a teacher and perhaps a student (or students) consistently interact in an aggressive and negative manner with others. That is not a healthy situation in any classroom, at any level, and effective teachers do whatever is necessary to assure that such turbulence never enters the room.
Students need to be reminded (through the instructor's observable and measurable behavior) that a teacher is in school to assist, and not to function as an adversary. What is necessary in establishing a positive classroom climate is for the teacher to create a learning environment that is warm and supportive, where student achievement and proper behavior are reinforced, where comfort is provided to those who need it, and where students experience safety and interpersonal warmth in a place that they look forward to being within. A 1960s-style hippie commune need not be established, but any classroom that accepts and celebrates the individuality of each student while maintaining organized and effective instruction should be the goal of every teacher.
Scheuermann and Hall suggest several strategies that are important in the establishment of a positive classroom climate that cover the social environment, the physical environment, the instructional environment, and the behavior management environment.5 Discussion of each environment follows.
Social environment
In an attempt to show that students are indeed welcome and that their work and presence are valued, Scheuermann and Hall recommend the following for teachers attempting to ensure a positive social atmosphere in a classroom.6
- The teacher should stand at the classroom door to welcome students into the room.
- Greet all students by name. Dale Carnegie, in his classic text How to Win Friends and Influence People, concluded: "Remember that a man's name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language."7 Teachers should remember this sage advice from long ago in attempting to establish a respectful and sincere relationship with his or her students.
- Display students' work for all to see in the classroom.
- Allow students to have a class pet (such as a hamster for younger students) and plants that they will look forward to caring for and that can be used in instruction.
Physical environment
The physical arrangement in the classroom says a great deal about how welcoming it is to those who use it. Scheuermann and Hall recommend the following to show that the physical atmosphere is supporting of students' learning and social needs.8
- Attempt to maintain neatness and organization in all areas of the room. A sloppy, disorganized room does little in the way of making students feel welcome.
- Ensure that all materials are ready to be used quickly and all mechanical and electronic devices are in good working order. Commercial curricula become tattered over time with use, but they should be kept clean and remain usable for as long as needed.
- Congestion in the classroom should be avoided. Use all available working space so that physical density does not lead to distracted and disruptive behavior.
Instructional environment
- Everyday instructional materials should be ready for all to use at all times of the school day.
- Tasks assigned to all students should be meaningful and at each student's present level of performance. In other words, be respectful of what the student already knows, and what she or he needs to learn next in the sequence. An effective, respectful teacher should never hear a student say, "I'm not doing this because it's baby work."
Behavior management environment
- Be consistent in responding to student misbehavior, do not take it personally, and return to the academic task at hand as soon as possible. In other words, try not to allow students to "get under your skin."
- Do not ever argue with students, especially in the presence of his or her peers.
- When students behave appropriately, even if they have misbehaved a short time before, they should be reinforced and praised just as if the previous misbehavior never occurred. Many times a young student will go out of his or her way to do something appropriate immediately after displaying inappropriate behavior, so deliver the reinforcement for the appropriate behavior and do not hold a grudge against the student.
- Listen to students' worries, concerns, and fears, and act as a caring counselor when pupils desire adult guidance. For some learners, the teacher may be the only adult with whom they can share such concerns, so be open to such conversations with troubled students when necessary.
The very last teacher behavior that should be on frequent display in the classroom to assure a positive climate is perhaps the easiest one for instructors to employ: Instead of keeping close watch on students for misbehavior, "catch" students behaving appropriately and reinforce them for following the classroom rules, performing academically as expected, helping their peers, and displaying behaviors that deserve praise and reinforcement. Think about it: Most people would rather discuss the good in others rather than pointing out shortcomings, so delivering positive reinforcement when a student engages in desirable classroom behavior is a simple task that any teacher should enjoy. Delivering contingent positive reinforcement properly is a powerful instrument in a teacher's toolkit, as the next section highlights.
Using positive reinforcement in the classroom
One informal definition of positive reinforcement (sometimes the shorthand R+ is used) is the contingent presentation of a desired stimulus, following the performance of a behavior, which increases the future probability of occurrence of the behavior. In other words, if you give a student something that she or he likes immediately after performing a task, and you specifically tell him or her that the incentive (i.e., the R+ that the student likes) is because he or she performed a specific behavior, chances are excellent that the student will perform the same behavior again and again knowing that he or she will receive the R+ once more.
The psychological study of the phenomenon involved in the use of positive reinforcement has existed for several decades and continues unabated well into the twenty-first century. You have seen them all — from Pavlov's salivating dogs, to pigeons pecking at a target for food, to mice navigating a maze to receive cheese at the end of the trip. The wise and effective teacher knows how to use this powerful technique in the classroom in order to maintain a positive classroom climate and to shape students' behavior in a positive direction.
Types of positive reinforcement
A common misconception among uninformed educators is that positive reinforcement is a form of bribery whereby the teacher noncontingently dispenses M&Ms to students for any behavior and at any time. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, to use it properly to increase a particular classroom behavior the reinforcement must be delivered in contingent fashion and only after the desired behavior has been exhibited. Distributing reinforcement in noncontingent fashion whenever the teacher desires will be of little use.
Second, the use of positive reinforcement is not bribery, for the student must engage in a desired behavior to receive the preferred reinforcement. The student is not coerced to engage in the behavior, but he or she does so because of the desirability of the reinforcer. Third, a stimulus is considered a reinforcer only if it increases the frequency of the behavior it follows. What may be a successful reinforcer for one student may not be successful at all with another. Lastly, the use of M&Ms (the historical favorite of all behaviorists ever since the use of positive reinforcement was introduced to the masses), a primary, edible reinforcer, is only one of many, many different types of positive reinforcement that can be used. The next section provides examples of the many different types of reinforcement that can be used by the informed educator attempting to shape the behavior of students in a positive direction.
- Edible reinforcers: Things such as candy, pretzels, ice cream, dry cereal, popcorn, and anything that a student can consume and that is liked, and that will have the student continue to display the target behavior. Some students may prefer ice cream, and others candy, so the informed teacher using R+ of any type should ask the student what he or she would like to earn for contingent appropriate behavior. Don't assume that what you are fond of the student will similarly like.
- Tangible reinforcers: Things such as books, toys, pens, pencils, erasers, dolls, balloons, stickers, and anything that the student can hold, feel, manipulate in some way, and that the student likes.
- Exchangeable reinforcers: Things such as tokens (in a token economy system in a classroom), smiley face charms, poker chips, achievement stars, gift certificates, and points earned and saved that can be "cashed in" for something else more desirable and valuable.
- Activity reinforcers: Things such as extra recess time, serving as the hall monitor or cafeteria monitor, being the first in line, playing a game of checkers with the teacher or principal (again, only if the individual student finds this activity prestigious and desirable), and erasing the whiteboards in the classroom.
- Social reinforcers: Things such as smiles and a "thumbs-up" gesture by the teacher, verbal praise such as "good job," "can't fool you," "that's right," and "good for you," a soft pat on the back, a wink of the eye, and positive comments written on a student's paper or work.
- Sensory reinforcers: Things such as watching television or a DVD, listening to music on an MP3 player, watching birds in a school courtyard, manipulating a toy that makes noise (e.g., rubber duck).
Schedules of reinforcement
When a teacher attempts to shape a new behavior in a student — one that the student has yet to demonstrate at an independent level — continuous reinforcement should be used. This schedule of reinforcement is simple in that each time the student displays the desired target behavior, the teacher or paraprofessional delivers the desired R+ to the student. Continuous positive reinforcement is especially useful in teaching new behaviors that were previously absent from the student's behavioral repertoire.
Intermittent reinforcement is the delivery of R+ on a prearranged schedule of after every third or fifth display of a behavior (or some other pre-determined level of behavior display). Once the behavior has been "fed" on continuous reinforcement to start the learning process, moving to an intermittent schedule greatly assists in maintaining the behavior at desired frequency levels. Intermittent reinforcement can include fixed and variable ratios (involving counting the number of times a behavior occurs and subsequently delivering the reinforcement), and fixed and variable intervals (involving the display of the target behavior at least once in addition to some passage of time).
In thinning of reinforcement, the desired R+ is offered less and less often and, hence, requires more of the desired behavior to occur over a period of time.9 Schedules of reinforcement can sometimes become cumbersome to use in the classroom, and the teacher needs to be very vigilant in using them. Teachers who desire more in-depth information concerning schedules of reinforcement should consult Alberto and Troutman.10
