Simonen & Freeman - ne

Classroom PBIS: Overview of Critical Practices and
Decision-making Guide for K-12 Classrooms
Brandi Simonsen, Ph.D. (brandi.simonsen@uconn.edu) & Jennifer Freeman, Ph.D. (jennifer.freeman@uconn.edu)
(additional authors of content: Steve Goodman, Barbara Mitchell, Jessica Swain-Bradway,
Brigid Flannery, George Sugai, Heather George, Bob Putnam)
I. Context for classroom positive behavioral intervention and supports (CPBIS)
•
Goal of Teaching
Student
Achievement
Good Teaching
o
Classroom
Management
Behavior problems disrupt learning, and engaging learning prevents behavior problems1
•
United States, we have a problem!2
o 12% of public school teachers leave within their first 2 years
o 50% leave within the first 5 years
•
Why do teachers leave?3
o Most consistently listed factors:
 Lack of pedagogical training
 School environment
 Poor student behavior and motivation
o
Teachers consistently report:
 inadequate pre-service training on
classroom management and
 lack of support and training for handling
student behaviors
II. Critical CPBIS Practices
What needs to be in place?
• The effects of CPBIS strategies are maximized by
o implementing within a school-wide multi-tiered behavioral framework (MTBF)…like PBIS
o directly linking classroom and school-wide expectations and systems;
o merging CPBIS strategies with effective instructional design, curriculum, and delivery;
o using classroom-based data to guide decision making
• But...you can implement CPBIS even if your school does not yet have a MTBF in place.
Evidence-based practices in classroom management
• Critical features4
1. Maximize structure in your classroom.
2. Post, teach, review, monitor, and reinforce a small number of positively stated expectations.
3. Actively engage students in observable ways.
4. Establish a continuum of strategies to acknowledge appropriate behavior.
5. Establish a continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior.
•
1
Each classroom is different, and each of these practices must be contextually and culturally relevant
(Gest & Gest, 2005; Stronge, Ward and Grant, 2011)
(Boyd, Grossman, Ing, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2011; DeAngelis, & Presley, 2011; Feng, 2006; Henke, Zahn, & Carroll, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; Ingersol, Merril,
May, 2012; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003; Ingersoll & Smith, 2003; Kaiser & National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011; Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Luekens, Lyter,
Fox, & Changler, 2004; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004; Torres, 2012; Zabel & Zabel, 2002)
3
(Boyd, Grossman, Ing, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2011; Chesley & Jordan, 2012; Feng, 2006; Halford, 1998; Henke, Zahn, & Carroll, 2001; Ingersoll,
2001; Ingersol, Merril, May, 2012; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003; Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005; Luekens, Lyter, Fox, &
Changler, 2004; Stough, 2006; Torres, 2012; Zabel & Zabel, 2002)
4
(Simonsen, Fairbanks, Briesch, Myers, & Sugai, 2008)
2
III. Decision-making Guide for K-12 Classrooms: 3 Key Questions
1. Are the foundations of effective CPBIS in place?
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Effectively design the physical environment of the classroom
o Critical features:
 Minimize crowding and distraction
 Maximize structure
o Examples:
o Elementary: Plan layout according to the type of activity (e.g., tables for centers, separate desks for
independent work, circle area for group instruction)
o Secondary: Plan layout according to the type of activity (e.g., “U” or circle for discussion, forward
facing for group instruction)
o Non-example: Disorderly, messy, unclean, and/or visually unappealing environment
•
Develop & teach predictable classroom routines.
o Critical features:
 Define predictable patterns and activities for the most common and/or problematic routines
 Teach routines and procedures directly and practice regularly
 Recognize students when they successfully follow classroom routines and procedures
 Promote self-managed or student-guided schedules and routines
o Examples:
 Elementary: Establish routines and procedures for:
• Arrival and dismissal
• Transitions between activities
• Accessing help
• What to do after work is completed
 Secondary: Establish routines and procedures for:
• Turning in work
• Accessing materials
• Making up missed work
• Transitions/interruptions
 Non-example: Assuming students automatically know routines & procedures without instruction and
feedback
•
Post, define, & teach 3-5 positive classroom expectations.
o Critical features:
 Observable, measureable, positively stated, understandable, and always applicable
 Taught explicitly, using examples and non-examples, with opportunities to practice and receive
feedback
o Examples:
 Elementary:
• Poster of Be Safe, Kind, & Ready
• Matrix to define for each classroom routine.
