A recent article published on the mlive.com website-a website that covers news and events from across the state of Michigan-that covered the plans of implementing a new method of behavior and classroom management. This article, titled “Rockford schools to pilot behavior program at Meadow Ridge Elementary” written by Monica Scott, outlines the schools plan to implement a new program for student behavior at this school within the Rockford school district. The elementary school that will be participating in this pilot program is Meadow Ridge Elementary school, a school of approximately 600 general education and special education students from kindergarten up to 5th grade (Scott, 2013) . This school currently uses a variety of individual behavior plans in conjunction with school wide rules for behavior to manage the behavior of its students in and out of the classroom. Starting in the fall of 2013, this school will start using the PBIS method for improving student learning and behavior in the schools (Scott, 2013).
PBIS- or Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, is currently used in more than 16,000 schools across the United States and there are 790 schools that are implementing this program in Michigan (Scott, 2013). PBIS is a method that involves teaching behavior and sets behavioral guidelines as if they were any other core subject area taught in the school (US Department of Education, 2009). This method often includes teachers, parents, and other adults that work with students to create an environment for students to learn in a safe and productive way (Scott, 2013). By including everyone, from students to all of the teachers that interact with the students, a community is created that helps foster learning for each student. Adults that work with students in the school help students learn appropriate behaviors by teaching the appropriate behaviors, modeling these behaviors, and using positive reinforcement (Scott 2013).
The benefits of this program have been seen in schools all across the country. Many schools that use this program see a decline in the amount of negative behaviors seen in the classroom and learning is improved when students can focus on learning and not the behaviors of students around them. This also gives the schools in Michigan-and other areas-that are new to the program an advantage. Schools that are new to the PBIS program can see what strategies have worked in other schools, talk to teachers and administrators in these schools to talk about the program, and create their program based on the research that already exists on the subject. The high prevalence of this program in other schools also means that the likelihood that a new teacher entering the school has already had some level of exposure to the PBIS method is high; these new teachers with experience with PBIS will be able to help further integrate this program into their classrooms and the school overall.
PBIS allows for teachers, parents, and other adults to all be engaged in the education of students. By ensuring that the same methods are being taught in the classroom and at home, the positive behaviors that are taught in school can be reinforced at home. Often times, lessons that are taught in school by teachers is lost because the positive behaviors as not reinforced at home by the parents. By keeping the parents in the loop and making sure that they understand the expectations that are established in school, teachers can ensure that these expectations are also set at home for the students.
Using programs like PBIS in new schools is interesting to read about. Many people are already familiar with the program because it is already present in schools in their area, but for new teachers being introduced to the program it is a big change. Although this is a change for these teachers, the administrators in this-and many districts, see PBIS as an important method to prevent behavioral problems and reduce the need for intense and individual interventions (Scott, 2013). Being proactive about shaping behavior in students helps create a more positive and efficient learning environment than being reactive to problems that arise. The research surrounding PBIS shows that this program has been successful in many of the schools that use it and schools in Michigan that have already implemented the program have seen progress (Scott, 2013). The success of the program in this school will be closely monitored and it would be very interesting to see the results that they see in just a few years at this school!
References
Scott, M. (2013, June 25). Rockford schools to pilot behavior program at meadow ridge elementary. Retrieved from http://www.mlive.com/news/grand- rapids/index.ssf/2013/06/rockford_schools_to_pilot_beha.html
US Department of Education. (2009, May 24). School-wide pbis. Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org/school/default.aspx
I thought this was interesting. I wasn't aware of such a program. It's a good idea to have and seems to be very helpful.
ReplyDeleteWould you want this in a school that you teach at?
I think so yes? I like the idea of having parents and everyone involved in the process.
DeleteI agree with Jen. I found this article to be very interesting and I myself slso wasnt aware of such a program. I find having to have this type of school to probably be quite beneficial especially to those students who are struggling with behavior problems.It makes me think back to working at Orchard Place. We had a middle school and a high school on campus and though they were qualified teachers and the school followed material that was being taught in the Des Moines schools, it makes me curious looking back now if they considered their schools to be PBIS because I didnt know one kid at Orchard Place that didnt have some type of behavior problem. If you chose to teach in this type of school, what do you think would be your strenghts that you would have in dealing with those difficult students and what would you find to be the most challenging aspect of working in a school like that?
ReplyDeleteIf PBIS is so widely used, then why do the classroom behavior issues continue to grow? I find it interesting that schools all over the country continue to use a program that fails. The children in classrooms continue to be unruly and disrupt class. So what do we do? I think that is a battle that teachers will continue to fight no matter what happens. Like you said, the positive behavior needs to begin at home with the parents or guardians. Some children are unfortunate in their home life and their upbringing. Not all children are given the proper way to react to stress or other issues. Is it really up to the teachers though to correct the behavioral issues? Teachers already have very busy schedules between their own personal lives and the lives they live as teachers. Being forced to "raise" some children in the classroom is a real issue.
ReplyDeleteI think that teachers should help teach behavior but they shouldn't be the main drivers-the parents should be the ones that "mold" behavior in my opinion. But I do think that parents and teachers need to be on the same page-I think that is what is good about this program
DeletePBIS is definitely a approach that is gaining ground. PBIS is one of the subjects you will see a lot in the education classes. One of the schools I do observations in is Grandwood Education center. Grandwood Education center uses Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to maintain order and provide an environment that promotes healthy learning. Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a systemic approach to proactive, school-wide behavior based on a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. PBIS establishes a common understanding of expectations for everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteAccording to PBIS.org “Positive behavior supports is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs.” PBIS divides the program into three areas of focus, primary (school-wide), secondary (classroom), and tertiary (individual). PBIS establishes a system of supports that aim to make an overall change in all areas life (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation). It attempts to make problem behavior less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.
One of the things I noticed about PBIS is that it changes the outlook of problem behaviors. It addresses the behaviors with discussions and teaching of corrective ways to handle difficulties. I am very numbers and statistic oriented. I always like to see how they measure and analyze data. I would love to see a study done that researches the decline in the amount of negative behaviors seen in the classroom and how learning is improved.
Where would the weak link in the PBIS program be? Teachers, parents, or other adults that work with the student? What could a school do to improve that weak link?
I like the PBIS system is effective. I like the fact that it requires instruction and modeling so the children can learn, see and apply what is being expected of them. I do not feel it is fair to expect a child to behave appropriately when they may have never been taught. Each home has it's own rules and values so wrong and right are blurred. This program gives clear expectations and rewards for positive behavior. My daughter is nine and she responds very well to positive intervention rather than being scolded. She becomes more defiant if she is scolded and feels like a teacher does not like her. I have seen some creative rewards systems in the schools. What rewards ideas do you have for positive behavior?
ReplyDelete