Using positive reinforcement in the classroom effectively
In order to use positive reinforcement properly in the classroom, teachers need to be aware of several important issues and implementation techniques. The first to remember is that the latency between the target behavior that you want to strengthen and the delivery of the R+ should be as short as possible. Without a very brief period of time between the behavior and the delivery of the reinforcer, the robustness of the R+ is diminished. It also helps with multi-step behaviors (e.g., counting by fives to one hundred in math) to reinforce a behavior that is a step in the proper direction to solving the entire problem. If the student can count to fifty by fives correctly, that is step in the right direction and should be reinforced. This technique is also called reinforcing successive approximations.
For any reinforcer to be effective, there must be a state of deprivation present in the person. For example, if a teacher uses M&Ms as an edible reinforcer for elementary-level students who follow the classroom rules, and one student, Elizabeth, consumes M&Ms for dessert at breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home, those M&Ms are not likely to be effective R+ in the classroom for her because she really has not been deprived of them. It is also wise to reward frequently with small amounts rather than having the student wait for one large reinforcer at some later point in time. Teachers should also remember the fairness issue when delivering R+. Giving Ralph only one kernel of popcorn as reinforcement for staying in his seat all day, when previously he was out of his seat, on average, about twenty-five times per day without teacher permission, is not a very fair situation for him. If at all possible, try to match the intensity of the behavior with the intensity of the reinforcer.
In addition to being fair with reinforcement, teachers should also deliver reinforcement consistently. If a student is on a continuous schedule of reinforcement, then he or she must be reinforced after every demonstration of the target behavior that you are trying to increase. Similarly, if a student who misbehaves frequently suddenly demonstrates appropriate behavior worthy of reinforcement, then by all means reinforce the student even though the appropriate behavior may be infrequent. Teachers should not play favorites with reinforcement and anyone displaying the desired behavior should receive it — even a student who misbehaves frequently. Another teacher behavior that is required to deliver R+ appropriately is specificity. Use the student's name, and state what she or he did that allowed for the reinforcement to be delivered; for example: "Ralph, I really like the way that you stayed in your seat for the entire reading period. Good job, and here are your three tokens that you can exchange for something in the surprise box right before we go to lunch. Again, nice work."
Another aspect in the use of positive reinforcement that needs to be considered is satiation, or when a reinforcer loses power after it was once very desirable to a student. An analogous situation would be if a teacher always praised with "Good job," but never varied from those two words. Satiation occurs when too much of the same R+ is delivered to a student. It is easy to spot because the rate or duration of the appropriate behavior begins to taper off or completely disappears. It is very common with edible reinforcement, but not so with activity reinforcers. Wise teachers vary the R+ that they deliver to students for appropriate behavior so that satiation has little chance of occurring.
Lastly, consider the use of vicarious reinforcement in the classroom. This is when a teacher observes one student behaving appropriately, but sitting right next to the student behaving well is another student who is off-task and not doing what the teacher requested. Instead of making an issue by scolding the off-task student, an effective teacher will strongly and specifically praise and reinforce the student behaving appropriately, but purposely ignore the nearby misbehaving student. The misbehaving student will see that the well-behaved student is receiving something that he or she also wants in terms of R+ and will stop the off-task behavior in order to receive the R+ from the teacher soon thereafter. In essence, the use of vicarious reinforcement is a clear example of how it is almost always better to accentuate the positive rather than the negative in order to have students behave in the manner that the teacher wishes.
- Animation: Vicarious Reinforcement
- This animated video demonstrates the use of vicarious reinforcement as a classroom behavior management technique. To view more instructional animations, see the links in the right sidebar.
Decreasing inappropriate behavior in the classroom
It is unfortunate but true: Many teachers — perhaps most — misuse punishment to eliminate inappropriate behavior in the classroom when being punitive is not even necessary.11 A common classroom scenario is when a teacher sees some students behaving appropriately and, at the same time, observes others engaged in inappropriate, rule-breaking behavior. Instead of "catching" the students behaving appropriately and reinforcing them for following the class rules and doing assigned work, the teacher scolds the misbehaving students and warns that they will be punished with serious measures if they continue. Informed, effective teachers know that punishment is not the first intervention needed to decrease inappropriate behavior in the classroom, and this section describes some of the most effective, research-proven inappropriate-behavior-reduction techniques available to all educators.
Differential reinforcement techniques
Instead of immediately using punishment, the first interventions to try when a teacher observes inappropriate student behavior consistently occurring in a classroom are the differential reinforcement techniques. These include differential reinforcement of low rates of behavior (DRL), differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), and differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI).
- This procedure involves reduction of an inappropriate student behavior that occurs far too frequently, and the goal is to reduce it to a level that is typical of most others in the classroom who behave appropriately most of the time. Talking without teacher permission, for example, is often used along with DRL. A student can talk without teacher permission once or twice a period, but to do so twenty-five times a period is unacceptable. The intent of using DRL in this specific situation, therefore, would be to lower the average number of times a student talks without teacher permission to an average of once or twice a period.
- The teacher discusses with the student that she or he is talking too much without raising his or her hand for permission, and shows the student the measurement chart that the teacher used to keep track of the naturally occurring state of the student talk-outs (i.e., an average of twenty-five times in an hour). The teacher says to the student, "If you talk out without raising your hand less than twenty times in the next one hour, you can have something out of the surprise box at the end of the period." If the student stays within the limit for talk-outs, he or she is reinforced with the surprise box item. If this level is successful, the next week it is lowered to fifteen times per hour (with the same reinforcement, of course), then ten for the subsequent week, then five, and finally no more than two per period in a week-by-week fashion. This simple, positive intervention is so much better than using punishment for the mildly inappropriate behavior of talking out without teacher permission and similar classroom behaviors.
- Differential reinforcement of other behavior is very similar to DRL except that the teacher reinforces only the student's complete absence of the target inappropriate behavior (or zero demonstrations). The teacher would explain the DRO system to the student in the same way as DRL, but make clear that in order to receive the reinforcement at the end of the period she or he would have to completely refrain from talking out (or, again, zero demonstrations of the target behavior that the teacher is attempting to decrease). Only if the student did not talk out at all during a period would he or she receive the reinforcement. To start the process, the teacher would tell the student that he could not talk out for five minutes in order to receive the reinforcement. After success at the five-minute level, the teacher would then increase the time period to ten minutes, then fifteen minutes, and so on over time, so that eventually the student would need to stay silent for an entire period without talking out.
- With differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior, the teacher reinforces the student for engaging in behavior that is physically incompatible with the target behavior to be decreased or completely eliminated. If the teacher wants the student to decrease time spent out of seat, he or she would reinforce the student for longer and longer periods of time spent seated; in-seat behavior is obviously physically incompatible with out-of-seat behavior. To eliminate talking out without permission, the teacher would reinforce longer and longer periods of time when the student is silent because silence is incompatible with talking out. An important aspect in the implementation of this treatment is to make sure that the incompatible behavior that the teacher is reinforcing is indeed an appropriate replacement behavior. Staying in one's seat would have to be performed silently, without annoying anyone in the vicinity, with the student sitting properly at his or her desk and not leaning back in the chair or tapping on the desktop with a pencil. Appropriate compliance in every way, in other words, is what should be reinforced as an appropriate incompatible behavior.
If a teacher tries the above differential reinforcement techniques and the outcomes are unsuccessful in reducing or eliminating an inappropriate behavior, the next step to attempt in the process (before any type of punishment) is extinction, which is the contingent removal of reinforcement when a student engages in mildly inappropriate behavior. Most young students enjoy teacher attention, and it is a powerful reinforcer for many in the classroom. When a student who likes teacher attention engages in inappropriate behavior just to obtain teacher interest, the student is reinforced when the teacher directs awareness toward the student, and the inappropriate behavior is likely to continue. Extinction in this case would involve the teacher having patience and the strength to not pay any attention to the misbehaving student because any noticeable consideration would serve as positive reinforcement which is what the student wants.
