P.B.I.S. Parent Handbook
Definition of Discipline
Unfortunately, “discipline” commonly is defined by procedures that focus on control with punishment consequences. This traditional discipline perspective is incomplete without attention to the development and support of pro-social behavior. Research suggests that punishment by itself is ineffective in achieving long-term suppression of problem behavior and enhancement of pro-social behavior. Therefore, a useful definition of discipline is “the steps or actions, teachers, administrators, parents, and students follow to enhance student academic and social behavior success.”
Proactive Approach to School-Wide Discipline
Schools that implement school-wide systems of positive behavior support focus on taking a team-based system approach and teaching appropriate behavior to all students in the school. Instead of using a patchwork of individual behavioral management plans, schools are moving toward school-wide discipline systems that address the entire school, the classroom, areas outside the classroom (such as hallways, restrooms, cafeteria, offices, classrooms), and the individual students with challenging behavior, and that result in a continuum of positive behavior support for all students.
Examples of Positive Reinforcements
- Eagle Tickets: These tickets are an integral part of the reinforcement plan. All adults in the building will use these to reinforce appropriate behavior. During the first days of schools these tickets are used quite extensively to acknowledge expected behaviors. It is important to positively acknowledge exhibited positive behaviors. Students will have two options when receiving tickets. Tickets may be used towards to ‘purchase’ food items during their lunch periods. Also students will be able to enter a weekly drawing.
- Spontaneous Rewards: Periodically, Mrs. Prusko or Mr. Ross may make unannounced visits into a classroom to see if students are meeting Eisenhower expectations. Students meeting the specific expectation, for example, using the assignment notebook every day for a week will be rewarded. Classroom teachers may also rewards students meeting expectations in a similar way.
- Celebrations: Students are eligible to attend celebrations that have never received a Major Office Referral indicating they had been sent to the office and received a consequence for not following an Eisenhower Expectation. These celebrations will occur near the end of each trimester.
Eisenhower Junior High School PBIS Continuum
To effectively change student behavior and improve the school climate, Eisenhower has developed a tiered plan of interventions to strengthen and support the PBIS program. The following diagram illustrates the multi-level approach offered to all students in the school. These group depictions represent systems of support not children (www.pbis.org).
Schools that have been successful in building school-wide systems develop procedures to accomplish the following:
Behavioral Expectations are Defined
A small number of clearly defined behavioral expectations are defined in positive, simple rules. Eisenhower’s expectations are the following three B’s: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe.
- Behavioral Expectations are Taught. The behavioral expectations are taught to all students in the building and are taught in real contexts.
- Appropriate Behaviors are Acknowledged. Once appropriate behaviors have been defined and taught they need to be acknowledged on a regular basis.
- Behavioral Errors are Corrected Proactively. When students violate behavioral expectations, clear procedures are needed for providing information to them that their behavior was unacceptable and for preventing that unacceptable behavior from resulting in inadvertent rewards.
- Program Evaluations and Adaptations are Made by a Team. School-wide systems of behavior support involve on-going modification and adaptation.
- Administrative Support and Involvement are Active. School-wide behavior support involves the active and on-going support and involvement of key administrators.
- Individual Student Support Systems are Integrated with School-wide Discipline Systems. School-wide behavior support is a process for establishing a positive culture in school.
Schools that have been successful in implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports describe the following benefits:
- Increases in attendance
- Student self-reports of a more positive and calm environment
- Teacher reports are more positive and calm environment
- Reduction in the proportion of students who engage in behavioral disruptions
- Reduction in the number of behavioral disruptions