1. Using Positive Behavior Supports
Welcome to:
Using Positive Behavior Supports
Brought to you by:
The Vermont BEST/PBS Team
Accentuate the Positive!

2. Agenda Introductions, Opening Activity, and Behavioral Expectations
Key Elements of PBS
Focus on the Universal Level of PBS
What Vermont Schools have been up to….
Application of PBS to your settings
Questions and Discussion

3. Introductions and Activity
Who’s here? In what settings do you work?
Activity:
Working in pairs:
Introduce yourselves
Complete the T Chart
On the left side list what a positive behavioral environment looks like.
On the right side list of what a positive behavioral environment sounds like.

5. Effective schools are consistent, predictable, and positive places
Effective schools are consistent, predictable, and positive places. In effective schools, there is a common vision, language, and set of experiences for all members of the community Rob Horner, 2004

6. Two Worries Regarding Ineffective Responses to Problem Behavior (in schools)
Get Tough (practices)
Train & Hope (systems)

7. Worry #1 “Teaching” by Getting Tough
Jerry: “I hate this f____ing school, & you’re a dumbf_____.”
Teacher: “That is disrespectful language. I’m sending you to the office so you’ll learn never to say those words again….starting now!”
First of all, automatic response is to join in the conflict cycle and as adults we are in control and can wield that control in our schools and organizations.
Is teacher sending student to office so he/she will learn? Will that work? What happens as a result? – student misses learning opportunities; teacher gets rid of troubling behavior. Both probably get what they want but is it effective for addressing challenging behavior?

8. Immediate & Seductive Solution…. “Get Tough!”
Clamp down & increase monitoring
Re-re-re-review rules
Extend continuum & consistency of consequences
Establish “bottom line”
Clamp down – increase supervision – 1:1, restrict environments, change seats in a classroom
Review the rule – planning room – what are the rules – sometimes kids know what the rules are but they don’t wish to practice them.
Have you ever seen a flow chart of the continuum of consequences for wrong behavior. In ABA, we used to have these token economies…
Not negotiable/flexible.

9. When behavior doesn’t improve, we “Get Tougher!”
Zero tolerance policies
Increased surveillance
Increased suspension & expulsion
Alternative programming

10. Erroneous assumption that the youth…
Is inherently “bad”
Will learn more appropriate behavior through increased use of “aversives”
Will be better tomorrow…….
And that we need to control the environment by putting more and more restrictions on the situation so that they’ll get better?
When we put sanctions on youth, it makes it look like we thrive on being in control. The adult/youth relationship is devalued or weakened as a result.
Story about new boss – warned that if I didn’t displayed satisfaction with him or his work that he would make my life miserable.

11. Science of behavior has taught us that students….
Are NOT born with “bad behaviors”
Do NOT learn when presented contingent aversive consequences
Do learn better ways of behaving by being taught directly & receiving positive feedback

12. 34 Worry # 2 “Train & Hope” WAIT for REACT to New Problem Behavior
Select &
ADD
Practice
Hire EXPERT
to Train
WAIT for
New
Expect, But
HOPE for
Implementation

13. sustainable, proactive, school-wide,
So What is PBS?
Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is a
sustainable, proactive, school-wide,
systems approach
to improving social & academic competence for all students…
…using positive, preventive evidence-based strategies, collegial and collaborative teaming, and data-based decision making.
-Adapted from Horner, Sugai, Muscott and Mann

14. “Mythbusters” - PBS is . . .
A general approach to preventing problem behavior – NOT an intervention in isolation
For every student – NOT just students with the most extreme challenging behaviors
Based on long history of behavioral practices & effective instructional design and strategies
– NOT a passing fad

15. ALL SOME Continuum of School-wide Instructional &
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
Continuum of
School-wide
Instructional &
Positive Behavioral Support
FEW
~5%
~15%
SOME
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
ALL Students,
Staff, & Settings
SWPBS organizes its behavioral interventions along a continuum of behavior support.
SWPBS starts by providing the most appropriate and effective behavioral interventions for all students (Primary), and then provides more specialized and intensive interventions for those students whose behaviors do not respond (secondary/tertiary).
ALL
~80% of Students

16. Establishing Continuum for SWPBS
TERTIARY PREVENTION
Function-based support
Wraparound
Person-centered planning
TERTIARY PREVENTION
Function-based support
Wraparound
Person-centered planning
~5%
~15%
SECONDARY PREVENTION
Check in/out
Targeted social skills
instruction
Peer-based supports
Social skills club
SECONDARY PREVENTION
Check in/out
Targeted social skills instruction
Peer-based supports
Social skills club
PRIMARY PREVENTION
Teach SW expectations
Proactive SW discipline
Positive reinforcement
Effective instruction
Parent engagement
PRIMARY PREVENTION
Teach SW expectations
Proactive SW discipline
Positive reinforcement
Effective instruction
Parent engagement
~80% of Students

17. Continuum of Support for ALL
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
Few
Some
NOTICE GREEN GOES IS FOR “ALL”
All

18. Positive Behavior Supports – Integrated Elements
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
SYSTEMS
DATA
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior

19. PBS is an Instructional Approach
DEFINE expectations for behavior
TEACH the expected behavior
REVIEW expectations regularly
MONITOR performance of expected behaviors
RECOGNIZE individuals when expected behaviors are demonstrated
CORRECT individuals when expected behaviors are not demonstrated 27

20. PBS at the Universal Level includes:
A statement of purpose
Defined behavior expectations
Procedures for teaching expected behavior
Procedures for encouraging expected behavior
Procedures for discouraging problem behaviors
Procedures for record-keeping and decision making

21. 1. Statement of Purpose To enhance the capacity of our school
to provide the best behavioral supports
for all students
that maximize academic and social achievement.