Extinction is difficult to employ because while a teacher may be able to withhold attention to a misbehaving student, other student peers may not be able to do the same. Peer attention can hold equal or even greater reinforcing value than teacher attention for a misbehaving student, so the teacher needs cooperation from all in the classroom in order for extinction to be successful. To obtain peer collaboration it will be necessary to deliver positive reinforcement to a misbehaving student's peers when they do not pay attention or reinforce misbehavior in the classroom. In other words, the effective teacher will influence the awareness of all in the classroom by distributing strong R+ to those who stay on task and ignore anyone engaged in inappropriate behavior. If the reinforcement is strong enough and delivered consistently, it will work in the teacher's favor.
In the beginning stage of using extinction the teacher should also be prepared for the misbehaving student to increase the frequency of the inappropriate behavior. The student is likely to test the teacher's "system" and repeatedly try to gain the teacher's attention once again. To repeat: The teacher needs to have persistence and enough vigor to allow the extinction process to runs its course to the point where the student simply gives up attempting to gain the attention of the teacher and others through misbehavior in the classroom. Of course, extinction should not be used with physically dangerous inappropriate behavior such as punching, kicking, biting, and tripping. You cannot ignore when someone may be hurt.
Mild punishment techniques
After unsuccessful attempts to decrease inappropriate behavior via serious attempts with differential reinforcement techniques and extinction in the classroom, the teacher is now left with implementing mildly aversive techniques in the classroom, or mild punishment. Punishment is the contingent presentation of an aversive stimulus immediately following a behavior that decreases the future probability of the behavior. Punishment should always be used last in the sequence of techniques to decrease or eliminate inappropriate behavior, it should be used judiciously, and it is wise to obtain parental permission for any type of punishment that is above and beyond what is traditionally used as in any classroom. Many mild punishment techniques are not very aversive, yet are very effective, and these are discussed below.
- Response cost
- This simple procedure involves the teacher's taking back already-earned reinforcement when a student engages in classroom rule-breaking behavior. A student engages in inappropriate behavior and the teacher warns him or her that if it occurs again the student will lose fifteen minutes of earned computer game time. The student displays the inappropriate behavior once again, and the teacher follows through with the warning and removes the fifteen minutes of earned computer time. Response cost works particularly well in classrooms that have a point system or a token economy in place where students earn points or tokens for appropriate behavior, and exchange them for things that they can "buy" in the classroom "store" or surprise box. When students display the inappropriate behavior after being warned of negative consequences, it "costs" them already earned positive reinforcement. Teachers need to be careful with this type of behavior reduction system so that they do not attempt to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. In other words, pair the mild punishment (i.e., removal of R+ or privileges) with the seriousness of the crime. It also helps in the administration of the response cost system if the teacher posts the values of reinforcement reduction for common misbehavior in the classroom (e.g., talking without teacher permission, getting out of seat, throwing objects, not completing classroom assignments, etc.).
- Time-out
- Perhaps one of the most controversial punishment contingencies used in and out of school is time-out.12 The term "time-out" is actually shorthand for the complete title of the procedure, time-out from positive reinforcement. The teacher simply removes a student from receiving additional reinforcement for some period of time. A fair period of time for a student to spend in time-out would be one minute for each year of age of the student (i.e., an eight-year old student would spend a maximum of eight minutes in time-out).
- There are levels of removal involved in the use of time-out. An example of non-exclusion time-out would be when a teacher does not remove the student from the classroom, but the student is prohibited from receiving any type of R+. A student can remain at his or her desk, or the teacher can slightly move the student and desk away from the main action place in the classroom. In exclusion time-out the student is removed from an instructional environment by having him or her stand out in the hallway or placed in a specific time-out room (the latter is also known as seclusionary time-out). Unsupervised time-out rooms should be avoided at all times, and litigation has especially shown the danger of such arrangements. The Council for Exceptional Children has specific position statements concerning the use of seclusionary time-out, and interested readers may consult the CEC website for additional information.
- A special hazard in the use of time-out in the classroom is its negative reinforcement value for the teacher. Here is an example: A student misbehaves constantly and the teacher sends him or her to stand out in the hallway outside the classroom. Without the misbehaving student (or aversive stimulus to the teacher) in the classroom it is like a breath of fresh air for the teacher, and she or he elects to have the pupil spend an inordinate and unfair amount of time outside the classroom in time-out without instruction. When used by the uninformed teacher time-out is a perilous procedure. Conversely, in the hands of an informed instructor, and with parental permission to use after other, less intrusive methods of behavior change have been attempted (e.g., the differential reinforcement techniques), it can and does work.
- Overcorrection
- There are two types of overcorrection that are used (a) as behavior-reduction techniques, and (b) to teach students to engage in appropriate replacement behaviors rather than the inappropriate conduct needing modification. The first is restitutional overcorrection in which a student restores the environment to a better state than it was when the inappropriate behavior first occurred. A good example of this is when a student throws paper at the classroom trashcan from across the room. The teacher warns her not to do it again, but yet the student persists. So, the next time the teacher sees her throwing paper from great distances again, the teacher says (in a very calm voice), "Elizabeth, I warned you to stop throwing paper across the room at the trashcan, but yet you persist. So, now you not only have to pick up your trash near the trashcan, but you also have to pick up all the paper that lies on the floor in the entire classroom. Please get started cleaning up now, and please do not do it again." The teacher then continues with the academic instruction as if nothing happened.
- In positive practice overcorrection, a student who engages in the inappropriate behavior is told by the teacher to employ a correct replacement behavior to the inappropriate one, and to do so multiple times. When a student comes into a classroom and consistently slams the door behind him very loudly, most would consider it inappropriate behavior. The teacher warns the student saying that if he does it again the teacher will have to deliver unwanted consequences. So, Ralph does it again and the teacher then says to him: "Ralph, I warned you not to slam the door when you enter the room, but yet you did it again. Now, here is what I want you to do. I want you to stand by the door and open and shut it ten times properly, without slamming it the way you just did. When you are finished with the ten correct openings and closings you can then sit at your desk. Understand?" Ralph then opens and closes the door properly ten times and returns to his desk, and the teacher continues instruction as if nothing unusual had happened.
- Video: Classroom Behavior Analysis
- In this video, Dr. Sabornie discusses some of the appropriate and inappropriate behaviors displayed in the opening video.
How to avoid using punishment
The following statement may sound redundant, but it nevertheless must be emphasized here once again: Any type of punishment should be used as a last resort in the classroom. The intent here is not to advocate for the total elimination of punishment in the classroom because research shows that it does work with many types of inappropriate behavior. The message here is simply that, if possible, it should not be used first in the sequence of preferred methods of inappropriate behavior reduction. There are a few additional recommended ways to avoid using punishment, and these are discussed below.
One way to not allow bothersome behavior problems to occur in the classroom is for the teacher to have great attention to predictability and consistency. When rules are established, they are followed without exception unless there is an emergency in the school or classroom. If classroom rules need to be reviewed and re-taught, that process is carried out comprehensively and just as a teacher would deliver an academic lesson in phonemic awareness, mathematics, writing, science, or social studies. Whenever students deserve to be reinforced for appropriate behavior (i.e., catching them being good), the capable teacher delivers it. Also, great organization of space, time, and instruction does wonders for preventing what teachers do not want to experience in terms of obstreperous behavior from students.
Effective teachers can also avoid using punishment with great vigilance (a.k.a. "with-it-ness") toward what is occurring the classroom. Give clear directions at all times that match the students' level of understanding, reinforce high levels of academic engagement, and teach content in a manner that allows for elevated levels of student success and satisfaction. If a teacher sees the beginning stages of inappropriate behavior, she or he should intervene and warn of the consequences in advance. Likewise, an effective teacher should not warn unless she or he plans to deliver a consequence.
One last bit of advice to avoid using punishment in the classroom is to be as positive as you can be — toward all students, activities, and the content being taught. It has been recommended that teachers should have at least a four-to-one ratio of positive statements to negative ones directed at students during the school day. This means that effective classroom mangers of behavior need to be extremely observant of positive behaviors demonstrated by students so that he or she can affirm the correct attitude and effort. It is also wise to deliver praise and reinforcement in the classroom in an authentic, caring manner so that students see that you genuinely mean it. In addition, teachers should model appropriate communication, social interactions, and attitude toward others so that students have the correct model to follow at all times. If students see that the teacher communicates impolitely and is condescending toward them, the student will do the same in coterie — obviously, not what an effective teacher wants. Good classroom behavioral management may indeed be the hardest skill to master, but it is not impossible for a teacher who applies the proven techniques discussed herein, and who clearly understands what function his or her behavior has on that of students.