• Teach engaging lessons for each expectation
 Secondary:
• Student-created poster of Citizenship, Achievement, & Grit
• Engage students in developing the matrix and teaching each lesson using video, etc.
 Non-examples:
• Assuming students will already know your expectations
• Having more than 5 expectations
• Listing only behaviors you do NOT want from students
2. Are proactive and positive CPBIS practices implemented consistently?
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Provide high rates of varied opportunities to respond.
o Critical features:
 A teacher behavior that requests or solicits a student response (e.g., asking a question, presenting
a demand).
 OTRs includes
• Individual or small group questioning: use a response pattern to make sure that all students are
called on
• Choral Responding: all students in a class respond in unison to a teacher question.
• Non-Verbal Responses: response cards, student response systems, guided notes
o Examples:
 Elementary:
• Individual or small group: Student names on popsicle sticks in a jar. As questions are posed, a
student name is drawn.
• Choral: All students recite letter sounds.
 Secondary:
• Individual or small group: I just showed you how to do #1, I am going to start #2. Second row,
help explain my steps.
• Nonverbal: Clickers to respond a, b, or c
 Non-example: A teacher provides a 20-minute lesson without asking any questions or prompting
any student responses.
•
Use prompts.
o Critical features:
 Reminders that are provided before a behavior is expected that describes what is expected.
• Preventative: take place before the behavior response occurs
• Understandable: the prompt must be understood by the student
• Observable: the student must distinguish when the prompt is present
• Specific and explicit: describe the expected behavior (and link to the appropriate expectation)
 Teach and emphasize self-delivered (or self-managed) prompts
o Examples
 Elementary:
• Before students begin seatwork, provide a reminder about how to access help and materials, if
needed.
• Poster of expected behaviors.
 Secondary:
• Review of group activity participation rubric prior to the start of group work.
• Sign above the homework (HW) basket with checklist for handing in HW.
 Non-example: While teaching a lesson, a student calls out and the educator states, “Instead of
calling out, I would like you to raise your hand.” (This is an error correction…it happened after the
behavior.)
•
Use active supervision.
o Critical features:
 Scanning: visual sweep of entire space
 Moving: Continuous movement, proximity
 Interacting: verbal communication in a respectful manner, any pre-corrections, non-contingent
attention, specific verbal feedback
o Examples:
 Elementary: While students are working independently in centers scan and move around the
classroom, checking in with students.
 Secondary: While monitoring students, move around the area, interact with students and observe
behaviors of individuals and the group.
 Non-example: Sitting or standing where you cannot see the entire room / space. Such as with your
back to the group or behind your desk.
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Acknowledge behavior with specific praise.
o Critical features;
 Verbal statement that names the behavior explicitly and includes a statement that shows approval.
 May be directed toward an individual or group
 Praise should be provided soon after behavior, understandable, meaningful, and sincere
 Consider student characteristics (age, preferences) when delivering behavior-specific praise and
adjust accordingly (e.g., praise privately vs. publicly)
o Examples:
 Elementary: During educator-directed instruction, a student raises her hand. The educator says,
“Thank you for raising your hand.”
 Secondary: The teacher quietly states, “I really appreciate how you facilitated your group
discussion. Peers had many ideas, and you managed it well.”
 Non-example: “Thank you for trying to act like a human.” (This, at best, is sarcasm, not genuine
praise.)
•
Acknowledge behavior with other strategies.
3. Do data indicate that students are still engaging in problem behavior?
•
Respond to minor expectation violations with brief, specific, error corrections.
o Critical features:
 An informative statement, typically provided by the teacher, that is given when an undesired
behavior occurs, states the observed behavior, and tells the student exactly what they should do in
the future
• Delivered in a brief, concise, calm, and respectful manner, typically in private.
• Pair with specific contingent praise after the student engages in appropriate behavior
• Disengage at end of error correction and redirection—avoid “power struggles”
o Examples:
 Elementary: After a student calls out in class the teacher responds, “Please raise your hand before
calling out your answer”
 Secondary: After student plays with lab equipment inappropriately, teacher responds, “Please don’t
play with lab equipment, keep it on the table.”
 Non-examples:
• Shouting, “No!” (This is not calm, neutral, or specific.)
• A 5-min conversation about what the student was thinking. (This is not brief.)
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Respond to minor expectation violations with other strategies.
For additional resources: national www.pbis.org & regional http://neswpbs.org