Rationale

Why is it Important?

This study was important because it allowed me to build relationships with students who were at risk and in need of a consistent routine in their life. Students' emotional needs in the classroom were met, making them available for learning and making academic progress. The strategies implemented helped students develop a sense of security and allowed them to feel heard by adults and peers within the classroom. It is important to build a toolbox of strategies for students to use to help them regulate self-control, which will allow them to learn the skills needed to be successful through life.

The need for consistent routines aligned with predictable outcomes for students to feel safe was essential for student success in the classroom and beyond. Once the teacher can fulfill the students' emotional needs in the classroom, the students will begin to make more progress in their academics.

The school's choice for corrective behavior is Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which is a framework designed to provide support for the emotional, social, and behavioral needs of students. The use of TCIT falls in alignment with PBiS and can be viewed as a "HOW" in the implementation of PBiS. TCIT is a program designed to develop teachers' action skills to support the healthy and productive growth of students' social and emotional development. The use of TCIT allows for teachers to incorporate relationship building skills into their instruction and provides support to teachers in regard to correcting undesired behaviors.

Data collected in the first quarter of the school year indicated that students would benefit from a more focused intervention in the area of behavioral reinforcement in the classroom. Three students were demonstrating disruptive behaviors in the classroom which directly affected my ability to teach and directly affected their ability to learn. This also created a disadvantage to their peers' opportunities to learn. During the first quarter of the school year, I implemented a behavioral chart and a behavioral sheet. With both of these strategies, I checked in with each of the three students after each subject to discuss their behavior and expectations for the next portion of the day. Each chart was marked to track data over time. My observations indicated that some of the more challenging times of the day were in the morning, during transitions, during lunch, after lunch during math time, during afternoon recess, and during specials (Music, PE, Guidance, Library, and Art). During lunch, the students seemed to have difficulty adjusting to the different adult coming into the classroom. Two students in particular reacted to the other's energy. When one displayed a disruptive behavior, it would trigger the other student to become disruptive also. The third student struggled to focus and keep attention for long periods of time. Any disruption caused him to wander the room and make noises, and consequently, the entire class began to break focus and demonstrated off-task behaviors.