Patrick Mulick: Why "Bad Choice" Is the Wrong Language for Schools

About this episode

Patrick Mulick discusses the importance of reducing restraint and isolation in schools and shares strategies for supporting students with complex behavioral needs.

Patrick Mulick is a board-certified behavior analyst, a certified speaker, trainer, and coach with the John Maxwell team. Serving as the Director of Student Engagement at the Auburn School District in Washington State, Patrick holds degrees in Special Education and Behavior Analysis from Gonzaga University. He has years of experience teaching students with disabilities, particularly those with autism and complex behavioral needs, and is now a nationally recognized speaker who shares practical tools and strategies for educators. In this episode of Think Inclusive, host Tim Villegas sits down with Patrick Mulick, a behavior analyst and Director of Student Engagement at Auburn School District, to discuss reducing the use of restraint and eliminating isolation in schools. Patrick recounts how the pandemic provided a turning point for schools to rethink their approach to handling students with complex behavioral needs. By implementing proactive strategies, shifting focus from restraint to personalized support, and using data-driven approaches, Patrick has successfully led his district to significantly reduce incidents of isolation and restraint. Complete show notes and transcript…

People in this episode

Host: Tim Villegas

Guest: Patrick Mulick

Topics covered

• behavior analysis
• student engagement
• special education
• restraint reduction
• support strategies
• pandemic impact

Keywords

• behavior analyst
• students with disabilities
• autism
• complex behavioral needs
• proactive strategies
• data-driven approaches

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Auburn School District, John Maxwell team, Gonzaga University

Places: Washington State

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