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Three-round polio immunization drive launched in Tajikistan to stop outbreak
Over one million children under six to be immunizedDUSHANBE, Tajikistan - May 4, 2010 - A three-round polio immunization campaign is starting today in Tajikistan, to stop a polio outbreak threatening children across the country. During one month, health workers and volunteers will immunize three times almost 1,100,000 children under six in health centers and house-to-house visits across the entire country. WHO, UNICEF and other partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are supporting the immunization drive organized by the Ministry of Health.
"The only way to eradicate polio is immunization, - said Dr. Salimov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Tajikistan. The Ministry of Health accordingly appealed for support to WHO and UNICEF. Owing to these operational activities of these international organizations, the country has received 3, 960 000 doses of vaccine.
"I would like to commend the Ministry of Health of Tajikistan for the transparent and proactive action to inform the WHO Regional Office for Europe, allowing a quick response to the current polio outbreak in Tajikistan", say Ms Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "With no cure for polio, we are calling for the full support of all sectors of society to ensure that every child under six years of age receives the polio vaccine during this and other immunization campaigns, until the country is polio-free again".
The campaign starting today is the first in a series of three of vital immunization drives to stop the current outbreak. Experience has shown that a series of swift vaccination campaigns which reach every targeted child will rapidly stop the outbreak. The National Immunization Days against polio will be held throughout Tajikistan in the following three rounds: 4-8 May 2010; 18-22 May 2010 and 1-5 June 2010.
Polio is highly infectious. Our only weapon against polio is the oral polio vaccine.
Every parent and caregiver in the country must ensure that their children under 6 years receive extra doses of OPV during the National Immunization Days to protect them from polio and save lives" say Ayadil Saparbekov, Chief of Health and Nutrition of UNICEF Tajikistan. "Vaccination teams must pay special attention to vulnerable groups of children those who often miss routine immunization – children living in remote, isolated and under-served communities across the country".
Polio transmits rapidly and travels long distances. Unless this immunization campaign is effective, it could spread to other children across the country, or even into neighbouring countries. One un-immunized child puts every child at risk. Ensuring access to the oral polio vaccine for high-risk children living in remote and geographically isolated areas in the country is key to the success of this immunization activity. Work at sub-national public health levels is ultimately necessary to achieve universal coverage and stop further spread of the polio virus.
The initial campaign in Dushanbe and surrounding districts started on 1 May has already reached out two thirds of the targeted children, which proves the effectiveness of information distributed about the importance of vaccination and safety of polio vaccine. WHO and UNICEF are seeking additional financing to ensure appropriate funds to cover operational support costs.
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is safe, effective and the only vaccine recommended by WHO for polio eradication. UNICEF has procured 4 million doses of OPV to vaccinate each child under six at every round of the immunization campaign in Tajikistan. Every additional dose of oral polio vaccine strengthens children's immunity against polio. Vaccines are procured from manufacturers pre-qualified WHO, which sets international standards for vaccine quality. Vaccines bought from these manufacturers by UNICEF are currently in use all around the world and have already reduced the incidence of wild poliovirus by more than 99%, saving more than 5 million children from permanent paralysis by polio.
Polio eradication is for our common future. The response in Tajikistan is part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
As of 3 May 2010, 206 of acute flaccid paralysis have been reported from Tajikistan and out of these, 32 cases are confirmed wild poliovirus type 1 in Tajikistan. Most cases are reported from the south-west of the country, in an area bordering Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The majority of these patients had onset of paralysis within the past 3 weeks.
This is the first imported polio outbreak in the WHO European Region since the Region was certified polio-free in 2002. The last case of clinically confirmed polio in Tajikistan was in 1997. Tajikistan has reported vaccination coverage nationwide as high as 87% in 2008. The cases in Tajikistan have no immediate implications for the European Region's certification and experience shows that where polio has been stopped before, it can be stopped again.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF. Global polio eradication efforts have reduced the number of polio cases from 350,000 annually in 1988 to less than 2,000 cases in 2005. Four countries remain polio endemic (Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan). However, poliovirus continues to cause outbreaks in previously polio-free countries, particularly where there are pockets of un-immunized children. As long as polio exists anywhere in the world, all children are at risk from polio.
For further information, please contact:
Ministry of Health of Republic of Tajikistan
For further information on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, please visit www.polioeradication.org
Russian version
Read the Russian-language press release in PDF format here.
(PDF documents require Acrobat Reader to view.)
Further links

