2024.03.23 What do successful readers do - Sandy Millin for PARK.pptx
Wa pbs team workbook day 1 and 2 version march 20 2013
1. Positive Behaviour Support
Team Workbook: Tier 1
Day 1 and 2
2013
These training materials were adapted from the Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support Team Workbook (2011-2012) who
have worked in partnership with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Center on Positive behavioural Interventions
and Supports (PBiS)
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
2. How Should I Use this Workbook?
The purpose of this workbook is to provide school teams in Western Australia with a practical resource
guide for implementing Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) in their school. It aims to provide PBS schools
with information, tools and local examples of evidence based approaches to behaviour management and
its effectiveness in terms of improving student behaviour, learning and school safety. New materials and
additional information on specific topics will be supplied to schools at PBS team training days 3 and 4.
It is important to stress that this workbook is a reference tool. It does not replace the need for process
support from a coordinator or coach who is experienced with change management in schools, behaviour
science, and PBS data, systems and practice. The information presented in this workbook will assist the
‘coach’ to develop independence in the school leadership team as they develop their skills and
understanding of the PBS implementation framework.
Through the initial PBS Awareness Workshop, your school staff was provided with an overview of the
WA PBS Seven Essential Components and the emphasis on teaching proactive and effective
social/behavioural skills. The teaching of these skills to staff and students is based on the same
instructional strategies you use to teach academics, so will not require staff to learn a separate set of
skills. What it will require is a fundamental change in thinking for some staff so that social behaviour is
viewed as a set of skills that should be clearly defined, encouraged, valued, taught and remediated. How
your team will lead the staff in creating a school culture where this thinking is the norm will be a key
component of your team training.
We look forward to working with your school PBS leadership team and supporting your progress not only
in PBS but also in your outcomes for the staff and students in your community.
PBS Implementation Outcomes
Schools using this approach will:
Implement a PBS school-wide approach to behaviour.
Develop sustainable systems to support their staff to manage student behaviour.
Develop, analyse and monitor data about student behaviour and school effectiveness and identify
targets for improvement.
Select evidence based interventions based on sound psychological theory.
Build on and integrate a range of existing strategies into sustainable improvement in behaviour,
learning and safety.
A Note on Implementation Fidelity
When a practice or program is implemented as intended by the researchers or developers, this is
referred to as fidelity of implementation
Research shows that when programs implemented with fidelity are compared to programs not
implemented with fidelity, the difference in effectiveness is profound. Those implemented with fidelity
yield results that are two to three times higher. (Durlak & DuPre 2008)
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
3. Table of Contents
Page
Introduction
o Frequently Used Acronyms
o Developing a Common Philosophy
o National Safe Schools Framework
o What is PBS
Positive Behaviour Support Overview
o Data, Practices and Systems
o Three Levels of Intervention
Positive Behaviour Support Essential Components
Component 1: Leadership
o Administrator Support, Participation and Leadership
o Team Operating Procedures
o Developing a Purpose Statement
o Team Roles and Responsibilities
o Developing Team Norms
o Leadership Team Meeting Agenda
o Developing an Operational Plan
o Communication Systems
o Tier 1 Implementation Ladder
o Working Smarter Matrix
Component 2: Defining Expected Behaviour
o Expectation Guidelines
o Develop Visuals
o Poster Competition Letter
o The Behaviour Matrix
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
4. Positive Behaviour Support
Establishing a positive, proactive school-wide behaviour management practice is a necessary first step
for enabling schools to achieve the educational goals of all students. Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
also known as SWPBS, supports the development of an approach based on the underlying principles of
decision making guided by data, the establishment of effective school wide routines and consistent
responding to behaviour, both positive and negative.
PBS is a research-based process that, when correctly implemented, is proven to create safer and more
effective schools. PBS relies on organisational change strategies to improve the social culture, learning
and teaching environment in schools, and to provide the individual behaviour supports needed to
achieve academic and social success for all students.
Schools implementing PBS build on existing strengths, complimenting and organising current
programming and strategies. Positive Behaviour Support is not a curriculum, a program or an
intervention. It differs from any program currently in place in that it is a whole school approach to
improvement.
.
The WA PBS Team Training program guides the members of the PBS leadership team in the
implementation of the seven essential components that make up the WA PBS framework.
The 7 components are;
1. Leadership
2. Defining expected behaviour
3. Teaching expected behaviour
4. Encouraging expected behaviour
5. Essential classroom practice
6. Responding to unproductive behaviour
7. Ongoing monitoring
These components are covered over a series of 4 x 1 day workshops. The first two of these workshops
are held on consecutive days while the remaining two days are not concurrent.
To ensure that the PBS Team Training is delivered effectively, the school principal needs to make
the following commitments:
School staff have attended a PBS awareness workshop.
There is >80% commitment to PBS by the staff.
The school has selected a representative leadership team to implement PBS.
The principal is a member of the school PBS leadership team.
Student behaviour / pastoral care is identified as one of the school’s top three priorities.
In addition, the school commits to:
Involvement in evaluation of the WA PBS implementation.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
5. Frequently Used Acronyms
DoE Department of Education
EBD Emotional/behaviour disorder
IBMP Individual Behaviour Management Plan
IEP Individual Education Plan
IDP Individual Documented Plan
ODR Office Discipline Referral
Guides a monthly review of ODRs that are collated and graphed.
The “Big 5 Report” includes:
1) Per Day Per Month
2) Problem Behaviour
3) Location
4) Time of Day
5) Number of Students Involved
PBIS Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports -or-
Positive Behavioural and Instructional Supports
PBS Positive Behaviour Support
PBS School Wide Positive Behaviour Support
(also referred to as Effective Behaviour and Instruction Support – EBIS;
Effective Behaviour Support – EBS)
Tier 1 Interventions Schoolwide evidence informed interventions that are put in place for all
Primary students
Universal
RtI Response to Intervention
SAS Self-Assessment Survey
Examines the current status and need for improvement of four
behaviour support systems:
(1) schoolwide discipline systems,
(2) non-classroom management systems,
(3) classroom management systems and
(4) individual student systems.
Tier 2 Interventions Interventions for a selected group of students
Secondary
SET Schoolwide Evaluation Tool
Research-validated instrument to assess and evaluate the critical
features of schoolwide effective behaviour support across an academic
school year. The SET helps to determine:
(1) the extent to which the school is already using PBS,
(2) if training and technical assistance efforts result in change when
using PBS,
(3) if use of PBS procedures is related to valued changes in the safety,
social culture and violent behaviour in the school.
