April 20, 2018, (NPR) KASU Radio, Bentonville, AR: Learning To Behave: Bentonville School District Experiments With Behavior Intervention Classrooms http://kasu.org/post/learning-behave-bentonville-school-district-experiments-behavior-intervention-classrooms …Today, many public schools offer alternative learning environments for students with behavioral and emotional problems. Bentonville Public School District in Northwest Arkansas, however, has installed two intervention-rich elementary “behavior classrooms” to help children learn how to overcome chronic disruptive behavior…. To help disruptive students learn to overcome anti-social tendencies, the district is sequestering children in two new behavior classrooms. Teacher Stefanie Siedsma says the rooms have been given a special name. “Because behavior rooms may have a stigma attached," she says, "we decided to call it CLUB Academy, which stands for cultivating learning using best practices." … …Each classroom can accommodate up to six students and is staffed with a special education instructor and two paraprofessionals. Rows of desks have been removed, replaced by a half dozen workstations. Along with grade-level math, literacy and science courses, the children receive intensive behavior interventions each day…. “We work on students' mindfulness and being flexible with their thinking,” she says, “which is helpful with social skills and the ability to communicate with other people.” Tamara Gibson serves as executive director of elementary education. She says the district decided to install the special classrooms because of escalating bad conduct district-wide, especially among the youngest children. “Behaviors — and I'm going to be honest," she says, pausing, “that require clearing a room.” …
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