Ensuring SWPBIS Works in Your Classroom

Ensuring SWPBIS Works in Your Classroom

School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is increasingly being implemented in schools and districts, and for good reason. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is shown to support positive behaviors and provide a multi-tiered system of intervention for students who need additional support. The systematic approach to improving behavior uses research-based techniques to improve student behavior, as well as data-driven analysis to identify students in need of intervention. However, PBIS is not an immediate fix. Studies show that student behavior modification is only as effective as the teacher's knowledge and use of PBIS techniques. Teachers need to be mindful of their use of PBIS techniques in order for their students to be truly successful.

Keep Students Engaged and Learning

Teachers know that the more their students are engaged and actively learning, the less behavior problems their students have. Successful classrooms have students who know what to do at all times. Routines and procedures greatly reduce behavior problems (NEA, n.d.). Explicit directions and instructions with checks for understanding enable students to know exactly how to complete assignments, which maximizes learning potential (Archer, A. L. & Hughes, C. A., n.d.). Effective teachers prepare students for success by having well-prepared procedures, routines, and lessons. 

Clearly State Rules and Expectations

Students work best in environments that have 3-5 clearly stated expectations. Examples of behavioral expectations include being punctual, respectful, responsible, safe, productive, and cooperative. PBIS expectations are adopted by the entire school and are visually stated in all areas with behavior matrices. After being explicitly taught what is expected and how to act, students use behavior matrices to remind themselves and others how to act in a particular area or setting. The classroom behavior matrix is fundamental in reminding students what is expected in that setting. 

Reinforce Positive Behavior

Good behavior needs positive reinforcement. School-Wide PBIS models have reinforcements in place that are consistent throughout the entire school and allow students to be recognized on a school-wide basis. Additionally, effective teachers may have reinforcements in their own classrooms that meet the individual needs of their students and follow the teacher's creative niche. Praise is the easiest, cheapest, and most effective reinforcement teachers can use to support and modify behavior. In fact, the more effective and directive praise teachers give, the more students will be on task and productive (Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., Stormont, M., 2012). Research shows that specific task praise in ratios of at least four positive interactions to one negative interaction significantly reduces negative behaviors and increases positive behaviors (Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., & Stormont, M., 2012). 

Respond to Negative Behavior with a Continuum of Strategies

PBIS schools have procedures and protocols in place that assist teachers with negative behaviors. Tier 1 strategies are universal and are successful with most of the student population. But when students are having trouble, Tier 2 and 3 strategies allow teachers to provide assistance with more direct or intensive help. PBIS schools have teams in place that discuss student behavior based on data, and these teams provide teachers with strategies to improve student behavior. Strategies are documented with data and reviewed for effectiveness. Intervention is formed to meet the specific and individual needs of the student, with the intention of being able to place the student back into Tier 1 as soon as possible. 

Teacher Self-Efficacy

Student behavior greatly affects teacher performance, so much so, that most teachers who leave the field in the first five years of service state the reason is student behavior (Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., & Stormont, M., 2012). Teachers who feel ineffective with student behavior are less likely to try new strategies and interventions to improve student behavior, and conversely, teachers who feel effective with student behavior are more likely to try new strategies to improve student behavior (Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., & Stormont, M., 2012). PBIS strategies and interventions are research-based and data-driven, providing effective improvement in student behavior, increasing teacher self-efficacy, and increasing the likelihood that positive interventions and supports will be used to improve behavior and learning in the classroom.

References:

Archer, A. L. & Hughes, C. A. (n.d.). Explicit instruction. Retrieved on October 22, 2016, from http://explicitinstruction.org/

NEA (n.d.). Determine classroom procedures before school starts. Retrieved on October 22, 2016, from http://www.nea.org/tools/determine-classroom-procedures-before-school-starts.html

Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., & Stormont, M. (2012). Classroom-level positive behavior supports in schools implementing SW-PBIS. Retrieved on October 22, 2016, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED540773.pdf