Are you looking for genius ticks to encourage students to care about their personal appearance? If so, keep reading.
1. Praise the student for being neat, clean, etc.
2. Establish a time to practice hair combing, putting on makeup, shaving, using deodorant, etc.
3. Convey to the student the social importance of brushing teeth, shampooing hair, bathing, etc. Not only is inadequate hygiene offensive, but other children can be cruel.
4. Give the student instruction on fastening articles of clothing.
5. Teach the student how to fasten pieces of clothing when buttons are missing, zippers are broken, etc. (e.g., sewing a button back in place, using a safety pin, etc.).
6. Guide the student’s hands through the learning experience of zipping, buttoning, and snapping their own clothing.
7. Assist the student in learning those skills appropriate to improve their personal appearance and hygiene.
8. Give the student oral reminders to fasten their articles of clothing.
9. Fasten pieces of clothing for the student if they are incapable of fastening.
10. Praise the student for slowly improving their capacity and ability to fasten pieces of clothing over time rather than expecting total mastery immediately.
11. Praise the student at regular intervals throughout the day for having pieces of clothing fastened.
12. Give the student time to practice fastening their articles of clothing. (The clothing needs to be on the student during practice.)
13. Put visual reminders to fasten pieces of clothing inside restrooms and on the classroom door (e.g., images of zipping, buttoning, and snapping).
14. Do not embarrass the student by asking them to fasten pieces of clothing in front of peers.
15. Put a full-length mirror in the classroom for the student to make sure that all of their pieces of clothing are fastened.
16. Give the student a checklist of pieces of clothing to fasten (e.g., shirt, pants, shoes, coat, etc.). Get the student to finish the checklist routine (schedule) throughout the day.
17. Get the student to practice fastening pieces of clothing with oversized zippers, buttons, and snaps. As the student shows success, slowly lessen the size of the fasteners.
18. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
