PBIS is an evidence based framework for developing positive behavior.

It is used nationwide by schools to create a positive climate for learning.

PBIS is a framework for providing a broad range of systemic and individual strategies for achieving important academic and behavioral outcomes while preventing problem behavior.

PBIS focuses on teaching children positive behaviors and changing children’s environment so that using the positive behaviors become more effective for them than negative behaviors

PBIS was originally developed as a way to work with students and other individuals with developmental disabilities in various settings.

PBIS was used as an alternative to

punishment based interventions for self-injuring, aggressive or other behaviors that impeded individuals learning or the learning of others.

PBIS does not prescribe or advocate specific teaching practices or programs.

PBIS has key features that are essential to support children’s positive behaviors.

The Responsive Classroom is a research-based approach to teaching that offers K-8 schools practical strategies for achieving a positive learning climate.

Schools can use The Responsive Classroom approach as a way to implement high quality PBIS.

Research shows that schools who use The Responsive Classroom have:

◦ Children who score higher on reading and math tests

◦ Children that have better social skills

◦ Teachers that feel more effective and positive about teaching.

The Responsive Classroom is a philosophy of teaching based on 7 guiding principals or beliefs.

The Responsive Classroom offers many teaching practices that support their guiding principals.

The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum. 

How children learn is as important as what they learn: Process and content go hand in hand. 

The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction. 

To be successful academically and socially, children need a set of social skills: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. 

Knowing the children we teach-individually, culturally, and developmentally-is as important as knowing the content we teach. 

Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them as partners is essential to children's education. 

How the adults at school work together is as important as their individual competence: Lasting change begins with the adult community.

Morning Meeting - gathering as a whole class each morning to greet one another, share news, and warm up for the day ahead

Rule Creation - helping students create classroom rules to ensure an environment that allows all class members to meet their learning goals

Interactive Modeling - teaching children to notice and internalize expected behaviors through a unique modeling technique

Positive Teacher Language - using words and tone as a tool to promote children's active learning, sense of community, and self-discipline

Logical Consequences - responding to misbehavior in a way that allows children to fix and learn from their mistakes while preserving their dignity

Guided Discovery - introducing classroom materials using a format that encourages independence, creativity, and responsibility

Academic Choice - increasing student learning by allowing students teacher-structured choices in their work

Classroom Organization - setting up the physical room in ways that encourage students' independence, cooperation, and productivity

Working with Families - creating avenues for hearing parents' insights and helping them understand the school's teaching approaches

Collaborative Problem Solving - using conferencing, role playing, and other strategies to resolve problems with students

Aligning policies and procedures with Responsive Classroom philosophy - making sure everything from the lunch routine to the discipline policy enhances the self-management skills that children are learning through the Responsive Classroom approach

Allocating resources to support Responsive Classroom implementation - using time, money, space, and personnel to support staff in learning and using the Responsive Classroom approach

Planning all-school activities to build a sense of community - giving all of the school's children and staff opportunities to learn about and from each other through activities such as all-school meetings, cross-age recess or lunch, buddy classrooms, and cross-age book clubs

Welcoming families and the community as partners - involving family and community members in the children's education by maintaining two-way communication, inviting parents and others to visit and volunteer, and offering family activities

Organizing the physical environment to set a tone of learning - making sure, for example, that school wide rules are posted prominently, displays emphasize student work, and all school spaces are welcoming, clean, and orderly

PBIS Key Features: Responsive Classroom Practices:A common purpose and approach to discipline

Establishing a school wide discipline policy that staff and parents support

Training staff to use consistent methods of teachings the rules and responding to misbehavior

A small number of positively stated expectations for all students

Creating, in ways that build student investment, 3 to 5 positively stated rules in each classroom and for the whole school

Procedures for teaching these expectations

Using modeling, positive teacher language, and role-playing to teach children what is expected behaviors look and sound like