Tier 3 Interventions Interventions that are specifically developed for an individual
Tertiary
TIC Team Implementation Checklist
Guides the development, implementation, monitoring and revision
process for building a positive schoolwide culture. Helps to sustain
efforts across time as well as through administrative and staff changes.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
6. Informing a Schoolwide Approach
The focus is on positive behaviour for learning based on evidence based principles and practices.
Background
The Department of Education position paper: Managing Student Behaviour requires our school leaders
to institute school-wide approaches to manage bullying and other behaviours that make schools unsafe
or disrupt the behaviour of other students. Improving student behaviour is a priority of the Department
Focus 2013: Directions for Schools.
The position paper emphasises that all schools need to have systems where high standards are
expected, where there is consistency across staff in the approach taken, where there is a clear code of
conduct, where staff work together, where parents are involved, and where the staff use evidence to
pinpoint problems and plan action.
The literature around school-wide approaches to positive behaviour management provides excellent
models to manage organisational change to achieve these objectives. Schools implementing these
approaches develop a school-wide multi tiered framework of interventions to improve behaviour,
academic outcomes and school safety. These are based on sound psychological principles. All
strategies are data driven and evidence based.
The DoE is encouraging schools to view behaviour in educational terms. Teaching students expected
behaviours, and ensuring educational adjustments complement behaviour interventions are cornerstones
of this approach. The Pipeline report highlighted the issue of disengaged students and students with low
level disruptive behaviours. As well as addressing more challenging behaviours, a key strategy in
Positive Behaviour Support is for schools to implement universal strategies that have been shown to
maintain engagement and positive behaviour in about eighty percent of students.
Positive Behaviour Support is a positive, proactive schoolwide organisational framework which utilises a
change management model with the potential to address DoE priorities and result in improved academic
outcomes, student behaviour and school safety.
Alignment with Department plans
This approach is in accord with the intentions of the
Behaviour Management in Schools Policy
Managing Student Behaviour DET position paper
Director General’s Classroom First Strategy
Department of Education, Focus 2013, Directions for schools.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
7. How to Effectively Manage and Teach Behaviour in Schools
Students in our schools come from many different backgrounds and cultures that view “behaviour”
differently thus we cannot assume that students know how to behave appropriately when at school.
Furthermore, many of our students are making poor choices when confronted with a conflict.
Consequently, we must teach our students how to behave at school to ensure that they do make better
choices. PBS views inappropriate behaviour in the same manner that problems in reading or math are
viewed…as a skill deficit. When a skill deficit exists, we must teach the appropriate skill.
The science of human behaviour has taught us that students are not “born with bad behaviour,” and they
do not learn better ways of behaving when given aversive consequences for their problem behaviours
(Alberto and Troutman, 2001; Sulzer-Azaroff and Mayer, 1994; Walker et al., 1996). Successfully
addressing problem behaviour requires an increased emphasis on proactive approaches in which
expected and more socially acceptable behaviours are directly taught, regularly practised in the natural
environment, and followed by frequent positive reinforcement.
A literature review conducted by Peter Hamilton, Director, Behaviour Standards and Wellbeing and
presented to Department of Education and Training State Executive (2005) found that there are ten key
elements apparent in schools that are effective in managing behaviour and in teaching positive
behaviours.
These elements are that schools:
Adopt a whole school approach rather than an individual classroom approach.
Are proactive rather than only reactive
Respond by helping students reflect and learn rather than relying on punishment alone.
Have teachers who act with authority in and outside the classroom rather than being endlessly
flexible.
Emphasise self-discipline rather than compliance with rules.
Have good support systems for teachers that keep them responsible for managing the behaviour
of their students.
Have good support systems for individual students who need it.
Are proactive in terms of parent involvement.
Use evidence in planning to improve student behaviour.
Use outside help to build the capacity of the school to solve its own problems more skilfully rather
than simply to fix the immediate problem.
These elements have been incorporated into the Department’s BMIS policy. The policy states that
principals are responsible for developing behaviour management approaches which: are preventative in
nature; promote pro-social behaviour, student wellbeing and the development of self discipline; and
focus on early intervention. It also states that schools need to develop a whole school approach to
behaviour management that is underpinned by the following additional principles: appropriate curriculum
and learning programs will encourage engagement; restorative and educative practices best promote
positive behaviour; student behaviour must not be viewed in isolation but as part of an interaction; and
evidence-based decision making, reporting, recording and appropriate referral are vital. Establishing a
positive, proactive schoolwide discipline plan is a necessary first step for enabling schools to achieve
their goals and responsibilities for all students. PBS supports the development of these approaches and
underlying principles
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
8. Key Beliefs
Belief Statement One
Unless educational change results
in altered teacher practice in the
classroom its impact on student
achievement will not be great.
Belief Statement Two
Most educational change that is
directed towards classroom practice
fails not because the original ideas
are without worth, but because the
change is implemented so poorly.
Awareness Comprehension Transfer
What Was It About? Understand Key Uses The Learning
Joyce and Showers 2002 What Were The Key Ideas? In The Classroom
Ideas? Can Do The Skill In Setting?
The Workshop?
Input
• Lecture/Tell
• Talking 90% ------- 2 – 5%
Head/Information
Modelling/
Demonstration
• Talks/Models
90% ------- 5%
Practice And Check For
Understanding 90%
• Model/Practice/ 90% 10%
Feedback
Observation And Coaching
• All Of The Above 90% 90% 90%
• Observe Me Do It And
Give Feedback
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
9. Key Beliefs
Political
Funding Visibility Policy
Support
LEADERSHIP TEAM
(Coordination)
Behavioral
Training Coaching Evaluation
Expertise
Local School/District Implementation
Demonstrations
Belief Statement Three
It is sometimes easier to
behave your way into a new
way of thinking than it is to
think your way into a new
way of behaving.
Belief Statement Four
There is no one right way to
teach, but some are more
effective than others.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
10. National Safe Schools Framework
The National Safe Schools Framework helps Australian schools to develop effective student safety and
wellbeing policies. The Australian Government collaborated with state and territory governments on the
National Safe Schools Framework (the Framework) as part of a national approach to supporting schools
to build safe school communities.
The Framework provides Australian schools with a vision and a set of guiding principles to help school
communities be proactive in developing effective student safety and wellbeing policies. This vision
includes creating learning environments which are free from bullying, harassment, aggression and
violence.
The Framework was endorsed by all ministers for education through the Ministerial Council for
Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs in December 2010. It was officially launched
by the Hon Peter Garrett, MP AM, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth on March
2011 to coincide with the inaugural National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.
