I am a not actually a fan of PBIS for many reasons as an individual with autism,and a parent of children on the spectrum who has seen first hand the damage ABA therapy can have on social emotional well being, and self worth.... I have some concerns with it's roots in ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) which has been used often, especially in Alberta for training (I can't use the word teaching or educating here with a straight face) individuals with Autism. I feel it is important to acknowledge the harm and trauma that ABA has caused some individuals.

What I can get behind is the idea of supporting positive behavior to encourage more positive behavior, and having clear expectations and common language. 

The idea of focusing on the positive as a way to modify behavior makes sense to me, and so I simply make sure my practices reflect this philosophy rather than focus on making students conform to a certain behavioural norm defined by others.

In our school...we are the Bisons...(go Bisons) and so we use our Hooves, our Hands, and our Heart when making choices at school.

My co-teacher (Thanks Christine) at the time had already made a specific to music set of posters:

and I ran with the idea creating expectations for many of the procedures specific to our room...

Early in the year setting expectations is really important. We play Kid vs the Conductor to reinforce stopping when I need their attention.

With elementary this would be to reinforce them reacting and stopping for a call and response...some examples:

• Me: Hands on top Kids: That means stop!

• Me: (shave and a hair cut)...bup, bup, bup, bup, bup Kids: bup bup (two bits)

• Me: Christian Renaldo Kids: sooooooooooo(shhhhh)

• Me: You all gonna make me lose my mind Kids: Up in here, up in here

• 
  

With middle school, it's stopping when conducted to.

1. I draw a t chart on the whiteboard  with two columns, Conductor, Kids..

2. If they stop the first time requested they get a point

3. If they don't, then I get the point AND we practice the behavior

4. at the end of class if they win I play them a youtube video...if they don't well...we practiced the expected behavior a lot, let's try again tomorrow.

The biggest game changer has been getting kids to realize that stop doesn't mean stop, it means we are changing direction, I have something to tell them, so when we stop it is an active moment, we are on the edge of our seats for the next instruction...not passive because we have stopped.