subset: commoncrawl


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'My daughter has had to grow up quickly – I feel guilty about that'
A MOTHER who recently came off the live register to return to work has said childcare costs are putting parents in a "desperate situation".
"When my daughter was a baby, my mother looked after her because her creche fee was €960 a month," 34-year-old Laura Caffrey told the Irish Independent. "It really is a desperate situation."
Ms Caffrey eventually left the workforce but has returned to employment with a property agency in the last number of months.
"I went back to work in September last year and I'm loving it. I went on to a full-time contract three weeks ago. The only reason I can afford to do that (go full-time) is because my mother can do childcare," said Ms Caffrey, from Ballyfermot in Dublin.
"As soon as I went back to work, my rent allowance was stopped," she added.
Ms Caffrey, a single mother, said the situation was just as bad for two-parent families who were trying to return to the workforce.
"You are talking about €600 a month for after-school care. I live in Ballyfermot. My mother lives in Ballyfermot. Rebecca (her daughter) goes to school in Walkinstown. She gets the school bus to my mother's house. I don't get out of work until 4.30pm or 4.45pm and get home at 6pm," she explained.
Rebecca, who is 10, has had to grow up quickly, said her mother, adding: "I feel guilty about that, how grown up she is."
Ms Caffrey said her daughter used to go to school on the other side of the city but she had to move her to a school closer to her parents' house.
She said an after-school club would cost €700.
"That's if you're lucky because there are very few after-school clubs. The school bus drops her at the end of my mother's road. If my mother was not around to do childcare, there's nowhere I could put my daughter," she added.
Ms Caffrey used to work by the IFSC in Dublin city centre and her daughter's school had been in Sandymount.
When the offices moved to Ballymount, she had to give up that job.
Irish Independent


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I just came across this machine and bought it. It needs help.
Has anyone ever heard of this brand?
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I just came across this machine and bought it. It needs help.
Has anyone ever heard of this brand?
Sorry, no. I've heard of Zenith tvs, tho.
Sounds like a Japanese Clone model.
The Zeniths I've seen are all clones of the Singer 15-91, metallic blue and very pretty. :)
Some people think the Japanese-made machines are actually better than the Singers they were copied from. I don't have any, so I can't say, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if it is, indeed one of the clones I've seen. :)
No, can you post a picture?
Guessing it's an offshoot of Zenith TV's.Originally Posted by Pat M.
I've read and heard the Singer clones made in Japan had very stringent specs in their production, perhaps to attest to the fact that they could produce machines worthy of the US market.Originally Posted by thepolyparrot
I finally got the machine to work, used a manual for the Singer 15-90 and my husbands arm. He got the dohickey that makes the needle go up and down to move. AND the rest is history!! Now I need a needle and a new belt, maybe some machine grease for the areas that use grease. I would post a picture but do not know how.
Hello! This is my machine for the last 5 decades and still function well. The brand is Eastern Zenith sewing machine. No serial number or where its made. Is this a japanese clone?I have to admit that this machine is way much silent and smooth than any of my other singer 15 model. It has a very nice brass decal.
Last edited by renniem; 02-21-2013 at 09:24 AM.


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Get this 16-Ounce Bottles of Ambrosia Pure Honey From Colorado's Western Slope for $3.60 each when you purchase through Subscribe & Save – that's a good deal!
- Ambrosia Pure Honey From Colorado's Western Slope, 16-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 4) are on sale for $16.72.
- Save 15% with Subscribe & Save.
- Pay just $14.41 with FREE shipping.


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After the Wearing My Rolex video was unleashed on us like some sort of deadly virus, it was that painful, rumours and random humorous scenarios have started popping as far a field as Japan and The Sun, about why he walked off set. "The producer and MC has such a severe case of vulpophobia – the technical term for a fear of foxes – that he left the shoot before a single frame with him in it could be taken." What The Sun will do for a news story has just been pushed to bizarre levels. For all of you who don't know exactly what to believe, MTV has been giving a documentary of the making of the video and has apparently got the whole 'hissy' fit as well as behind the scenes footage of the half santa clause half fox dressed girls dancing about like muppets. They should have done the macarena I mean the Rolex Sweep. Let's just hope they air the programme.
This is possibly one of the funniest 'phone jacket' type videos I've seen in a long time. Especially when all the lions and tigers pop up, he's a L.O.N TIGER. This is why I love Wiley.
Kano: Dropped a great album, Home Sweet Home in 04. He went away for a while and popped back up again with a balder, wider and squeaky clean but no way near slicker than your average Craig David and started pointing in the crowd saying This is the girl that I want. The only person that would care about that is your girlfriend Kane, then after that terrible submission in cheese and pineapple sticks he gave us London Town. ZzZzZz. He left/got dropped from 679Recordings and for some reason this issue keeps getting jumped around more than hopscotch. He's recently released Mc No1, slightly ironic that he didn't come top3 on Top3 Selected and is calling himself no1 - wow, is full of freestyles over Souljah Boy and P*ssyhole type instrumentals. However let's not give up just yet, 140 grime street is set for an independent release this year and Davinche, Skepta, Rapid and Mikee J are confirmed on production and a track from Maniac is in talks. Come back to us Kano... please it's your Home Sweet Home.
I've been meaning to finish my Dirty Canvas and Chockablock review but haven't found the time to completely finish off uploading the videos and photos. Frisco jumped on in the middle of Ghetto performing Who's Got and Griminal took shots (not literally) at Jammer in an It's Alot battle for life and death (sort of).
Rinse are on to a winner with these compilations which has so far featured sets from Geeneus (Rinse: 01), Skream (Rinse: 02), Supa D (Rinse: 03) and now we have Boy Better Know managing director, Skepta for the 4th volume. DJ Offkey is back with a bag of dubs for us, with a collection of bangers from himself: Tingles, a remix of Skream's Midnight Request line, along with Thrown In The Bin and Tropical influenced Work Days. Along with current tracks circulating the vocal and instrumental sets, double the trouble Double S From Day, Silencer's drunken scuffle outside the club - World War 4 and fully grown Frisco's Skeng man Mode. Although it is mostly Boy Better Know orientated this is definitely a must have and relevant edition within the Rinse collections. Release date: May 12th 08. (Available from everywhere they sell CDs)


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The search for Florida Atlantic's next women's basketball coach seems to have concluded.
Sources tell OwlAccess.com that Nebraska assistant Kellie Lewis-Jay has agreed to become the next women's basketball coach at FAU.
An assistant at Nebraska since 2007, Lewis-Jay also served as the Cornhuskers' recruiting coordinator. Nebraska is coming off a 24-9 season in which they finished sixth in the Big 10 (10-6) and fell to Kansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
In 2010 Nebraska went undefeated in Big 12 conference play en route to a 32-2 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16.
Lewis-Jay was also an assistant coach at Washington prior to her stint at Nebraska.
A California native, Lewis Jay played college basketball at Boise St.
Lewis-Jay replaces Chancellor Dugan, who declined to accept a one-year contract extension after leading the Owls to a 17-13 record and a berth in the Women's NIT.
Lewis-Jay's contract still has to be ratified by FAU's Board of Trustees. If ratified, she would become FAU's second coaching hire from Nebraska in the past six months. In December FAU hired former Cornhuskers defensive coordinator Carl Pelini to succeed Howard Schnellenberger as football coach.
Go watch college football in Boca. It's that simple. Support your local team and go have a good time!
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Great article on Tyler Cameron. Let's put his skills to work with the QBs and make some plays. The Neighborhood fans are ready. Time to rally the...
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Nicely done Jake. Great addition to Owl Access.
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Then who do you think has the uper hand to be three yard directly behind the center.
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Sorry, I read the above question wrong. Who will be UNDER center? No one. They will operate primarily from the shutgun.
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Highlight package from FAU football's 2-16 Spring Game.