Vision
The National Safe Schools Framework is based on the following overarching vision:
All Australian schools are safe, supportive and respectful teaching and learning communities that
promote student wellbeing.
Guiding principles
The vision is supported by guiding principles for safe, supportive and respectful school communities.
These guiding principles emphasis the importance of student safety and wellbeing for effective learning
in all school settings.
Australian schools:
affirm the rights of all members of the school community to feel safe and be safe at school
acknowledge that being safe and supported at school is essential for student wellbeing and
effective learning
accept responsibility for developing and sustaining safe and supportive learning and teaching
communities that also fulfill the school’s child protection responsibilities
encourage the active participation of all school community members in developing and maintaining
a safe school community where diversity is valued
actively support young people to develop understanding and skills to keep themselves and others
safe
commit to developing a safe school community through a whole-school andevidence-based
approach
The framework also identifies nine elements in adopting a whole school approach to safety and
wellbeing based on evidence-informed practices.
The nine elements of the National Safe Schools Framework are:
1. Leadership commitment to a safe school
2. A supportive and connected school culture
3. Policies and procedures
4. Professional learning
5. Positive behaviour management
6. Engagement, skill development and a safe school curriculum
7. A focus on student wellbeing and student ownership
8. Early intervention and targeted support
9. Partnerships with families and community (MCEECDYA, 2011)
Further information on the NSSF can be found at:http://deewr.gov.au/national-safe-schools-framework-0
Many schools adopt a positive approach; however PBS goes a step further by incorporating these
positive strategies into a framework for school improvement. This framework guides the process of
selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioural
practices for improving important academic and behaviour outcomes for all students.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
11. How has childhood changed?
Partner Activity
How was your childhood different from kids today?
Team Activity
How are kids different today? How are they the same?
There are five main areas that have experienced marked changes over the past 30-40 years which
may explain the increases in problems for children and youth:
Demographic Changes
Economic Changes
Women in the Workforce
Changes in Family Structures
Increased Consuming Technologies
Fiona Stanley, Sue Richardson and Margot Prior (2005)
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
12. What are some of the challenges facing schools today?
Schools today are facing intense scrutiny and are under tremendous pressure for improvement. Colvin
(2007) suggests that there are several major issues that place significant demands on schools.
Increasing Diversity of Students
Our schools are becoming increasingly ethnically, culturally, socially and economically diverse.
Despite 20 years of economic growth, many people in Australia do not have at least a decent basic
standard of living.
The recently released ‘Poverty and Inequality in Australia’ report shows that in Australia, one in eight
people, including one in six children, were living at or below the poverty line. This equates to 2,265,000
people (12.8% of all people) and significantly includes 575,000 children (17.3% of all children) who were
living below the poverty line. (Australian Council of Social Service, 2012)These students bring
educational, social and familial problems schools are expected to overcome. (Walker, Colvin & Ramsey)
Students with Special Needs
Increasing proportions of our youth have complex diseases such as asthma, diabetes, intellectual
disabilities and particularly psychological problems such as depression/anxiety, suicide and eating
disorders.
Possibly the most worrying trend is the perceived dramatic increase in a range of behaviour problems
such as attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity and dangerous activities such as substance abuse.
(Stanley, Richardsopn & Prioir, 2005) Even though these students represent a small proportion of our
schools’ enrolment, they typically account for more than 60% of the discipline problems, disrupt learning,
and consume significant amounts of teacher and administrative time. (Sugai, Sprague, Horner & Walker
2000; Taylor-Green et al., 1997) These students place high demands on staff, requiring carefully
planned, individual support.
Growing Student Alienation
With the increasing diversity and changes in home structures, teachers report that some students have a
diminished respect for role-bound authority and a limited value for education. Alienation is one of the
factors contributing to students dropping out of school. (Scanlon & Millard, 2002)
Educators are challenged to find interventions necessary to address reluctant students, including
revising curriculum, academic and behaviour support, staff professional learning and parent/community
supports.
School Accountability for Academic Performance
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
13. What is Positive Behaviour Support?
Since its inception, PBS has developed into a framework that can be used by any school to help improve
the social and learning behaviours of students and decrease disruptions that interfere with instruction.
The PBS model has been successfully implemented in thousands of schools, resulting in reductions in
disciplinary interventions and increases in academic achievement.
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support:
• Addresses the behavioural needs of all students with proven, easy to implement strategies.
• Allows the school to create the “right fit” for them, so that practices are appropriate to the context and
sustainable over time.
• Is doable and does not have to overwhelm staff given the limited time and resources that schools
generally experience.
• Is affordable.
• Helps to create a positive school climate.
• Results in increased time for instruction and fewer disciplinary incidents.
PBS is not a curriculum, intervention or practice, but is a decision making framework that guides
selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence based academic and behavioural
practices for improving important academic and behaviour outcomes for all students. It is a prevention
model, based on the premise that all students can benefit from well implemented, evidence-based
practices for improving student behaviour. PBS provides a comprehensive framework that can be used
by any school to design their own system of behavioural supports for all students. It also provides
informed decision making, based upon data analysis that guides the process of assessing student needs
and providing additional levels of behavioural support to students in need.
The following principles are used to guide decisions and actions when implementing PBS:
Establish school discipline as an instrument for academic and behaviour success
Consider and implement schoolwide practices and systems for all students, all staff, and all
settings
Emphasise prevention
Utilise research-validated practices, interventions, and strategies
Integrate initiatives, programs, and interventions that have common outcomes
Build and sustain a continuum of behaviour support
Coordinate efforts with a schoolwide leadership team
Use data to guide decision making
Make decisions that are linked to important and measurable outcomes
Evaluate continuously
Emphasise an instructional approach to behaviour management
Adapt products, activities, actions, etc. to align with cultural and demographic characteristics
of the local community.
PBS applies evidence-based approaches, practices and strategies for all students to increase academic
performance, improve safety, decrease problem behaviour, and establish a positive school culture.
Schools implementing PBS build on existing strengths, complementing and organising current
programming and strategies.
PBS provides an organisational approach or framework for:
improving the social behavioural climate of schools
supporting or enhancing the impact of academic instruction on achievement
increasing proactive/positive/preventive management while decreasing reactive management
integrating academic and behaviour initiatives
improving support for all students, including students at risk and students with emotional
behavioural disabilities (EBD)
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
14. Why ‘Getting Tough’ Doesn’t Work
The Traditional View of Discipline
Approaches to behaviour management in schools often rest on authority, coercion, exclusion and
regulation. These traditional and reactive approaches to discipline represent the challenge that schools
face in relation to the resilience of particular practices and beliefs about problematic student behaviour,
despite evidence of their ineffectiveness. When educators are asked to define discipline, a common
response is ‘punishment for rule breaking behaviour.’ Schools traditionally have developed a list of
prohibitive rules and a series of increasingly severe punishments for students who are unable to follow
these rules.
