During the school year, school leaders and teachers may come across a student who struggles with behavior in the classroom. You may become increasingly concerned because the student is not responding to any of the proactive and positive behavioral strategies that you have tried to redirect or reduce the number of behavioral issues.

To help this student succeed, it’s important to develop a behavior intervention plan (BIP). A BIP is a personalized plan that outlines specific steps to address problematic behaviors and promote positive behavior.

Here are the steps involved in creating a BIP:

• Conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA): An FBA is a systematic process of gathering information about a student’s behavior to understand the reason behind it. This information can be gathered through observations, interviews with teachers and parents, and review of academic and behavioral records.

• Identify the function of the behavior: Once you have gathered the information from the FBA, the next step is to identify the function of the behavior. In other words, what does the student get out of the behavior? This information can be used to develop a more targeted and effective BIP.

• Develop goals and objectives: Based on the information gathered from the FBA, develop specific, measurable, and attainable goals and objectives. For example, a goal might be to reduce the frequency of outbursts in the classroom from 10 times a day to 5 times a day over the next 2 weeks.

• Choose appropriate interventions: Select interventions that are likely to be effective in addressing the student’s behavior. Interventions can range from simple strategies like positive reinforcement and redirecting the student’s attention to more complex interventions like individual counseling and social skills training.

• Implement the plan: With the goals and objectives in place, and the appropriate interventions selected, it’s time to implement the BIP. Make sure to regularly monitor the student’s progress and adjust the plan as needed.

• Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the BIP by measuring the student’s progress towards the goals and objectives. Make changes to the plan as needed to ensure it remains effective.

Sample goals for a behavior plan:

• Increase the number of times a student raises their hand to ask a question in class.
• Decrease the number of times a student becomes aggressive during a class.
• Increase the number of times a student completes their homework.

A real-life example of a student with a behavior intervention plan:

Consider the case of a 6th-grade student, Jason, who has been struggling with aggressive behavior in the classroom. Through an FBA, it was determined that Jason’s aggressive behavior was a result of his frustration with his academic work. The following goals and objectives were developed for Jason’s BIP:

Goals:

• Decrease the frequency of Jason’s aggressive behavior from 10 times a day to 5 times a day over the next 2 weeks.
• Increase Jason’s academic engagement and participation in the classroom.

Objectives:

• Provide Jason with extra support and individual attention during academic work.
• Reinforce positive behavior through praise and tangible rewards.
• Teach Jason effective problem-solving and anger management strategies.

Through consistent implementation of Jason’s BIP, his aggressive behavior decreased, and his academic engagement and participation increased. This is a great example of how a BIP can make a real difference in the lives of students who struggle with behavior.

In conclusion, creating a BIP is a process that requires careful consideration, collaboration, and a commitment to helping students succeed. By following the steps outlined above, you can develop a personalized plan that will help a student overcome their behavioral challenges and achieve their full potential.