Behavior Management

The focus of the behavior management is on social and emotional learning (SEL).  SEL helps reduce challenging behaviors and increase appropriate communication and self-regulation skills.  Through SEL, we work to give children, teens and adults with autism the power to communicate their wants and needs appropriately.  We do so by identifying what they are trying to communicate, teaching them how to communicate their wants and needs, identifying feelings, and using coping strategies.  By teaching our learners to recognize and understand their emotions, manage their behavior, and make responsible decisions, SEL helps our learners develop the self-regulation skills necessary for success in school and home life.

Examples of challenging behaviors include:

• Aggression (kicking, slapping, biting)
• Self-injurious behaviors (head banging, hitting/scratching self)
• Property destruction (breaking items, throwing items)
• Elopement (running away from caregivers)
• Yelling, screaming