Description

Handouts

Outline

Work with the Whole Child: Initial Considerations for Mental Health and Behavioral Issues at School

• Why school staff needs to know about mental health
• Frequently overlooked mental health and learning disabilities
• What you need to know about medications … and why
• Push-in vs. pull-out approaches

Decrease Impulsive Behaviors at School

• Recommended for: ADHD, ASD
• Tips for teaching self-control
• How to front-end load consequences
• Meet sensory needs to promote self-regulation
• Movement-based solutions

Build Underdeveloped Social Skills: The Key to Classroom Management

• Recommended for: ASD, anxiety, depression
• Practical strategies to cultivate social skills growth
• Problem solving activities and scenarios
• Implementing effective push-in approaches
• Creative strategies for fostering connection
• Technology and social skills – texting over talking?

Increase Flexible Thinking and Reduce Anxiety

• Recommended for: ASD, anxiety, rigidity, OCD
• Make transitions manageable
• Change patterns of rigid thinking
• Coping skills to deal with anger and anxiety
• How to respond to shut-down behavior
• Replacement behaviors

Help Students Follow Directions and Stay on Task

• Recommended for: ADHD, ODD
• Motivate students to stay on task with timers
• ”Must-do” lists to promote prioritization
• Increase attention span with focus games
• Redirection strategies that get them back on task

Handle Disruptive, Argumentative and Defiant Students

• Recommended for: ODD and conduct disorder
• What adults should never say but usually do
• 3 simple steps to end in-class arguing
• Give the perception of control with choice
• Build self-regulation skills
• School refusal strategies

Stop Electronic Addiction for Hijacking Your Classroom

• Are my students addicted to technology?
• The myth of multi-tasking
• End in class texting
• Electronic bullying

Faculty

Jay Berk, PhD

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Jay Berk, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and an internationally recognized expert in the child/adolescent behavioral field who brings both a clinical and education perspective to his work with children, adolescents and their families. For over 25 years, Dr. Berk has been treating clients with ODD, ADHD, autism, anxiety and stress, depression, learning disabilities, Tourette’s Syndrome and individuals who have multiple impairments. He conducts 15 social skills/mental health groups for children and adolescents and works daily with school and community professionals, families and parents. Dr. Berk continually consults for several school districts. In his private practice, in Beachwood, Ohio, he provides therapy for children, adolescents, families, testing and evaluation, school consultation as well as an alternative educational program.

Dr. Berk presents nationally on the topics of autism, disruptive behavior disorders, mental health issues in the classroom, ODD and social skills competency. In his workshops, he teaches professionals who work with children and adolescents, practical treatment and intervention strategies. He has been invited to present at hundreds of schools and conferences including being a repeated consultant to the Department of Education in Hawaii. As a past consultant to the United Nations, Dr. Berk authored a manual for UNICEF that was used by teachers working with children throughout Bosnia during the war. He has also worked in London, England with defiant teenagers; Kristiansand, Norway with traumatized youth; and the American Red Cross with trauma response.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Dr. Jay Berk maintains a private practice. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Dr. Jay Berk is a member of the American Psychological Association.