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Yellow-dog contract, agreement between an employer and an employee in which the employee agrees, as a condition of employment, not to join a union during the course of his employment. Such contracts, used most widely in the United States in the 1920s, enabled employers to take legal action against union organizers for encouraging workers to break these contracts. A federal law prohibiting the use of yellow-dog contracts on the railroads (Erdman Act of 1898) was struck down by the Supreme Court as an unconstitutional infringement upon the freedom of contract (Adair v. The United States, 1908). In 1932, in accordance with the new philosophy that the government should not interfere with workers' right to organize, the Norris-LaGuardia Act made yellow-dog contracts unenforceable in the federal courts.
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A children's charity is launching an easy to use phone app to complement a parenting course it developed in south east Northumberland.
Comfort Zone, launched in Blyth, is a simple, visual method of making sure parents are completely in tune with their child's emotions and needs.
The aim is to give the child happy experiences it needs for brain development, in the first three years of its life.
Consultant clinical psychologist, Brenda McLackland, who specialises in the relationships between parents and children, was commissioned five years ago by Barnardo's in Blyth Valley Children's Centres to develop the course.
It has been used by the charity ever since and is based on feelings and emotions using a visual colour guide.
Red is for intrusive and angry parenting, blue for cold, disinterested parenting and yellow for warm, caring and fun parenting – the "comfort zone" required to keep young children both happy and content.
Assistant director for Barnardo's, Julie McVeigh, who is based in Blyth, said: "The app is a useful tool to support the training we do with parents. It is a way of monitoring their progress and can be used as a record of their feelings.
"The app has a prompt to tell parents to 'warm up' towards their children or to 'cool down' if they are becoming too stressed and angry."
The Comfort Zone takes one day to learn for practitioners and is usually delivered to parents in four to six weeks, during two hour sessions.
For more information email email@example.com


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I had a very nice dinner the other night at this new dining room. They did such a soft opening I had not heard of it until after it was open.
The scallops with corn rissoto appetizer is very nice. The Strip loin was cooked to perfection. It is a bit pricey but not any worse than other dining rooms in town. It is probably the only high end restaurant in downtown that I can think of that is not a private club. I need to check them out for lunch.


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Mar 26, 2013 - 7:31 pm
I was dx in jan. 2012, then I went to Tulsa, OK to get a 2nd opinion, and my husband wanted to bring his mother (who, prior to my dx, we didn't see eye to eye on too many things, basically, I just wasnt' good enough for her son, we've been married for 28 yrs.)
Anyway, she came, and when my oco. was giving me the grim news of my cancer, and how serious it is.. I explained to the doctor why it took me so long to get my mammogram, long story short, 1st mammagram in 2008, didn't show anything, meanwhile, due to the economy back then, husband and I were laid off, no insurance... later I did find a job in 2010 with ins., but at the time, I had a miserable cough, moved to a new state and town, went to 3 doctors, no one could help me with the cause of this cough, and being I was new to my job, I just couldn't keep taking time off to find a doctor I trusted, to examine me)
but in Nov. 2011, I finally went to get my mammogram, and unfortunatley thats when I found out I had cancer, Feb, 2012, i got a second opinion.
when the doctor left the room for a few mins. My mother in law saw my husband in tears with the news, and she told him, that its my fault, that I didn't get myself checked out sooner.
I just couldn't believe what I was hearing, and here I was, getting the jest of all of this cancer news, and she's saying something as cold as that...
Well, the past several months, I have noticed a change in my husbands attitude towards me, for one, in July, I had to go to Tulsa, Ok, which is 3 hrs. away for 33 rounds of radiation, during this time period, my husband came to visit me one time, other than to drop me off, and pick me up from the hospital.
I realize that money was and still is tight, but, he didn't call much either, and on my last day of raditation, he had to work, so he wasn't there to see me ring my bell. But, I thought at least he'd call, which he did, the next day.
And, last night, before he had to go to work, he jumped out of bed, because our daughter called, (and I guess disturbed his sleep), but he's been sleeping for like 2 days, anyway, after I got off the phone with her, he just basically wishes that we never met.
His father died in 2006, and he is extremely close to his mother, and since his dad passed, I have notice a change in my husband, and now this... I would love to maybe leave, but at the moment I am not working, I am hoping to go back to work in the next 4 wks., and get my ins. started again. But I really don't make much money at my job, prolly not enough to keep me going every month, especially with my medical bills.
But, I guess what I am trying to ask, has anyone else experienced this kind of attitude with their spouses, or is it just our marriage?
I am just thinking that maybe he wants to upset me, hoping that I will just give up my fight, and die...
Mar 27, 2013 - 8:55 am
Mar 27, 2013 - 9:02 am
Not sure what happened to my comment, know ur not alone and keep up the fight.
Mar 28, 2013 - 1:26 am
Thank you Patti, I don't know what happened either... but, hopefully my situation will get better, he's nice one minute, and then the next, well not so nice, I don't know if its stress between his work and them my illness, or what... but I told him last night, that it hurts me when he goes off the deep end, and if he is stressed, not to take it out on me.
He's work is putting more and more work on their employees, but with this ecomomy, its getting that way everywhere, still, not a reason to take it out on me. I know he did take my cancer dx hard at first, but its been a year now, and he and our kids (and myself) really are just trying to go on with our lives, and not think of the cancer being there, but I just don't need any additional stress, because, stress just makes me think of the "C" word all over again, and thats not good for a persons mind or immune system.
Who knows, or can understand men sometimes, They need to make a Midol type pill for men. lol
Take Care and Stay Strong
Mar 28, 2013 - 9:37 am
Ah, littleangle, men are WEIRD. But you probably knew that already.
So many things run through their heads and they just let those thoughts play around up there and wreak havoc! We had some trouble early on with me feeling like he was rooting for the cancer too. Now I totally know and believe NOTHING could have been FURTHER from the truth! It's just that they are wrestling in their way and we are hurting and needing them so their fumbling comes across as rejection.
Men aren't too good at things they can't fix by putting duct tape on it! That just freaks them out! And then when the broken thing is their whole life! well, it can get ridiculous!
In my experience, this gets better too. Give the poor fella some time - he'll figure it out!
Apr 03, 2013 - 10:52 pm
Thanks, I know he needs to come to terms with this too, but, sometimes his attitude just stresses me, and I just don't need that right now. This cancer hit us at a bad time in our lives, (but when is a good time for cancer, right?)
We just had too many things going on in our lives, lost our home that we worked so hard for, and did everything we could to save it, including my working 2 jobs, and him driving over the road as much as he could, just for both of to get laid off in 2009, then moved into an apt. in a college town, got low paying jobs, still having probs paying just basic bills, after bankruptcy, and then here comes the dx of my cancer. So I know he is stressed too, and I know he don't blame me, but yet its just more pressure, more bills, and the uncertainity.
But with the Lords help, and knowing I am not alone, does help me.
I appreciate all of you ladies that have responded to me, its just what I needed.
Thank You,
Apr 02, 2013 - 10:03 pm
Have you talked to him about marriage counseling? Or if he wont accompany you possibly seeing a counselor yourself? Many cancer centers offer free or income based counseling free to cancer patients/survivors. I personally think counselling should be a regular part of cancer care, because it's downright traumatic what we go through. I've been in counseling since my diagnosis in 2010. And my husband and I have been in & out of counseling, with similar issues like you have stated.
With us, it seemed to start right after treatment - chemo and surgeries - ended. He is frustrated that I cant do things the way i used to - mentally, physically, even intimately (i had to have a complete hysterectomy also). He is very cold towards me anymore and always angry. I feel like I am (and have been since diagnosis) a burden to him. And the funny thing is - during treatment, he was there for EVERYTHING. He was so kind and supportive. Then it was like "ok, you're done with chemo now, you dont need me to help with the house, kids, etc anymore".
Just know that you're not alone, ive talked to many friends who are BC survivors who have also had similar marriage problems.
Best of luck to you :)
Apr 03, 2013 - 11:05 pm
Thanks, it does make me feel better to know I am not alone. I do feel like a burden, having to rely on him for my insurance, not for sure yet if I will be going back to work, I'm having issues with fatique and joint pain, one minute I feel ok, and then the next tired and hurting. One minute he wants me to stay home and just get my excercise and my rest, then the next minute, he's like "go back to work"....
He says he loves me, but like you, this cancer thing has caused me to make changes in our lives, I am slower, my memory is crazy, and yeah theres the intimate thing.
Well, I guess its just something we have to come to terms with. I have brought up the idea of going to couseling, but, he is not one to talk to anyone about our marital issues, we usually have worked them out, but this is not your common marital issue. And he is working alot right now, basically he just has enough time to come home and sleep, and back at work again, so I am trying to cut him some slack for that.
He's been getting back to himself, idk, just going to have to work on this, we have had a rough life, we were just starting to able to work same shifts, we've only been able to that for like 4 yrs. out of our 28 yr. marriage, we've either worked days and the other nights to save on babysitter costs, or he had to work away from home, including over the road. And we got slammed with the news of cancer.
I am confident that we will pull through this, the man I fell in love with, does come back to me, I just don't like when he turns into a selfish idiot. But, now I know I am not alone, so it will help me, and I am fighting for me first, nobody is going to keep me from doing that.
Hope things are going well with your health, that is what is important, the rest will fall in place, I am just so grateful for this website, it helps to chat with one another.
Take Care, Stay Strong,
Apr 04, 2013 - 9:21 am
So sorry to hear your story. ILLNESS does many strange and many wonderful things. Each person handles it so differently. I am so sorry your situation is the way it is. It's hard enough being ill and no support. Have you tried using a journal? I know it will not make him change or your MOTHER in law but in the past it helped me. I had somewhat the same thing but in regards to my job. They started out gung ho..and once back and started radation on my lunch hours-gave me a HARD time. VERY uncaring and hurtful to this day.
AT the cancer center I met a great therapist, which helped me through things. I still stop by to say hi when I am in the same building.
Pixie dust heading your way.