Attempts to respond to challenging behaviour in schools often result in an over reliance on the use of
aversive and exclusionary consequences. For example, teachers respond to chronic problem behaviour
by increasing their use of verbal reprimands, loss of privileges, and exclusionary consequences. If
student behaviour does not improve, school systems increase their reactive responses by establishing
zero tolerance policies, increasing surveillance and excluding students from school. Justification for the
increased use of reactive management strategies is based on the erroneous assumption that the student
is ‘inherently bad’ and ‘will learn a better way of behaving next time’.
This over reliance on reactive management practices is a predictable outcome because teachers,
parents and school administration experience an immediate reduction or removal of the problem
behaviour when they use strong aversive practices. Having experienced a reduction and relief from the
student problem behaviour, they are more likely to use reactive management practices when future
student problem behaviour occurs. Unfortunately these reductions are temporary, and problem
behaviours typically recur, sometimes at higher rates and more intensive levels.
Although the use of aversive consequences can inhibit the occurrence of problem behaviour in students
who are already relatively successful at school, these procedures tend to be least effective for students
with the most severe problem behaviours. In addition a number of negative side effects are associated
with the exclusive use of reactive approaches to discipline.
A punishing climate can be a setting event for problem behaviours. (Sulzer-Azaroff and Mayer,
1974)
A school climate relying on punishing consequences can provoke problem behaviours (Sulzer-
Azaroff and Mayer, 1974) such as increases in anti social behaviour, breakdown of student-
teacher relations, degradation of school/social climate, and/or decreases in academic
achievement.
A literature review conducted by the National Safe Schools Framework (2011) found that when
teachers use behaviour management strategies that are based on dominance and submission,
they model this type of behaviour for students.
Research shows that punishing problem behaviour without a positive,
proactive, and instructional approach results in increased:
• Aggression
• Vandalism
• Truancy
• Dropouts
• (Mayer & Sulzer-Azaroff, 1990; Skiba, Peterson & Williams, 1997)
In reality, punishments satisfy the punisher, but have little lasting effect on the punished. (Losen, 2011)
The use of exclusionary approaches is in direct conflict with schools missions to help all students achieve
their fullest potential. Punitive policies fail the very students they target. Is it reasonable to exclude
students with social, emotional and behavioural needs from the one environment that may allow them to
learn the vital skills, behaviours and attitudes necessary to function successfully, not only in school, but
also in the community and workforce?
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
15. Why ‘Getting Tough’ Doesn’t Work
Individual Activity
Read the following classroom scenario. Write some teacher actions that would be a sure fire way to
escalate the situation.
Mark turns up to class late
and clearly agitated,
muttering under his breath.
He comes into class and
slams the door loudly.
He then sits down and puts
his head on his desk.
Partner Activity
Think about your schooling
and an effective teacher that
you remember.
What did they say or do to
manage unproductive
behaviour?
Universal Needs
Maslow Dreikurs Glasser Brendtro, Stanley et.al
(1968) (1972) (1986) Brokenleg, & (2005)
Van Bockern
(1990)
Survival Survival Mastery Competence
Belonging Belonging Belonging Belonging Belonging
Love Power Independence Independence
Autonomy
Esteem Fun Generosity Connectedness
Self- Actualisation Freedom
“Teaching and learning in our society is a social process and we must create schools that satisfy
the students’, and teachers’, needs to belong and be respected.”
Bennett & Smilanich, 1994
The crux of successful behaviour management is acting to meet students’ needs rather than
simply reacting when they misbehave.
Managing Student Behaviour WA DoE Position Paper
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
16. Rethinking Discipline
A Starting Point
We can’t make students learn or behave.
We can create environments that increase the likelihood that students will learn and behave.
Environments that increase this likelihood are guided by a core curriculum which is
implemented with consistency and fidelity.
Discipline is Teaching
As we seek to ensure inclusive learning environments, our thinking regarding discipline needs to change.
Is discipline concerned with punishing misbehaviour or with preventing it?
Discipline
teaching to act in accordance with rules;
activity, exercise, instruction, or a regimen that develops or
improves a skill; training.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary
(fr. Latin disciplina; teaching, learning) Instruction that
corrects, molds or perfects character and develops self-control.
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
Discipline is synonymous with teaching. Given that most schools have a discipline policy that includes
consequences for inappropriate behaviour, our task is to develop a continuum of procedures for
discouraging inappropriate behaviour that focuses on teaching and helping students to learn the desired
behaviours instead of merely punishing (Lewis & Sugai, 1999).
Discipline is the slow, ongoing, sometimes time consuming task of helping students see the sense of
acting in certain ways. This thinking is in line with the high probability explanation for many discipline
problems today – skill deficit. This understands that many students come from environments that have
not taught or expected pro-social behaviour for school success and they have a limited repertoire of
behaviours and do not know how to behave responsibly in a school setting. Blaming the student and
responding by ‘getting tough’ will not alter the skill deficit; teaching will.
Reaching today’s students requires a teaching focus – teaching students how to be successful snd
behave responsibly in school. This is based on the belief that social behaviour is learned and can
therefore be taught. Students can be taught socially acceptable ways of behaving just as one would
teach any academic subject. Discipline should be based on the very same instructional concepts used to
facilitate academic learning.
Reasons for Inappropriate Behaviour:
1. Skill Deficit –absent skill levels or insufficient opportunity to learn and practice the expected
behaviour
2. Performance Deficit – a lack of motivation to perform the preferred behaviour
Either problem–absent skill or lack of motivation–requires more teaching and practice to resolve
3. Adult behaviour - inadvertently reinforces incorrect skills.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
17. Rethinking Discipline
The science of behaviour has taught us that
If a child doesn’t know how to read we teach. students’
If a child doesn’t know how to spell we teach.
• Are NOT born with “bad behaviours”
If a child doesn’t know how to count we teach.
• Do NOT learn better ways of behaving
If a child doesn’t know how to behave,
we.... teach? punish? when given aversive consequences.
• Do learn better ways of behaving when
behaviours are directly taught, regularly
Why can’t we finish the last sentence as
practised in the natural environment, and
automatically as the others?
followed by frequent positive
reinforcement.
