10. PBIS: A Time to Celebrate

10. PBIS: A time to celebrate

This We Believe (NMSA, 2010)

*Organizational structures foster purposeful learning and meaningful relationships. Organizational Structures.

Positive Behavior Intervention System is a school-wide discipline plan that encourages and celebrates good behavior and recognizes students who behave. Schools that embrace BPIS provide students with school-wide expectations regarding behavior in the halls, in the cafeteria, expectations for coming into class and leaving the building. It is all about consistency.

The research indicates that when students come to school, when they behave, and when they are academically successful in their language arts and math classes, they are more likely to stay in school and graduate. This portion, PBIS, in our school celebrates students who behave!!!

Friday afternoon faculty challenged the children to a volleyball game. Each grade level could choose students to play against faculty. One of my students first asked if he was going to get to go. Students who have had no In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension were invited. He got to go. He said, “Yes!!! May I play in the game?” Of course you can.

Sixth graders played first. One of the faculty members guided them and encouraged them along. Boom! Faculty won 25 – 13. Next??!!!

Seventh graders arrived onto the floor. We crushed them as well!!! (A bit competitive would you say?) 25-11.

Bring on the eighth graders! 25-14, faculty win!

Then it is time for the girls' volleyball team to play!!! This was a little more of a challenge, but the faculty came through 25 – 19 and 25 – 22.

During the game children socialized. They were allowed to buy concessions and hang out in the cafeteria or stay in the gym. Occasionally they would begin stomping their feet and clapping their hands to a beat (stomp-stomp-clap, stomp-stomp-clap).  Everybody behaved.

I was the referee, on the stand. I was yelled at for what one faculty member thought was a bad call. When I shared this with one of my teammates, she said, “Then you really were a ref! Every ref gets yelled at.” We laughed; now I feel like a real ref!!

Advice

1)   PBIS is a nationally recognized behavior intervention program. If you have not heard of it, research it.

2)   Because the event took place in the afternoon, our team shortened our students’ academic classes so that we could each have time with our students. On special event days teachers can either shorten class periods, or switch 1^st and 6^th period to ensure student academic time.

3)   Celebrate with your students. I believe it is important to let children know how proud we are of them! We must encourage attendance, positive behavior, and academic success. The more we focus on these pieces, the more likely students will gain the tools for success.

4)   The students who were not part of the PBIS celebration were put in a room. We call the In School Suspension room, “The Pit.” Students could work on schoolwork, but could not socialize during the hour of celebration.