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Behavior Supports and Consequences

What is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)?

PBIS is a system designed to encourage positive behaviors (and decrease problem behaviors) by positive recognition of students who are being safe, respectful, responsible (our HMK School Wide Rules) and overall good citizenship and reflect our cultural beliefs during the school day.

Successful PBIS programs are comprised of specific components:

  • Behavioral expectations are clearly defined in shared areas throughout the school
  • Behavioral expectations are taught repeatedly throughout the year
  • Appropriate behaviors are acknowledged
  • Negative behaviors are corrected proactively

A critical component of PBIS is the teaching and understanding of behavioral expectations at school. These expectations are defined in our Behavior Matrix and will be taught to students at the beginning of the school year using; School Wide Lesson Plan, Opening Ceremony, Behavioral Expectations Videos, and site specific expectation postings. The expectations will be reviewed periodically throughout the year.

 

PBIS is a process. PBIS is not a packaged program with a set script. There are critical components that comprise the entire process. The components are individualized and are alwaysing changing to meet the specific needs of our school (e.e. Population changes, maintain interest, address multiple levels of inappropriate behavior, data collected and driven). 

 

PBIS is proactive. The PBIS Leadership Team uses discipline data to identify patterns and possible causes of inappropriate behavior. This information is then used to develop effective interventions to decrease inappropriate behavior and increase desired behavior across all grades. The use of yearly, monthly, or more frequent data comparisons helps to present the same patterns of inappropriate behavior from recurring and assist the core team in adapting the school-wide PBIS plan. The PBIS Leadership Team uses data from Educator’s Handbook and Panorama to make data driven decisions.

 

PBIS is educative. Students in the school come from many different and diverse backgrounds and cultures that view “behavior” differently. Thus, we cannot assume that students know how to behave appropriately when at school. Furthermore, many of our students are making poor choices when confronted with conflict. Consequently, we must teach students how to behave at school to ensure that they do make better choices. PBIS views inappropriate behavior in the same manner that problems in reading or math are viewed… as a skill deficit. When a skill deficit exists, we must teach appropriate skill. By doing so, a unified and positive school climate forms informing students and staff that appropriate behavior is a priority in school.

 

PBIS is functional. Students engage in inappropriate behavior to obtain something they want (e.g. attention, getting out of an assignment, etc…) or to get out of or away from something they don’t want; thus it serves a purpose for them. PBIS uses the function of inappropriate behavior to identify an appropriate consequence and avoid rewarding misbehavior.

 

Why is it so important to focus on teaching positive social behavior?

Historically, school-wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehaviors by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions and expulsions. Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in absences of other positive strategies, is ineffective. Introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student’s educational experience. Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding. The purpose of the school-wide PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.