22. 2. Defined Behavior Expectations
Few in number
Positively stated
Behavioral terms

23. Work with your neighbor to reframe these rules to a
Activity:
Work with your neighbor to reframe these rules to a
few positively stated expectations.
School Rules
NO Food
NO Weapons
NO Backpacks
NO Drugs/Smoking
NO Bullying

26. 3. Teaching Expected Behaviors
Create a teaching matrix: expectations and settings
Next, teach the expectations in the settings
Finally, post the expectations for the specific settings

27. 58 setting expectation/ social skill behavior examples Teaching Matrix
All Settings
Hallways
Playgrounds
Cafeteria
Library/
Computer Lab
Assembly
Bus
Respect Ourselves
Be on task.
Give your best effort.
Be prepared.
Walk.
Have a plan.
Eat all your food.
Select healthy foods.
Study, read, compute.
Sit in one spot.
Watch for your stop.
Respect Others
Be kind.
Hands/feet to self.
Help/share with others.
Use normal voice volume.
Walk to right.
Play safe.
Include others.
Share equipment.
Practice good table manners
Whisper.
Return books.
Listen/watch.
Use appropriate applause.
Use a quiet voice.
Stay in your seat.
Respect Property
Recycle.
Clean up after self.
Pick up litter.
Maintain physical space.
Use equipment properly.
Put litter in garbage can.
Replace trays & utensils.
Clean up eating area.
Push in chairs.
Treat books carefully.
Pick up.
Treat chairs appropriately.
Wipe your feet.
Sit appropriately.
setting
expectation/
social skill
Expectations
behavior examples

28. Teaching Behavioral Expectations
Teach school-wide expectations by:
Saying
Present the expectation;
Explain what and why
Showing
Model/demonstrate positive examples of how to follow the expectation
Role play how to follow the rule;
Provide time for practice; Assess mastery
Checking
Key: Teach about prosocial behaviors like you would for any academic subject
Audience question (Math example): What kind of strategies do you use to teach double-digit addition? (manipulatives, rules for how to approach problem, rehearse)
Acknowledge students for their positive performance during role play and in natural settings
Recognizing 27

29. Other Lesson Ideas Create song/rap about school expectations
Create Jeopardy-style game of example behaviors
Students answer with rules (e.g., “What is… keeping my area clean in the cafeteria)
Brainstorming activity for what students think the expectations should include
Use current events articles as a foundation for discussion of rules
Word find
Key: Teach about prosocial behaviors like you would for any academic subject 27

30. Expected behaviors are visible…30

31. 4. Encouraging Expected Behaviors
Provide students feedback to let them know
when they are meeting expectations
(positive acknowledgement)
General Guidelines for Reinforcement (encouraging)
Tangible to Social
External to Internal
Frequent to Infrequent
Predictable to Unpredictable

32. OMMS Business Partner Ticket
OMMS Business Partner Ticket Date: ________________ Student Name __________________________________ For Demonstrating: Safety Ethics Respect (Circle the trait you observed) Comments: ___________________________________________ Authorized Signature: ____________________________________ Business Name: ________________________________________
Grand Junction CO 5/06

33. Are “Rewards” Dangerous?
“…our research team has conducted a series of reviews and analysis of (the reward) literature; our conclusion is that there is no inherent negative property of reward. Our analyses indicate that the argument against the use of rewards is an overgeneralization based on a narrow set of circumstances.”
Cameron, 2002
Cameron & Pierce, 1994, 2002
Cameron, Banko & Pierce, 2001

34. 5. Discouraging Problem Behaviors (at the Universal Level)
Review, practice and pre-correct
Develop a system for tracking behavior problems
Use the data to make decisions for strengthening your universal system.

35. Pre
Post

36. 6. Procedures for Record Keeping & Decision-making
From
Problem
Solution
Problem
Solving To
Problem
Solution
Information (Data) 36

37. What are your thoughts and questions?
Activity:
Reflect on the information provided so far and the
setting in which you work.
Record your thoughts and questions on the graphic
organizer.
We will respond to a sampling of questions now and
will also respond to questions at the end of our
presentation, as time allows.

38. How is PBS working in Vermont?
When we first started PBS in 2007,
we didn’t know for sure whether PBS would work in Vermont…
Now we do!

39. The number of schools working on implementing PBS in Vermont has grown by 1500% in two years

40. Vermont Positive Behavior Supports
PBS Implementing Schools
32 Schools
16 Supervisory Unions
PBS
Interested
Schools
23 Schools
16 Supervisory Unions

41. Where is PBS being implemented?
Grades Served
16% Pre-K
48% elementary
34% middle school
16% high school

42. How are they doing?
59% fully implemented school-wide PBS within one year
60% of fully implementing schools began
implementing targeted systems of support within 6 months
Average post implementation SET scores are 95%.

43. How about behavior… Has that changed?
Fully implementing schools reduced major office discipline referrals (ODR’s) up to 64% within the first year following implementation

46. Ticket Out the Door Thank you for your participation today!
One thing I will take away from this workshop
and apply to my work is…
A question I still have about PBS is…