AAP/CCEE -Youth-Focused Behavior Modification

Youth-Focused Behavior Modification...

Many problems associated with the unfair treatment of minority youth are intricately associated with cultural differences. Studies have proven the connection between African-American males failing in school with “perceived” and associated stereotypes from educators. African American males typically are energetic and strong-willed. Misunderstood, these attributes can be characterized as hyperactive, aggressive and problematic.

AAP/CCEE has gone to great lengths to familiarize educators with this common practice. We believe that diversity training is a must among educators in communities that serve minority students. Challenging, relative and interesting courses are often simple solutions to behavioral problems in the classroom. Having high expectations and an infrastructure to support those expectations would elevate the level of learning and participation in the classroom, while eliminating behavioral problems in the interim.

In some instances, however, parents need assistance in coping with strong-willed children themselves. AAP/CCEE provides training in youth-focused behavior modification practices for adults with strong-willed youth. The benefits are two fold: an improved relationship between adult and youth, and improved learning environment at school.

AAP/CCEE offers a 10-16 week training course that teaches parents how to modify destructive adolescent behavior. The goals of the training course are to reduce school and community violence, teen alcohol and other drug use, and youth gang membership. The byproducts are strengthening of the family unit, parent involvement, and an increase in school attendance and performance.

The Parent Project curriculum, developed at UCLA and utilized by AAP/CCEE, facilitates long term results that schools and parents both agree are worth the time invested. Administrators and educators have noticed a significant reduction in class disruption, drop out rates and truancy. Parents are exhilarated to have the tools needed to effectively change the unwanted behavior exhibited in their adolescents.

Creating change in our school system requires a lengthy process of weeding out the negatives and replacing them with the positives. If we can help to create a positive learning environment by modifying destructive behavior in our youth, then we must. AAP/CCEE recognizes the need to provide this resource for parents and schools alike. Our staff is equipped to facilitate training sessions for parents, community residents as well as educators to remove this barrier to academic excellence in our school system.

Sessions are scheduled for 5–25 participants. Our ultimate goal is to create a “Train-the-Trainer” program so that the modules can become an integral part of the parent advocacy program. Every parent gains valuable information from the training session, but more importantly, the sessions offer discouraged and hopeless parents with an alternative to helping their children.

Advocacy and resource centers...