Partner Activity – Correcting an academic error
How did you get the correct response?
Academic and Behaviour Errors: A Comparison of Approaches
Error Type Approaches for Academic Errors Ineffective Approaches for Behaviour
Errors
Infrequent Assume student is trying to make Assume student is choosing to be
correct response; error was accidental, bad, error was deliberate, a
a skill deficit. performance deficit.
Provide assistance (teach, model, Use consequences/punish.
guide, check)
Provide more practise and feedback, Practise not required.
monitor progress.
Assume student has learned skill and Assume student has learned lesson
will perform correctly in the future. and will behave correctly in the future.
Frequent Assume student has learned the wrong Assume the student is refusing to
way or has inadvertently been taught cooperate; student knows what is right
the incorrect way. and is being defiant.
Diagnose problem, determine more Provide more severe consequences;
effective way to teach. remove student from teaching context.
(Office referral, detention, suspension
etc.)
Adjust teaching arrangements to Maintain student removal from
accommodate learner needs. Provide teaching context.
practise and feedback
Assume student has learned skill and Assume student has learned lesson
will perform correctly in the future. and will behave in the future.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
18. The Science of Behaviour
Behaviour is Functional
PBS is grounded in the science of behaviour or applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Applied behaviour
analysis is the design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications to produce socially
significant improvement in behaviour. In short, the science of behaviour focuses on changes in the
environment to result in changed behaviour. Thus in PBS we are focusing on changing the behaviour of
the adults to change the environment that will, in turn, encourage change in student behaviour.
Behaviour is a form of communication and some students learn that problem behaviour is the best way
to get their needs met. As adults, we need to recognise that recurring misbehaviour occurs for a reason
and take this into account when determining how to respond to misbehaviour. When we are able to
identify the function or purpose of the behaviour, we can more effectively intervene.
If a student repeatedly engages in problem behaviour, he/she is most likely doing it for a reason – it is
‘paying off’ for the student. Therefore the behaviour is functional and serves a purpose for the student.
Central to understanding applied behaviour analysis is knowing your ABCs;
Antecedent – Behaviour – Consequence. That is, something happens preceding the
behaviour (the Antecedent), which in effect causes or influences the Behaviour, which results in
Consequences.
Remember that behaviour is functional; it is not good or bad. It is functional because it pays off in some
way and the student is encouraged to repeat the behaviour.
In PBS there is a strong focus on Antecedents, the things we can do as adults to support students to be
successful in achieving behavioural outcomes.
(A)Antecedent (B) Behaviour (C) Consequence
Conditions and An observable act. The resulting event or
circumstances that increase outcome that occurs
the probability of a behaviour What the student says and immediately following the
occurring. does in response to the behaviour.
antecedent.
What happens before the A consequence either
behaviour occurs? increases or decreases the
likelihood the behaviour will
occur in the future.
PBS Example
Expectations are displayed Students walk quietly to line Teacher provides class and
on the school wide matrix. up, keeping voices quiet and individual students with
hands and feet to sel. specific feedback and
Transition behaviour is encouragement.
clearly defined and taught.
“Tim, thanks for being
Teacher gives a pre-correct respectful and using a quiet
before the class begins voice.”
transition.
Teacher gives student the
“Remember to be safe and school encouragement
respectful by having a quiet system tangible.
voice and keeping your
hands and feet to yourself.”
Teacher actively supervises
transition.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
19. Developing a Common Philosophy
Individual Activity
The following beliefs reflect current literature and best practices in school discipline. Read and choose
the one that resonates with your beliefs. Complete a Quick Write explaining why you selected it.
Partner Activity
Share your explanation with a partner
1. Students today may not have had the
opportunity to learn acceptable behaviour.
We cannot assume that students know the
behaviours and social skills required for
success at school and in life. Behaviour is
learned, therefore responsible behaviour
can be taught.
2. Punishment focuses on what not to do and
does not teach the student alternative
successful ways to behave. Student
discipline is best achieved through
instruction rather than punishment
3. For behaviour change to occur, we must
use positive approaches that strengthen
teacher-student relationships
4. Students need and want high standards for
their behaviour. Maintaining high
expectations does not require “get tough”
or punitive approaches.
5. Student discipline is a shared responsibility
and requires a combined effort by all staff.
All staff must work together, developing
consensus on procedures and consistent
implementation. Successful change in
discipline practices requires school wide
systematic approaches.
6. Services for students with chronic or
intense behaviours are most effective
within the context of a larger schoolwide
commitment to the social development of
all students.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
20. The PBS Framework
Outcomes, Data, Practices and Systems
Accurate and sustained implementation of any approach in a school environment can often be hindered
by the demands of competing initiatives; the use of traditional disciplinary practices that are contrary to
the underlying philosophy of a positive behaviour approach or the tendency to adopt new strategies for a
short period of time. The PBS approach differs from others as it emphasises sustained use of effective
behavioural practices from a systems perspective. (Greenwood, Delquadri, & Bulgren, 1993; Latham,
1988)
This systems perspective focuses on the collective actions of individuals within a school and how they
contribute to the way the school as a whole operates. Individuals within a school need school system
level supports to sustain the desired goal related behaviours.
The ultimate goal is for school improvement to become embedded to the extent that:
1. It is established in the school’s direction
2. Leadership provides ongoing support for the practices
3. Staff possess the essential knowledge, attitudes and skills
4. Policies and procedures support the work.
Four elements guide the systematic implementation of PBS – Outcomes, Data, Practices and
Systems. Positive Behaviour Support is not a curriculum, a program or an intervention. It differs from
any program currently in place in that it is an approach to school improvement that requires
development of these four integrated elements:
• Identifying outcomes in the form of agreed expectations for student and staff behaviour.
Monitoring and reviewing these outcomes. “What do we want to see?”
• Using data for decision making. PBS schools collect data about student behaviour, student
responsiveness to behaviour interventions and teacher effectiveness in implementing agreed
behaviour management practices. PBS schools have access to self assessment, audit and
planning tools. “What do we currently see and know?”
• Adopting practices with evidence that desired outcomes are achievable.
“What practices could effectively, efficiently, and relevantly achieve what we want to
see?”
Putting in place systems that efficiently and effectively support schools and teachers to
implement these practices. Systems include a team identified to lead PBS in the school; data
management systems, training arrangements and technical supports for teachers.
“What needs to be in place to support:
1. the informed adoption of practices and
2. full implementation that is contextualised, accurate, and sustainable?”
