Maybe your child’s teacher
should read it too
Today’s guest author is Shelley. Shelley is a stay at home mom, whose son is her full time job.
I have a son with special needs who is in the 3rd grade. Approximately 14 months ago I took my son to the emergency room at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center due to his aggressive behaviors based on the recommendation from his developmental pediatrician. My son was admitted to the children’s psychiatric ward where he would spend the next 7 days. On the second day, a nurse gave me a copy of the book “The Explosive Child” by Dr. Ross Greene. She told me that it was required reading for all who work on this floor, from the medical staff to the security guards to the foodservice workers. I have now read the book and implemented its strategies, and it works. The book focuses on the Collaborative Proactive Solutions (CPS) model for working with behaviorally challenged kids. The strategies are proactive and extremely effective. I have provided copies of this book to several people who work directly with my son.
I recently attended the Trauma and Brain seminar hosted by the Calvert County Public School System. It was amazing. Frank Kros of the TranZed Alliance explained the effect that trauma and anxiety have on the brain. He also provided strategies to help reverse these effects. Interestingly enough, “The Explosive Child” was given to all attendees. This seminar should be mandatory for all who work with special needs children. Yesterday at my son’s IEP meeting, at my request, the team was provided with copies of “The Explosive Child” by the Special Education Department. I believe that parents and teachers need to share and practice the same strategies to help make our children more successful. This book should be distributed to all who work with children who exhibit challenging behaviors.
I was not aware of this book before my son’s stay at the John Hopkins Children’s Center. I am grateful to have received this book and I actively use these strategies at home. This past summer my son and I enjoyed many adventures, fun days at the beach and two vacations with friends. What an amazing transformation my family has gone through over the last year. If this book is a required read by John’s Hopkins Hospital shouldn’t it also be a required read for all schools that work with special needs children? It is time to reduce the explosive behaviors in our school systems and start proactively training our staff and students using these amazing strategies. The Collaborative Proactive Solutions model needs to be taught and implemented in schools across the nation.
We should encourage our local school systems to purchase and distribute this book to the special needs staff. We should schedule training sessions for the staff on the Collaborative Proactive Solutions model. It’s time to start proactively transforming the special education departments across the country. Kids do well if they can, read the book and you will understand what this phrase means.
