How was the BipSE App developed?
BipSE began through the work of teacher, Lori Kuntz. Lori has been in education for over 30 years in a number of roles, including as a teacher and a principal.
Lori noticed how student behaviors had changed in recent years. Lori realized her strength in classroom management; building a classroom community, providing opportunity for student ownership for their learning and behavior and using unique strategies to engage students could truly help others.
Another challenge, Lori realized, was the amount of paperwork that teachers needed to document student behaviors and create individual behavior plans had also increased. As an experienced educator, she herself found this to feel daunting, and she couldn't imagine how newer teachers must have felt in order to complete the documentation.
That's when she set out to create BipSE. BipSE stands for Behavior Improvement Program Supporting Educators.
BipSE follows the Tier levels as created in PBIS. See link here.
"Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives. We use ‘students’ to refer to all children and youth in any educational or therapeutic setting (e.g., K-12 school, early childhood program, treatment program, juvenile justice program). Learn more about PBIS in schools, classrooms, early childhood programs and juvenile justice programs on those topic pages."
BipSE begins with Tier 1- General Classroom Practices, which includes setting up the classroom for success, deciding management style and focusing intensely on important processes and routines to help a classroom run smoothly.
It also includes prompts for classroom discussions for the first days of school, and for throughout the school year. The discussion prompts are enjoyable, thought provoking and engaging.
Another important aspect of strong classroom management practices includes building relationships. BipSE helps walk teachers through important conversations to connect students as a classroom community.
Teachers are able to create their own unique ways to engage students in their classroom, with their own 'personality' and interests to create an authentic classroom and engaging environment.
Lastly, building student ownership is essential to a well managed classroom. Student ownership cannot be created until the building blocks of Tier 1 have been successfully addressed. BipSE provides forms, posters and examples to help the teacher successfully address each area.
Many times, teachers are expected to create behavior improvement plans for individual students, such as daily reminders, visual or written checklists, reward token sheets and so on. Lori's philosophy is; "if it works for one, it can work for all". Then no one is singled out. Everyone is receiving the support.
This is also pertinent to any future paperwork that may need to be completed when working with individual students. There are already strategies and practices in place to show that support.
Teachers should take their time completing each item at each level to ensure there is a strong foundation of practices and community within the classroom. There may be times, that the teacher may need to return to a previous level to reteach, practice and remind students of the expectations. Consistency is the key!
Tier 1
Tier 1- Level 1- Setting Up the Classroom
Tier 1- Level 2- Deciding Management Style
Tier 1- Level 3a- Processes
Tier 1- Level 3b- First Days Discussion
Tier 1- Level 4- Relationships
Tier 1- Level 5- Engagement
Tier 1- Level 6 - Ownership
You reach Tier 2 once you realize that individual students need more support and attention. It is vital at this stage, that you begin building a strong communication with the student's family to ensure this support is successful. Working with the student's family is one of the most important connections a teacher should establish once a student reaches Tier 2.
Tier 2 on BipSE includes reviewing the student's behavior to determine the greatest concern, better understanding the student's interests for a reward system, and helping the student set goals for improvement.
In addition, Tier 2 provides documentation and communication with family members to help support the teacher. Teachers have a lot on their plate. Reducing their paperwork and time they spend in this area is a goal of BipSE.
Finally, if more detailed documentation is needed to improve a student's behavior, teachers are provided a BIP a Behavior Improvement Plan, a tracking form for the BIP and an incident report, if needed.
Once students are recorded in Tier 2, documentation is the constant. It is the expectation to have complete documentation in this tier, if the student is considered for movement to Tier 3 to receive additional support.
Tier 2
Tier 2- Level 1- Building and Improving Individual Student Behaviors (BIISB)
Tier 2- Level 2- (BIISB)- Student Survey- Interest and Self Survey
Tier 2 - Level 3- Student Self-Improvement Plan
Tier 2- Level 4a- Teacher Form- Behavior Intervention/Improvement Plan for Student
Tier 2- Level 4b- Student BIP Daily Tracking Form
Tier 2- Level 5 (For Teacher)- Student Behavior Incident Report (If needed)
A student CAN be successful in Tier 2, and so can the teacher! What is most important is the connection and relationship both student and teacher have. Working in Tier 2 should still feel encouraging and supportive for the student, not disciplinary. The forms allow collection of data to study... focusing on the student's needs for growth instead of viewing each level as a 'negative' consequence.
Tier 3
Tier 3 - Level 1 - Developing a Plan of Support
Tier 3 - Level 2 - Communicating BIP Results