Regular check-ins with a trustworthy adult at school can assist pupils

Definition:

The Check In-Check Out(CICO) strategies is focus on improving students classroom behaviors through motivating. The student is working on 3-4 target behaviors in which the teacher chooses and believes the student needs to work on. He or she works on those skills and if at the end of the day/lesson/class they accomplish those behaviors as assessed on their behavioral report card, then the student gets the reward/ incentive. 

Justification:

"Students can be motivated to improve classroom behaviors if they have both a clear road-map of the teacher's behavioral expectations and incentives to work toward those behavioral goals" (Intervention Central, 2015). The students particular and behaviors that the teacher want him/her to work on. Therefor the student knows exactly what the teacher expects him or her to be doing to show appropriate classroom behavior. "A balance of behavioral control and academic instruction is required..."(Hallahan, Kauffman, and Pullen, 2015).  This statement from the the text means that students need to be able to control their behaviour in order to learn. This strategy allows a general education teacher to monitor her student(s) who have behavioral problems as well as makes the student(s) monitor themselves. "CICO also provides a built-in system for (a) monitoring students’ progress in the program, (b) evaluating the fidelity of implementation, and (c) transitioning to a self-managed program" ( Everett, Sugai, Fallon, Simonsen, and O’Keeffe, 2011). It is important in a school setting for teacher to find behavioral interventions that work for individual students as well as whole groups (Dart, Cook, Collins, Gresham, and Chenier, 2012).

Preparation for the teacher:

Choose 3 to 4 targeted behaviors that are stated affirmatively and positively for student to work on.

Creates a Behavior Report Card (rating scale anout students behabior throughout the day/class) that incorporates the 3-4 target behaviors.

Choose a daily reward/incentive that the student will earn if he/she completes the positive behaviors

Sets a minimum rating on the behavior report card that the student must get to earn reward/incentive

Meet with the learner to explain the intervention, review behavioral expectations, demonstrate how the Behavior Report Card is used, and explain how the student can earn a daily reward/incentive.

Steps:

1. Check-In. At the beginning of the class session, the teacher meets with the student to review the behavioral goals to help encourage the student for the day. The teacher also prompts one of the behavioral end goals to the student.

2. Monitoring/Evaluation. The teacher observes the student's behaviour throughout the day/class and at end gives student a score on Behavior Report Card.

3. Check-Out. At the end of the day, the teacher just meets with the student and the student tells the teacher if he or she thinks they reached their goals. The teacher then shares the scores. If the student has earned a reward/incentive, the teacher gives the student it and praises he/her for their goof work. . If the student fails to earn the reward, the teacher assists encouragement about improving tomorrow.

The CICO Strategy Plan Builds Relationships

The CICO strategy provides a brief check-in to connect with the student and establish a small possible goal at the beginning of the day, or prior to class starting, and a check-out at the end to evaluate the goal.Always respond positively the check-in starts with greeting the student in a positive manner, asking a personal connection question about something they’re interested in, and then establishing a daily goal. First the student creates the goal, sometimes with teacher support, based on categories such as social, academic, and executive functioning needs, and the student records the goal on the CICO progress monitor sheet.

The true benefit of the CICO strategy isn’t the daily goal—it’s the relationship formed through a trusted adult taking an active interest in a student who shows challenging behavior.Firstly often, just that dose of daily dependable attention can make a positive shift in how a student behaves. In this classroom culture where students feel seen, heard, and understood, they no longer need to seek that attention in negative ways. You will find that once the student and teacher or staff member are comfortable with this strategy, the process usually takes about three minutes.

Who is any Trusted Adult?

It is said that any trusted adult in the building can help a student with a CICO plan. It’s absolutely true that it be someone who has or can form a relationship with the student and can observe them in the learning environment. Be sure that a classroom teacher can certainly check in and check out with a student, and that’s sometimes most effective when a behavior is predictably happening in a certain class.

This means that if the behaviors are occurring throughout all classes and nonacademic areas, then a school counselor or administrator could be the trusted adult to facilitate the check-ins and check-outs. The key to successful implementation of CICO is that the adult spends time connecting with the student and getting to know them on a more personal level that extends beyond their academic performance.

Communication Is Important

Having a skill of communication is an important aspect of the CICO strategy. Prior to a student starting a CICO plan, it’s important to include families in the strategy and provide clear communication about the need for positive reinforcement and support. If as a result student is receiving consequence or negative feedback about CICO at home, then it could impact their investment in the plan.

It should be made clear with students that this is a team effort, and their goals will be communicated with their teachers and other necessary staff members. Encouraging students to talk about their CICO goals with other staff members who can help support them provides reinforcement and also is an opportunity for kids to learn self-advocacy skills. Additionally, it’s important that all vested adults be aware that communication and reinforcement of the plan should be positive and not punitive in nature.