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Beige dresses for wedding on eDressit.com are provided with affordable prices and high quality! eDressit is a global fashion site which designs and makes special occasion dresses for customers from all over the world. Currently it ships to more than 200 countries in the world. The global fast shipping and friendly customer service guarantees every dear customer a wonderful online shopping experience. Besides, there are also many other kinds of fashion dresses available in various colors. Time to take action and find your beloved beige dresses for wedding right now!
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Bad breath... why me?
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 8
Bad breath... why me?
Hello Everyone,
Yes, you are right. I am one of the few people had struggling for this bb. I don't know when, where, or how it was started. I know, i had it for a long time like 12 years i guess. I always have that chewing gum in my pocket every time i want to talk to someone, big help covering the odor in a few moments. I think it's not that really bad, cause i can still talk to someone but not really close to them, they will obviously smell it. So, i did tried all i know the remedies to cure it. I think it's not my teeth or cavities that has caused it. It's either from my tonsil or stomach. But I don't feel any wrong with my tonsil or stomach at all. My mother said i don't have bb, i cannot smell it either. i dont understand. But i believed 70% of people when i first talk to them they smell it, i know cuz they immediately move away a little bit, cover their mouth & nose when they have to talk, used hand fan to blew away the odor. My self-confidence has gone now, made me bothers a lot to the point i couldn't think good enough. It was so disgusting especially when you are in the job interview with the manager. lol.
I used to be funny and so friendly all the time. Everything has changed in my life. I was crying sometimes, i don't know what to do or how to get rid of it. I read some article it said that bb are not curable, but you can prevent it. Thankful i found this site. Sharing information together and feel comfortable to say because you understand the feeling of each other. I guess you have cross in your mind also to ask yourself why me? cuz i did many times.
Did anybody know what's the cause of BB.... i was the only one have this in my family, my teeth is clean, i don't see any problem in allergy reaction either. Anyway after reading some article posted here, i have decided to schedule for ENT, let them check anyway.
Thanks everyone... please advise...you are free to share the info you know. thank you!
Last edited by Unhappy0ne; 10-05-2012 at
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Emporio Armani Distressed Big Eagle Trunk 111866H
This product was discontinued April, 2014 and is no longer available. Please consider one of the Customer-Recommended Replacements above, or try a new search.
Fly into comfort in these super soft trunks. Features a big eagle logo at the left side. Made of Cotton/Elastane.
Try these keyword searches with similar features:


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Garage Door Repair Mableton | Mableton Garage Door
Call us (678) 335-2066
Dispatch Address: 30 Cooper Lake Rd Sw, Mableton, GA 30126
Thank you for stopping by Mableton Garage Door and More. We are a team of professional and insured experts that can provide you with all of the assistance you need with your garage door. We invite you to carefully investigate our website to discover all of the services that we provide. If you cannot find what you need then we invite you to contact us to find out more. If you are experiencing an issue with your garage door, we are certain that we can take care of the problem. We are happy to provide you with licensed experts who are able to provide you with the solutions that you need. If you are experiencing a problem with your garage door, get in touch with us to request your free quote or complimentary consultation. We offer affordable prices with garage door repair services in Mableton, Georgia. If it is installation that you need, we can tell you that we are your best option for the task.
We have a crew of professionals that are ready to help you with a variety of services including:
If you are concerned about your door or need service, we can help you! Call us regarding:
We are proud of our highly skilled professionals and our ability to deal with every main brand:
We are definitely able to take care of all things garage door related here at Mableton Garage Door Repair. Mableton, GA is a fantastic community and businesses like ours make it unbeatable.