Providing students with structured practice of expected behaviors and explicit feedback

A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior

Using practices such as Morning Meeting, rule creation with students, modeling, and role-playing with the whole class

Using further modeling, additional role-playing , and individual written agreements with students who need more intensive supports

PBIS Key Features: Responsive Classroom Practices:A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior

Using positive reinforcing and reminding teacher language

Doing group reflection activities such as compliment circles and closing circles

A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior

Responding to misbehavior with positive redirecting teacher language and logical consequences

Using problem-solving strategies such as class meetings with the whole class or small groups and problem-solving conferences with individuals

Using individual written agreements with students who need additional support

Ongoing evaluation of effectiveness

Observing students, reflecting on the success of practices, and adjusting teaching techniques accordingly

Using the Responsive Classroom Assessment to collect data on the sue of specific strategies

PBIS Primary Prevention:◦ School/Classroom-wide systems for all students and

settings

RC Classroom Practices◦ Morning Meeting◦ Rule Creation◦ Interactive Modeling◦ Guided Discovery◦ Positive teacher language◦ Logical Consequences◦ Classroom Organization◦ Problem -solving Strategies

PBIS Secondary Prevention:• Additional systems for students with at-risk behavior

Responsive Classroom Practices◦ Additional Modeling◦ Additional Role-playing◦ Buddy teacher time out◦ Problem-solving strategies◦ Individual written agreement

Responsive Classroom does not offer tertiary prevention strategies, the individualized interventions for students at high risk, however it does provide a foundational supports for those students.

How positive behavior is reinforced◦ PBIS does not specify is allows for a wide range

from reinforcing teacher language to material rewards.

◦ RC emphasizes the use of reinforcing teacher language and complementing it with several additional practices: structured reflections and behavior self-assessments by students, opportunities for the class to celebrate its accomplishments as a whole, and opportunities for each child to celebrate his or her own individual process.

Rewards seemed to manage some behaviors, but only for brief periods of time. When you stop the rewards the behavior returns.

Rewards had to keep getting bigger and better to students to get their “buy-in”

Rewards encourage students to take the easy way out and discourage risk taking.

Rewards like stickers or prizes will become the sole focus and the significance for learning is lost.

Rewards discourage the nonwinners from giving their best because they knew someone else would get the reward

Rewards create situations where students are competing against each other rather than working as a team.

Rewards divert attention from the actual performance and learning; and can serve as a form of punishment. Kohn

Rewards can have negative effects on the self-esteem of winners and losers.

Students’ self-esteem can be enhanced and their self-concept can be more realistic when they are provided with quality feedback. Jensen

Optimal learning environments are characterized by physical and emotional safety, positive social bonding, stated of high challenging and low stress, control over one’s own leaning, and the possibility of hope. Borba, 1994 Cain, 1994, Jensen 1995

Rewards “ because they are predictable and have a value” are a form of bribery. Jensen

When genuinely acknowledged for their efforts and achievements, students develop socially healthy behavior. Optimal Learning environments, students feel they belong, and that they are valued and respected; they are friendlier to others and become more respectful and caring towards peers Kohn 1993 , Lumsden 1994

Rewards Recognition

Artificial: based on special events or activities set by others

Authentic: based on genuine accomplishments that occur every day

Impersonal: based on the decisions and choices of others

Personal: based on participation and choices of students

Exclusive: available to a select number of individuals who meet conditions set b others

Inclusive: available to all students without condition

Limited: restricts opportunities to a finite number of categories

Varied: provides infinite opportunities for recognizing students’ success

Rewards Recognition

Principal’s list and honor roll Expanding the recognition of students’ accomplishments outside of school

Giving tokens or prizes or privileges to certain students

Increasing opportunities for building a sense of school community

Showcasing teacher-created or commercial materials

Showcase student-created displays where a wide variety of accomplishments are featured

Programs like student of the month

Recognizing students diversity of expertise within the school community