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
21. The PBS Framework
Outcomes, Data, Practices and Systems
Implementation is Interactive and Informing
Effective implementation of an evidence based practice requires these four interactive elements.
Following this framework enables continuous monitoring, informed decision making, and continuous self
enhancement.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
22. Evidence Based Behavioural Practices and Interventions
Behaviour management practices adopted by PBS schools are based on well researched behaviour
science that accords with the Director General’s statement on Managing Student Behaviour. The
statement highlights an educative (behaviour is learned and can be taught), ecological (behaviour is
influenced by the situation in which it occurs) and functional (behaviour is purposeful) perspective on
behaviour.
Students need to experience consequences so they know which behaviour is acceptable, and which is
not, but they do not learn better ways of behaving when only given aversive consequences. To learn
better ways of behaving, students must be directly taught the replacement behaviours. To retain new
behaviours, students must be given specific, positive feedback and opportunities to practise in a variety
of settings. School procedures based on these principles are in line with current evidence based best
practice in the educational literature.
PBS emphasises the selection and implementation of the most appropriate, effective, efficient and
relevant practices and interventions that match the needs, resources and competence of users. Some of
these behavioural interventions and practices are listed below.
PBS Practices and Interventions
School Wide Principal leadership and support
All students, all staff, Common behaviour purpose and approach to discipline lead by a
across all settings representative PBS leadership team.
Clearly defined behaviour expectations and behaviours
Procedures for teaching expected behaviours
A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behaviour
Continuum of procedures for responding to unproductive behaviour
Procedures for ongoing data based monitoring and evaluation
Classroom Classroom routines and procedures identified, taught and acknowledged
Non Classroom Active teacher supervision by all staff, emphasising proximity, scanning
Settings and frequent interactions
CMS Low key Responses
Winning Over
Pre corrections
4:1 ratio of specific positive feedback
Respectful, consistent redirection and error correction
Multiple opportunities to respond
Offering academic choice
Student Function based support planning
Individual or groups Team and data based decision making
of students whose Check in Check out
behaviours are not Targeted social skills lessons
responsive to Tier 1 Individualised instructional accommodation
interventions Comprehensive person centered planning and wrap around processes
Family Frequent, regular and positive contacts, communications and
Engaging and acknowledgements
supporting family Formal and active participation and involvement as equal partners
participation and Access to system of integrated school and community resources
access to resources
of the school
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
23. Three Tier Continuum of Behaviour Support
A major advance in schoolwide discipline is the emphasis on schoolwide systems of support that include
proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviours. Instead of
using a patchwork of individual behavioural management plans, a continuum of positive behaviour
support for all students is implemented in the classroom and non-classroom settings.
Systems of support are implemented by making problem behaviour less effective, efficient, and relevant,
and making desired behaviour more functional. A continuum is needed because a relatively small
proportion of students (1-15%) have learning histories that cause general schoolwide interventions (Tier
One) to be ineffective. These students require additional specialised and individualised interventions.
Schoolwide discipline systems should not be abandoned because the behaviours of these students are
unresponsive. Instead, schools should think of schoolwide discipline systems as being important
foundations for (a) supporting the majority of students, (b) preventing the development of chronic
problem behaviour for students with high risk backgrounds and learning histories, and (c) providing
more specialised and individualised behaviour supports for students with high intensity, difficult-to-
change problem behaviours.
PBS is designed to meet the unique behavioural needs of each school and every student through this
continuum of support which has three broad levels of implementation. These three levels operationalise
prevention from a public health perspective, and emphasise interventions that range from preventing the
development of inappropriate behaviour (Tier 1 – Universal) to reducing the frequency or intensity of
(Tier 2 and 3) problem behaviour occurrences. This continuum of school wide, instructional and positive
behaviour supports is a defining feature of PBS.
Tier 1/Universal - Interventions for all students
Initially, school PBS leadership teams develop Tier 1 or Universal school wide management strategies
designed to meet the needs of all students and develop a common language and focus for all school
staff, families, and community members. Tier 1 strategies are designed to be implemented consistently
and efficiently across all school settings, classroom and non-classroom, staff and students. This
includes teaching specific behaviours or social skills that will lead to success in school, providing
frequent positive reinforcement for expected behaviour, consistently addressing social/ behavioural
errors, and arranging teaching and learning environments to ensure success for all. This level should
meet the needs of approximately 80 percent of a school’s student body.
Tier 2/Targeted Group - Interventions for some students (at risk)
Tier 2 support is developed to provide targeted group based strategies for students who
present high risk factors and who require repeated practice and environmental modifications to
increase their likelihood of academic and social/behavioural success. These strategies are
matched to need or function-based and applied to the relatively small proportion of students
who require more than Tier 1 prevention support for their social success in school. Although
they are linked to Tier 1 interventions, Tier 2 interventions are more intensive and typically
require more adult attention and monitoring. The behavioural strategies of Tier 2 can be likened
to the small group academic interventions for students requiring additional instruction or
practise to keep up with the standard curriculum. Approximately 15 percent of students are at
risk and in need of Tier 2 interventions.
Tier 3/Targeted Individual - Individual Students
Tier 3 systems of support are developed to provide highly specialised strategies for the
relatively small number of students who engage in chronic challenging behaviour that is
unresponsive to Tier 1 or Tier 2 interventions. At this level a team approach using inter agency
support develop a team based and comprehensive behaviour intervention plan. This can be
likened to the student who is unable to read using the standard curriculum and requires a highly
prescribed and individualised reading intervention approach. Approximately 5 percent of the
student body will require indivualised attention.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
24. Three Tier Continuum of Behaviour Support
The image below illustrates the continuum of support for PBS and its academic counterpart.
The three tiered prevention logic organises practices and systems along a continuum of increasing
intensity and/or complexity. Although the continuum is dynamic and blended the three tiers are
generally described as follows:
Tier 3: Intensive practices and systems for students whose behaviours have
(Intensive) been documented as not responsive at tiers 1 and 2.
Behaviours of 1- 10% of students Individualised to the specific needs and strengths of the student
More intensive and specialised practices and systems for students
Tier 2:
whose behaviours have been documented as not responsive at tier
(Targeted)
Behaviours of 10- 30% of students 1. Generally provided in a standardised manner in small student
groupings.
Tier 1: (Universal)
Practices and systems for all students and staff implemented across
Behaviours of 70-90% of students
all school settings.
