Paraprofessional PBS Training

What is PBS?

The application of evidence-based strategies & systems to assist schools to increase academic performance, increase safety, decrease problem behavior, and establish positive school cultures.

What is PBS?

• P - Positive

• B – Behavior

• S – Support

Positive Behavior Support is a proactive approach to managing behavior.

Traditionally we have been reactive.

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we……..... ……….teach? ………punish?”

“Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?”Tom Herner (NASDE President ) Counterpoint 1998, p.2Tom Herner (NASDE President ) Counterpoint 1998, p.2

Traditional Discipline Strategies

• Reactive in nature (occurs after the problem behavior)

• Assume students know how to behave and know what is expected of them

• No acknowledgement of appropriate behaviors

• Oriented toward short-term changes (attempts to address only the immediate problem)

Traditional Discipline versus PBS

• Traditional Discipline:

• Focused on the student’s problem behavior

• Goal is to stop undesirable behavior through the use of punishment

• Positive Behavior Support:

• Replaces undesired behavior with a new behavior or skill

• Alters environments• Teaches appropriate skills• Rewards appropriate

behavior

Definitions of Behaviors

Classroom managed behaviors• Inappropriate Language – Low intensity instance of

inappropriate verbal messages, such as unintentional profanity or inappropriate conversation

• Lying/Cheating – copying another students work looking at another students test, making untrue statements

• Forgery/Theft – Minor incidents of forgery/theft, such as taking small classroom supplies or attempting to forge parent’s signature in agenda

• Physical contact – non-serious, but inappropriate physical contact, such as play fighting, poking, bumping, or bothering someone

Definitions of Behaviors

Classroom managed behaviors• Disruption – low-intensity actions which interrupt the

learning process, such as calling out, humming, singing, talking, tapping, whining, etc.

• Property misuse/damage – low-intensity misuse of property such as writing on desks, breaking pencils, tearing papers off wall, unintentional tearing of book

• Harassment/teasing/bullying – non-derogatory name calling, insensitive comments that hurt others’ feelings, pestering others

• Gum chewing/candy – eating food without permission• Defiance/disrespect – brief or low-intensity failure to

respond to adult requests or direction• Other – any other minor problem behaviors that do not

fall within the above categories

Definitions of Behaviors

Office Managed Behaviors• Abusive language/inappropriate language/profanity –

verbal messages that include intentional profanity or vulgar conversations directed towards an individual

• Fighting/Physical aggression – actions involving serious physical contact where injury may occur (e.g. hitting, punching, hitting with an object, kicking, hair pulling, scratching, etc.

• Defiance/Disrespect/Insubordination/Non-compliance – prolonged, high-intensity refusal to follow adult directions, talking back and/or socially rude interactions (does not include refusal to complete an assignment)

Definitions of Behaviors

Office Managed Behaviors• Lying/Cheating – any lying or cheating the nature of which would be

against the law, such as plagiarism• Harassment/Tease/Taunt – derogatory sustained or intense

verbal/gestural attacks based on ethnic origin, disability, race, religion, gender, age or other personal matters

• Disruption – high-intensity and/or sustained behavior causing an interruption in the classroom, such as yelling, screaming or throwing materials

• Forgery/Theft – student is in possession of, having passed on, or being responsible for removing someone else’s property or has signed a person’s name without that person’s permission

• Property Damage – student deliberately impairs the usefulness of property

Definitions of Behaviors

Office Managed Behaviors• Use/Possession of weapons – student is in possession

of knives or guns, real or look-alike, or other objects readily capable of causing bodily harm

• Battery – The physical use of force or violence by an individual against another

Definitions of Behaviors

Office Managed Behaviors• Assault/Threat/Intimidation – a threat to cause physical

harm to another person with or without the use of a weapon that includes ALL of the following elements: 1. Intent (an intention that the threat is heard or seen by

the person who is the object of the threat) 2. Fear (a reasonable fear or apprehension by the person who is the object of the threat that the threat could be carried out) 3. Capability (the ability of the offender to actually carry out the threat directly or by a weapon or other instrument that could be easily obtained)

Referrals

As a para, you are responsible for filling out an OFFICE REFERRAL only. When a student’s behavior falls into the OFFICE MANAGED BEHAVIORS you will need to complete an office referral on that student.

If a student’s behavior falls under classroom managed behaviors, it would help the teacher if you could let them know about the behavior. You could put a note in their mailbox or e-mail them.

Expectations

STAR Challenger

S – Safe

T – Tolerant and respectful

A – Active learner

R – Responsible

Rules

The rules are different for each area of the school:

Hallway

Classroom

Restrooms

Cafeteria

Media Center

Car Riders

Bus Riders (includes after school care)

Expectations and Rules

• Expectations are the same wherever the student is, but the rules are different.

STARBUCKS

The PBS team will determine the number of STARBUCKS the students must earn to be able to participate in the event at the end of each month. STARBUCKS are given out when students are “caught” being a STAR Challenger based on the expectations and rules.

EVERYONE should be giving out

STARBUCKSEach month the color of the STARBUCKS changes. The

STARBUCKS are available in the teacher workroom.