About
The Behavior Detective
I've spent several years working alongside school administrators, teachers, educators, and parents who needed quick and effective solutions to extremely challenging behaviors.
My experience led me to be an advocate for staff and students, teaching de-escalation strategies and instructing our youth and adolescents in emotional problem-solving.
I AM SO HAPPY YOU ARE HERE!
Hey there, I'm Spencer
My love and curiosity for children with challenging behaviors started in high school. As a young camp counselor, I had my first exposure to an entire group of children who did not respond to my approachability and optimism. Over the week, I realized that these children felt wildly misunderstood and were showing me in unique ways. Exhausted and defeated, I felt strongly compelled to learn more about why these children were protesting my every effort to accept them.
This ignited a passion for pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology while working as a registered behavior technician for military children and families. Upon graduation, I became a research assistant at the University of Washington. I had a lead role in collaborating with the Autism Center to understand differences in brain language processing in siblings of ASD children. I met so many children and families that I quickly learned that I wanted to work more closely with them outside the research setting.
That is when I accepted my all-time favorite position as a behavior specialist in a Title 1 School District. For the past several years, I have worked in over 100 classrooms (both General & Special Education), helping educators navigate unsafe and highly disruptive behaviors in their classrooms. When the pandemic hit and my baby was born, I knew it was time to take this favorite job home and make a global impact wherever possible.
Why I love doing what I do
We are a firefighter family, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. My husband and I met in college and welcomed our first baby in the summer of 2020.
Being a first responder family, responding to emergencies and putting out fires is near and dear to us. There is no doubt that the classroom can feel like it is on fire when you have a student who is highly disruptive, unsafe, or destructive.
You deserve the confidence to know exactly how to interpret and respond to a behavioral fire when you see it.
A little about my family
Title 1 schools instructor, wife of a firefighter, and toddler mom. My absolute passion is helping educators reclaim their classrooms by knowing exactly how to respond to challenging behavior when they see it.
Teachers and educators are the most creative individuals I have ever met.
Using behavioral science and what I've learned as an advocate for students and teachers, my approach will give you a refreshing perspective on behavior.
You can finally embrace a classroom cadence and routine that works for you and the specific students you serve!
I am a Behavior Specialist
- Maxwell, teacher
Spencer enables people to feel confident in their own abilities and adds tools and tricks along the way. She approached each case and child with a clean slate to better understand the “why” behind the behavior.
- Leanne, School bcba
Spencer was always calm and reassuring in the biggest crisis and always found a way to bring the joy in. She was a very good listener. Validates how your learners feel (adults and kids) and also challenges them. People want to build capacity for her.
- Titrice, School bCBA
Spencer supported me with debriefing after intense behavior escalations and helped me navigate the school systems as a whole during my first year in the district.
- Becca, Behavior Technician
Spencer always had a smile on her face - even in the tough days.
No matter the position, you treated everyone as an equal. Spencer not only already possess a lot of knowledge in behavior intervention, she also strived to learn more.
- Maxwell, teacher
Skills Spencer has taught me have carried over from my experience as a paraeducator, to my work as psychiatric counselor at an inpatient hospital, and finally with my career as a high school teacher working with students from the hospital. Working in these higher acuity settings, skills I learned from Spencer are helpful in not only defusing dangerous situations but also in adding that level of confidence that is so important.
Educator Reviews
- Guided interview
- Share your story
- Discuss obstacles & support gaps
- Completely confidential
Do you need to debrief your situation with someone who has been there?
Think of this as a refreshing fireside chat.
Single Sessions
- The Problem With Rewards.
- Why Behavior Happens
- What is Your Role?
- How to Respond
Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of reinforcement in your school, yet still finding students unable to change behavior and cope through their school day?
Respond Without Rewards
Popular!
- What is meaningful data?
- Types of data collection.
- How to interpret behavior data
- Downloadable data sheets
Not all data collection is created equal.
Learn what data really matters and why.
How to Take Meaningful Behavior Data
Sessions are virtual from the convenience of your own home!
Click below to join my waitlist for 2023!
Check your email for a detailed questionnaire so I can get to know YOU and your unique situation and needs.