Continuum of support
Many aspects of this continuum may already be in place in your school, however many schools
implement such support strategies separately in an unconnected way. With the PBS process, all small
group and individual interventions are connected to the school wide Tier 1 system, using a common
language, tying together systems and keeping all staff informed. When a true connected continuum of
supports has a common base, schools are able to increase their effectiveness and efficiency in
supporting students with challenging behaviour.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
25. Three Tier Continuum of Behaviour Support
Notes:
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
26. Three Tier Continuum of Behaviour Support
Activity
List the current practices and interventions in place at your school in each of these three levels of
implementation.
Write an R or P next to each practice to describe whether they are preventative or reactive.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
27. WA PBS TIER 1 Seven Essential Components
There are seven ‘essential component’ of PBS that together from a highly effective approach to school
wide discipline. Each component is vital; that is they operate together to ensure the positive and
proactive approach to discipline that is likely to lead to behavioural and academic success.
PBS Essential Description
Components
1. The PBS leadership team includes the school principal and a team that is
Leadership representative of the school staff. The team leads the school through a process of
developing and gaining consensus on beliefs, expectations and procedures along
with a written plan. This full staff involvement in the process is crucial, and effective
leadership utilises effective and efficient group processes to engage staff,
understand change and the stages of implementation, and provide effective
professional development.
Just as schools rely on the direction provided by their academic curriculums,
2. success with student discipline begins with clear behavioural expectations- a
Defining behavioural curriculum. These expectations are a vision of responsible student
Expected behaviour and social competence. Agreed upon expectations promote consistency
Behaviour across staff through a common language and assists educators to be proactive in
recognising students behaving responsibly. This agreed upon behavioural
curriculum, consistently upheld, is one of the most important aspects of school
discipline.
3. Once expectations have been defined, systematic teaching of the expected
Teaching behaviours must be a routine part of the school day. This teaching uses the same
Expected methods as teaching academic skills, through modelling, practise and feedback.
Behaviour Lesson plans, teaching schedules and special activities and events are planned to
guide the ongoing teaching of expected behaviours.
Staff not only teach and model expected behaviour, but must also watch for and
4. provide regular feedback to students about their behavioural progress. Creating a
Encouraging school culture where expected behaviours are the norm requires that staff interact
Expected with students four times more frequently when they have engaged in appropriate
Behaviour behaviour than when the student is misbehaving.
5. These practices impact academic learning time and ultimately student achievement
Essential while ensuring a positive and welcoming learning environment. They represent the
Classroom facets of classroom teaching under the teacher’s control that have been identified
Practice as evidence based practices to maximise learning for all students while minimising
discipline problems.
6. Unproductive behaviour also requires feedback and should be viewed as a teaching
Responding to opportunity – a chance to clarify and re-teach expectations. The same calm
Unproductive instructional approach used when students make academic errors should be used
Behaviour to correct behavioural errors. The development of a continuum of responses to
misbehaviour provides staff with the tools to effectively respond to and change
student misbehaviour.
The use of data focuses a schools efforts by identifying areas in need of
7. improvement as well as those operating well, and keep the effort alive by providing
Ongoing feedback or knowledge of results that promote consistent implementation and
Monitoring renewal. Data is used to monitor student behaviour and the PBS implementation
process.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
28. Component 1
Leadership
Principal Support, Participation and
Leadership
PBS Leadership Team
Representative Membership
Operating Procedures
Roles and responsibilities
Scheduled meetings
Standard agenda format
Consensus strategies
Working Agreements
Purpose statement
Developing and following an action plan
Communication System
Disseminating information
Presenting data
Receiving feedback from stake holders
(staff, students, families & community)
Working Smarter
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
29. What are the Systems, Data and Practices involved in the
PBS leadership team?
• Copies of meeting minutes
• Copy of team roles/responsibilities
• Copy of team norms
• Guidelines for staff development
DATA • Copy of parent brochure
Supporting • Copy of classroom newsletters
Decision Making • Copy of P&C newsletter
• School Readiness Survey
• Team Implementation Checklist (TIC
• Schoolwide Evaluation Tool (SET))
• Copy of PBS action plan
• Student representation on team (as age appropriate)
• PBS included in school handbook
PRACTICES • PBS information board
Supporting • PBS information on school website
Student • Classroom newsletters include PBS information
Behaviour • P&C newsletter includes information about PBS
• PBS expectations distributed to families
• PBS discussed during parent teacher meetings
• Administrator states frequent and public support for PBS by
regular communication with staff, students, families and
community.
• Team is representative of staff/community
• Time is scheduled for PBS leadership team to meet at least
monthly.
• Team has effective operating procedures.
• Team members have clearly defined roles/responsibilities
• Agenda for each meeting
• Team creates purpose statement
• Team develops meeting norms
SYSTEMS
• Team uses a PBS decision making model
Supporting Staff
• Stagger team membership so team membership rotates
Behaviour
• New staff encouraged to participate
• Survey team members on process
• Team creates and reviews action plan to guide work
• Regular PBS updates are scheduled during staff meetings and
staff provided with professional development.
• Meetings on school calendar
• PBS meeting minutes distributed to all staff
• PBS information board in staffroom
• Email reminders, encouragement and suggestions
• PBS information on school website
• PBS staff development
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
30. PBS Leadership Team
“Every organisation has a culture, that history and underlying sense of unwritten expectations that
shape everything about the school. A school culture influences the ways people think, feel and act.”
Kent Peterson
“In schools with good discipline, the staff believe in their school and in what its students can do, and
they expend unusual amounts of energy to make that belief come true.”
Commission on Discipline, 1982
The process recommended for effective school improvement is based on strong leadership and shared
decision making and consensus building among all school staff. It begins with the formation of the
school PBS leadership team. This team will assist staff in the continual process of developing and
maintaining a positive shool environment where students behave responsibly.
Staff members who serve on the PBS Leadership Team will have the opportunity to play a key role in
shaping the school climate. Assigned to provide leadership, this team does not assume sole
responsibility for developing PBS in the school. Instead, they will thoughtfully involve the entire staff in
rethinking their beliefs about student behaviour, reviewing existing procedures, and developing more
effective evidence based practices and policies.
When everyone has a hand in developing school wide discipline procedures, ownership is increased,
consensus is more readily obtained and consistent staff implementation of procedures is ensured.
The more difficulty that is anticipated as you undertake your behavioural school improvement effort –
the amount of change required, a current lack of cohesiveness among staff, poor communication
between different year levels or between administrators and staff, etc. – the more important it is to have
a strong PBS Leadership Team that involves the entire staff in the process. PBS is a process, rather
than a product – a process of developing and gaining consensus on beliefs, expectations and
procedures, not just the completion of a written policy or staff discipline handbook. Full staff involvement
in this process is crucial and effective leadership essential.