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BBB on Homes: Prepare for storm season before disaster strikes
Published 12:02 pm, Friday, June 6, 2014
Backyard barbecues and lounging by the pool are often the first things that come to mind when you think about Texas summers. But, Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas (BBB) wants to remind area residents that summer is also prime season for severe storms and flooding.
In the wake of severe storms, it's important to be aware of scam artists who frequent storm-damaged areas looking to take advantage of those in need.
Education and preparedness are key to ensuring the well-being of you and loved ones in the event of a disaster. BBB provides the following tips:
It's a good idea to review your policy coverage at least once a year. If you haven't done so, now is the perfect time to do it. If you have questions or concerns, discuss them with your insurance agent before disaster strikes. You may decide you need additional coverage.
If severe weather does come along, be cautious when approached by someone driving around, offering to fix all of your problems with a single visit. Be especially careful when the people who approach are in unmarked trucks or vans, have out-of-state license plates or are already hauling "leftover" materials they claim is from a previous job.
Don't be pressured into making immediate decisions with long-term impact. Remember, you're allowed to say no, and you shouldn't make decisions based on emotion.
If you're considering entering a contract, research the company thoroughly first, getting its name, address, license number and contact information. Then do a Web search for general reviews, and check with the BBB to see if they're accredited, or at least listed with a satisfactory rating.
Written contracts should specify the work to be done, the materials to be used, and the price breakdown for labor and materials. Be aware that anything you sign is a contract. Read carefully and avoid signing an "estimate" or "authorization" form before you have actually decided to hire a particular contractor. Pay special attention to any details in bold, that are underlined or that you need to initial. Don't sign a blank contract or a contract you haven't fully read and understood.
Make sure any contractor is properly licensed and insured before they start working on your home.
Remember, after a storm, it's common to be anxious to get things back to normal, but avoid letting your emotions get the better of you. Don't be pressured into making an immediate decision with a long-term impact. Make temporary repairs if necessary. Storm victims never should feel pressured to make a hasty decision or choose a contractor they know little about.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For more information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org or call 713-868-9500. Monica Russo is director of investigations and media relations with the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Monica Russo, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at email@example.com. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.


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Paso Robles, CA
Joseph, Trilingual instructor, Paso Robles, CA30/hour
Hello. My name is Joseph. I have extensive teaching experience, and currently teach a variety of subjects through Cuesta College. I am fluent in Spanish and Italian, and I have written two grammar books on Spanish and Italian. I am an active... read moreSee Tutors Like This


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Roseanna McCoy
Found 10 Records, 8 Photos and 1,148,001 Family Trees
Born in Pike Ky on 1865 to Randolph McCoy and Sarah Sally Mccoy. Roseanna married Johnson Hatfield and had a child. She passed away on 1888 in No Rec Spring.
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Surname meaning for "McCoy"
Irish (Limerick): Anglicized form of Gaelic'son of Aodh', an ancient personal name meaning 'fire', originally the name of a pagan god. Thus it has the same origin as


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Hi all!
I've got an Acer Aspire S3-391-53314G52add ultrabook here, booting in 13 seconds to kubuntu from its 20GB onboard SSD. Sweet linux machine for those interested!
Trouble is, the Atheros AR5B22 WLAN (b/g/n) keeps crashing my Belkin F6D6230-4 v1000 router (firmware v. 1.00.15). Admittedly, it's a pretty flaky router, but this problem seems to be unique to this combination of computer and router - and indeed to Ubuntu on this computer, as Windows works fine, and some other distros (e.g. OpenSuSE 12.2) don't support the wireless at all.
The trouble occurs with both radios, in the 2.4 GHz and 5.2 GHz bands. After a slow connecting process (1-2 minutes) the connection works for 5-30 minutes, and then the router crashes and restarts, taking every connected user's internet with it.
All Belkin offers for this router is an unsupported beta firmware v. 1.00.19 that they tell people not to use. There isn't even a download of the original firmware, so if it is bad I won't have a way back. dd-wrt does not support this router.
Anyone familiar with this problem? Should I fix the wireless drivers or the router firmware?


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U.S. tech sector gains ground following House vote to normalize China trade
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WASHINGTON -- U.S. business interests -- perhaps nowhere more so than in the electronics sector -- moved a step closer to gaining greater access to the globe's largest untapped market on Wednesday, when the House of Representatives passed a vote to establish permanent normal trade relations with China.
The Senate within weeks is expected to follow suit by conferring China with PNTR status, clearing the way for broad trade concessions that are expected to aid U.S. industry in establishing a firm market base in the world's most populous country.
The House action arose from China's expected admission to the World Trade Organization. While not a condition to China's WTO membership, a full Congressional vote to normalize trade relations with the nation would ensure that U.S. companies receive the same benefits as foreign concerns doing business in China.
Predictably, U.S. high-tech associations were quick to praise the House vote to approve PNTR status. George Scalise, president of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) in San Jose, said final Congressional approval would open the way for foreign suppliers to participate in what his industry group projects to be China's $8 billion annual semiconductor market.
Likewise, the Information Technology Industry Council, SEMI, andTelecommunication Industry Association have all predicted that the technology industry would reap large rewards as a result of trade reform with China.
Without PNTR status, a number of major concessions agreed to by Chinese government officials would be at stake, possible compromising the competitive edge of U.S. high-tech suppliers eager to cash in on what they perceive to be pent-up demand for computers, cell phones, and a range of consumer electronics goods.
The trade agreement included a number of measures that pertain specifically to the electronics sector, major concessions that would fuel China's burgeoning assembly and contract manufacturing industries and open up new opportunities for chip makers and systems OEMs:


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Fall TV Winners & Losers
The last of the fall TV shows have finally premiered, so we're ready to take stock of the new TV season's hits and misses. Check out which shows are surging in the ratings this fall… and which are falling faster than the autumn leaves. — Dave Nemetz, Yahoo! TV


text: Hi. I am currently working on a supermarket with humidity problems. Humidity cant get lower than 70%rh. I put a data logger and sometimes RH% gets to 90!!!! There is even starting to grow mold on the ceiling. The problem is mainly in the freezers and refrigeration area that is close to the entrance of the supermarket. They installed a motored air curtain in the entrance to keep the outside air outside. The a/c for that area is a 25 ton York split system. Some people recomended me that they should install a reheat coil in the supply duct to reduce humidity. Is it true that reheat coils remove humidity and need a drain? I have no experience with reheat coils. I wanted to know what you guys recomend. Thanks!


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Middle school wrestling season synopsis
After a season in which the Washington High School wrestling team sent five wrestlers to the state tournament, there's even more reason to be optimistic about the future of the program when considering the current middle-school wrestlers.
The Washington Middle School wrestlers finished their season with 178 wins in 259 matches, a winning percentage of 69 percent. Of those 178 wins, 124, or 70 percent, came by way of a pin. 17 of the team's 22 wrestlers had winning records for the season and three (Garrett Ikerd, Ben Bohr and Mitchell Huisenga) went undefeated.
"It was a very successful season. We had some issues getting matches towards the end of the year but the team as a whole was very tough. A lot of our seventh and eighth grade wrestlers are still wrestling in tournaments on the weekends and that will prepare them for high school wrestling. Kiowa Keith, Tanner Murphy, Collin Murphy, Garrett Ikerd, Walker Ikerd, and Tristan Westphal-Edwards all wrestled in the AAU Districts and Qualified for AAU State. The Wrestling Club is organizing our summer programs now and these junior high wrestlers are the future of Washington Wrestling so they will need to continue to be moving forward and working hard. The wrestling program from K-12th grade is moving in the right direction. We are providing these young athletes several opportunities to improve, now they just need to do it," head coach Shawn Ellingson said.