Applying Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports

PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) is a set of principles and methods used in educational institutions to create and uphold the desired social culture (Bradshaw, Koth, Bevans, Ialongo & Leaf, 2008). This is done in an effort to help pupils succeed on all fronts. PBIS was developed to take the place of earlier methods of preserving order in schools that were mostly reactive and concentrated on punishing infractions.

It is known as classroom PB IS or positive classroom behavior support (PCBS) when used in a classroom or school setting, among many other names (Pitchford, Lever & Bradshaw, 2010). Thousands of schools in the US are in various stages of applying PBIS. Conclusive research to ascertain the exact number of schools is underway. However, it has been established that implementation of PBIS in middle schools require more time as more variables are involved (Pitchford, Lever & Bradshaw, 2010).

Implementation of PCBS requires that students have representative leadership that collaborates with staffs in their schools to make it successful. School staff establishes and implement scientifically proven practices designed to cause positive social change and enhance learning among students. One of such scientifically proven facts is that guiding students to participate actively in sports, arts and academic work enhances academic performance and reduce deviance. Additionally, advising students to observe rules and respect their peers and staffs enhances their performance in different areas. In line with the two examples above, PBIS aims to promote positive behavior than waiting for students to fail in classes or show deviance to mete punishment. This makes it proactive while other means are largely reactive.

The fact that PBIS is proactive gives teachers and other staffs in a school more control over the discipline and academic achievements (Buchanan & Hinton, 2017). It also provides a conducive learning environment of mutual respect between students and their peers and students and staffs. This makes the environment harmonious and gives students more times to learn and develop their talents. It also gives staffs more time to concentrating of managing their institution and enhancing their teaching style/content than responding to increased cases deviance.

After establishing scientifically proven practices, staffs develop systems of implementing these practices and making them sustainable. Afterwards, a system of monitoring progress and results to enhance decision making based on these results and the specific context is developed. Lastly, the results of application of PCBS in each school are recorded and documented.

I would like teaching and applying PBIS in middle school. This level of education is challenging which offers an opportunity for enhancement of one’s experience.

PBS is summarized as being composed of data, practice, systems and outcomes (Freeman, Simonsen, McCoach, Sugai, Lombardi & Horner, 2016). These steps can occur in different order but are largely applied cyclically as seen in the following.

Systems

This refers to frameworks to be established to make PBIS a success. They include formation of organizations within staffs and students and means of evaluating outcomes. They can also include procedures on what each person/group is supposed to do.

Data

This refers to evidence that informs the choice of actions that staffs take to encourage good behavior. There must be compelling evidence that actions taken will lead to enhance social and academic performance and reduced deviance

Practices

This includes codification of the required skills into behaviors. Simply, staffs should create a system of behaviors that they consider important for development of required skills and encourage students to follow them through positive social reinforcements.

Outcomes

Outcomes refer to the objectives that staffs hope to achieve. They include peaceful coexistence between students, enhanced academic performance and reduced deviance. If the school achieves its set PBIS goals, the outcomes can be used as data.

This information is also found on https://infogram.com/step-by-step-charts-1h7v4pjqqz7z4k0

Reference

Bradshaw, C. P., Koth, C. W., Bevans, K. B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). The impact of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 462.

Pitchford, J., Lever, N., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2010). Positive Behavioral Interventions andSupports (PBIS). Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural School Psychology, 734-735.

Buchanan, A. M., & Hinton, V. (2017). Positive Behavior Support in Physical Education in a Youth Development Center.

Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., McCoach, D. B., Sugai, G., Lombardi, A., & Horner, R. (2016). Relationship between school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports and academic, attendance, and behavior outcomes in high schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(1), 41-51.