Proactive Encouragement of Expected Behavior

There are many ways that my classroom will set expectations and enforce those expectations for students. These expectations and reinforcers will be preventative supports to encourage the expected behavior in my classroom. Being proactive will lessen the possibility of re-teaching expectations, and also lessen the possibility of using punitive measures for student's unexpected behaviors.

PROACTIVE SUPPORTS

Establishing Expectations on Day One

Students in my classroom will begin learning each of the classroom expectations starting on day one. When students know the expectations, have time to practice them, and embed them into a routine, it is less likely that students will engage in unexpected behavior.

Agenda

Every class will begin by going over the Agenda for the period. An agenda is a great way to create a structured schedule so that students can predict the flow of the class. This predictability will allow students to exert and save energy as needed. When students can manage their energy, they will be better able to engage in expected behaviors.

Learning Objectives are Visually Displayed

Every day, the state standard that students will achieve in class will be written on the board. These statements will be phrased "I will be able to...". As class begins, this statement will be pointed out to the class. Showing the learning objective will keep students on task and lower the possibility of unexpected behavior taking place.

ADDRESSING WHOLE GROUP BEHAVIOR

Bonus Response Cost

This whole group preventative establishes a given goal that students can achieve only through expected behavior. For instance, students automatically will receive 5 minutes of free time at the end of class. 5 minutes can be received as a whole when each student follows the expected behaviors for the class. If there is an unexpected behavior, the goal will be reduced by 1. This encourages each student in the class to work together to engage in expected behavior.

You Be the Hero

This concept is a form of a Dependent Group Contingency. Students will be aware that there is a "secret hero" whom I am watching for. If the secret hero engages in the expected behavior, the whole class will earn a reward. Because no one knows who the hero is, this tactic encourages every student to engage in the expected behavior.

Brain Breaks

Structured brain breaks manages whole class behavior by allowing students a brief break from rigorous academic work. These breaks will be structured into the learning plan each day and included in the agenda as well. Students will be able to expect a brain break. After taking a break, students are less likely to engage in unexpected behavior.

PBIS TIERS

TIER ONE

Tier One of PBIS Intervention targets all students. In other words, all students can benefit from these supports. Tier One supports that I will be using can be seen on this page in the previous green sections, and in Classroom Routines and Procedures.

TIER TWO

This Tier is geared toward some students who need more intensive intervention to learn skills.

Check-In & Check-Out

With this program, students check in with an adult in the morning and receive a goal to achieve throughout the day. Each teacher signs off on their goal sheet and gives the student some feedback/rating. At the end of the day, the student revisits with that same adult from the morning to 'check-out'. The student takes another sheet home to be signed by a guardian and then brings it back in the morning.

This intervention is something I would suggest to my administration and students who need Tier Two support. This program encourages student accountability, facilitates positive adult feedback, and internalizes success and goals.

Peer Tutoring

This support is another intervention I would recommend to my students and administration. Peer tutors not only help students who need more support in content skills, it also helps encourage other students to learn leadership and mentorship.

Peer tutoring creates a low-risk learning environment for students who need to learn more skills without being embarrassed. When students need Two Tier supports and are paired with a more skilled student, they will have more opportunities to learn content and behavior skills efficiently.

Non-Verbal Cues and Signals

Non-verbal communication is effective for teacher-student interactions that need to be more low-key. Establishing a cue that signals a certain expectation is a great way to redirect unexpected behavior, especially in a whole group setting.

This technique will work especially well with students who need redirection, tend to interrupt during direct instruction and lose attention during work time.

Ultimately, this intervention encourages a softer approach to relationship building and redirection to the set expectations. Students also do not lose any confidence or self-esteem by being called out in front of the class.

TIER THREE

This tier is constructed for few students who need the most intensive interventions to learn skills.

Functional Behavior Assessment

When a student is not responding to Tier One and Tier Two supports, I would suggest a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). This is an intervention where data and assessments are collected on the student's behavior so that an appropriate behavior development plan can be created.

Sensory Tools

Sensory Tools can be used for students who exhibit significant sensitivity to different sensory stimuli. For instance, students with ADHD, ADD, or Autism may display an aversion to loud noises or bright lights. In this case, using sensory tools as a Tier 3 support would look like altering the environment to have dimmer lighting and also allowing the student to wear noise-cancelling headphones.

Providing students with sensory support encourages improvements in expected behavior and academic performance.

Regular Behavior Meetings

Behavior meetings are an effective way to ensure the student with Tier 3 support is interacting with adults who are on the same page. These meetings allow teachers, interventionists, and parents to review data and implement plans that may be used in school and at home. Each participant in the equation of encouraging expected behavior is an involved voice that will take the intervention more seriously while in the meeting.

Ultimately, this support can bring the student into their own support and give them a sense of autonomy.

PBIS, World. (2023). https://www.pbisworld.com/the-pbis-world-book/

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