Because PBS is a process, not a program, the length of time this approach takes varies by school.
There are critical components that comprise the entire process. The components are individualised to
meet the specific needs of each school.
PBS is a collaborative (team-based), educative, proactive, and functional process to promote positive
behaviour and develop effective interventions for inappropriate behaviour.
In PBS, school based leadership teams are provided with training on:
1) Systems change and leadership principle and practices.
2) Application of research-validated instructional and management principles and practices for school
wide, non classroom, classroom and individual student needs.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
31. Principal Support, Participation and Leadership
“It appears indisputable that the Principal is the key to any major schoolwide staff development activity.
Consequently, any school improvement or reform effort needs to have solid and clearly defined support
from the Principal for the endeavour to succeed.”
Geoff Colvin
School improvement will depend on principals who can foster the conditions necessary for sustained
educational reform in a complex rapidly changing society.
Michael Fullan
Most educators agree that principal support is necessary for any effective initiative. As the principal
goes, so goes the time, focus, resources and attention to any given school improvement effort. To
further define the role of the principal in the development and implementation of Positive Behaviour
Support, thirteen strategies are offered by Colvin (2007).
Maintain Standards for Best Practice.
Principals are the “clearinghouse” for research-based effective practices to address school
improvement. Principals must lead staff toward research-based practices and reject the myriad of
practices and programs that may not be efficient and effective toward meeting school improvement
goals. By serving as the “gatekeeper”, the principal can maintain standards.
Publically Provide Support.
The words and actions of the principal are powerful. As an active member of his or her school’s positive
behaviour support teams, the principal will work with the team and school staff to develop a purpose
statement to define why Positive Behaviour Support is important and needed. The principal’s role is to
follow through by making the PBS efforts visible to staff, students, families and the community.
Establish a PBS Leadership Team.
The principal gives staff a leadership role for SWPB by establishing a building level team to gain staff
support for implementation. The team should be representative of the building. This can be achieved by
including members that reflect the various stakeholders involved (teachers, paraprofessionals, canteen
supervisors, parents, students in secondary schools, etc.) It is important for the principal to be a
member of the team to provide the time and financial resources needed, but the principal shares
leadership with the entire team
Support the PBS Team Members.
Team members assume a big responsibility and time commitment to provide leadership for PBS to the
school. The principal can support the team members by recognising, privately and publicly, the effort of
each leadership team member. In addition, the principal needs to be sensitive to members’ workload
and limit their participation in other committees and school activities.
Guide the Decision Making Process.
One leadership role the principal can provide is to teach and guide the team and entire staff through a
process for making decisions. Voting and building consensus are decision making processes that the
principal can lead.
Take a Leadership Role in Problem Resolution:
Some times when problems arise, they need to be solved in a timely manner. The principal may need to
step in at this point to lead the group to a workable solution. This may include reminding staff of the
shared vision, encouraging effective communication and supporting effective processes to guide
decisions.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
32. Principal Support, Participation and Leadership ctd
Support the PBS Team Meetings.
The most important thing an principal can do to support the team is to consistently attend the PBS
Leadership Team meetings. If a deputy principal regularly attends the PBS Leadership Team meetings,
the head principal should attend the meeting when possible to show support and unity for the PBS
initiative.
Provide Recognition for Staff and Team and Their Work.
Showing sincere appreciation through notes or personal comments of gratitude for the effort team
members is greatly appreciated. These efforts will help all continue to work needed to plan and
implement PBS
Serve as the Point Person for School-Related Groups.
An important role of the principal is to communicate progress on the goals of the PBS initiative. The
principal will communicate with school and community groups such as the parent teacher organisations,
district administrators, school board, and student organisations.
Monitor Implementation Activities and Provide Feedback.
Principals will need to learn the skills required to implement PBS. Principals can provide appreciation
and recognition to staff members planning and implementing PBS. This is an important instructional
leadership role. Additionally, when staff members are not upholding their responsibilities toward the
development of PBS, the principal can provide reminders of the expectations during meetings and in
memos. The principal may need to have private conversations to help individuals understand
expectations and to identify any support they may need to be able to implement the PBS practices.
Review Data and Provide Feedback Regularly.
Data collection, synthesis and review is an essential component of PBS. The principal will need to
assign individuals on the Leadership Team responsibility for data monitoring. In addition, secretarial
support staff may need support to enter and create efficient data charts for regular review by the
principal and Leadership Team.
Ensure Innovation is Sustained:
A principal plays a crucial role in sustaining the PBS initiative over time. Staff interest and attention may
wane if too many other initiatives are introduced or if the overt problem behaviours have been resolved.
The principal must be diligent to keep all staff focused on the PBS purpose and goals. A plan must also
be created to keep new staff, students and families knowledgeable of the school’s PBS efforts.
Changing a culture takes time
Make a Time Commitment:
The principal must understand that it takes time to bring everyone on board and to implement the PBS
plan. Developing and implementation of PBS is not a sprint, it is a long distance run. The principal must
be patient and persistent to continue the PBS initiative by continuing to provide support, participation
and leadership. As the principal goes, so goes the school.
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
33. Principal Support, Participation and Leadership
Team Activity
Review the strategy below:
Make a public statement of support:
The words and actions of the principal are powerful. Those schools that participate
in PBS will work to develop a purpose statement. This purpose statement will define
why PBS is important and needed. The principal’s role is to then follow through by
making the PBS efforts visible to staff, student, families and the community.
Discuss how your principal/administration currently make public statements of
support for other initiatives in your school. Are these effective? Where, when,
to whom and how can your principal/administrators provide effective public
statements of support for PBS?
1. Where?
2. When?
3. To Whom?
4. How?
Adapted for Qld SWPBS by W Dawson 2011-03-04
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013
34. PBS Leadership Team
PBS is a collaborative process with administration and staff working together. Therefore it is essential
that the team includes the principal and full representation of the school staff. It is important to establish
and maintain a strong representative leadership team that involves the entire staff in the PBS process.
Activity:
How does your team match up?
Guidelines for establishing a PBS leadership team
Principal is an active member
1-2 individuals with behaviour/classroom management competence
Between 6-10 team members
Coaching support
Representative of demographics of school and community
Year level teachers
Subject level teachers
Specialist teachers
Support staff
School psychologist
Parent /community
Students
Other
Does your team need to include other members to ensure representation?
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Credits [DO NOT DELETE]: Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and the OSEP Center on Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support
Adapted for WA PBS by S.Telfer Version March 2013