Focus your time on teaching strategies to become more superflexible, rather than on their negative behaviors. These behaviors can be a signal to us to be proactive in helping them access their strategies (note: we need to have previously taught them strategies before expecting kids to use them!). Kids may sigh, tense their bodies, grumble, retreat into their own thoughts, or exhibit a host of other behaviors that tell us they are not in a good place. But, we can work on being more proactive by first noticing the micro-behaviors that almost always occur prior to a big blowout or shut-down. In our attempt to keep our classrooms and groups running, we tend to address negative behaviors in a swift and corrective manner. Research tells us that we can’t help but notice negative behaviors, but what we do with that once we notice is our choice. Try this instead: Be proactive rather than reactive by noticing the buildup in a child’s behavior-both negative and positive. Name calling of any sort is punitive and can bring shame to that child. Using a name of an Unthinkable to describe a child decreases motivation to use the strategies and, in turn, defeat the Unthinkable. Interventionists (i.e., professionals and caregivers) should be very mindful and consider the social and emotional impact on the social learner, even when that learner is not being very flexible. Kids transform themselves into their own unique Superflex and develop strategies to overcome the powers of the Unthinkables. If we dont have robust planning disciplines and processes in place to execute what is important, then our Q2 Role Statement and Q2 Goals are merely wishful. When the Superflex Curriculum is taught well, the Unthinkables’ powers help children develop stronger self-awareness of the powers they want to defeat in their own brains. We all love the Unthinkables and see how powerful they can be in getting our students’ attention. This seems simple and obvious, right? It’s not. The Unthinkable names are supposed to represent the “powers” of each character. Unthinkable names are to describe brain powers, not label children: The names of Unthinkables (e.g., Rock Brain, Mean Jean/Gene, Worry Wall, etc.) should never be used in place of a child’s name.
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