POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT
IN THE CLASSROOM
Cynthia M. Anderson
University of Oregon
OVERVIEW
Rationale for Classroom interventions
 FBA of a classroom
 Universal classroom interventions
 Building capacity for classroom PBS

WELL-MANAGED CLASSROOM
Students are deeply involved in their work
 Students know what is expected of them and are
generally successful
 There is relatively little wasted time, confusion,
or disruption
 The climate of the classroom is work-oriented,
but relaxed and pleasant

FBA IN A CLASSROOM—WHY ASSESS?

Identify:
Goals—what does the teacher want to achieve?
 Goals for students

Identify expectations, rules, and routines
 Design a functional environment
 Identify potential barriers to success

Systems needing more support
 Problem areas to target

System
Practices
Data
ASSESSING CLASSROOMS
Environment
 Adults

Instructional behavior
 Interactions with other adults, with students


Students


Academic behavior
Social behavior
Classroom Self- Assessment
Classroom Assessment Tool
USING DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING
 Do
the data give good picture of
classroom?
 Do you need more information?
 What
are the primary areas of need?
 Develop
goals
OVERVIEW
Rationale for Classroom interventions
 FBA of a classroom
 Universal classroom interventions
 Building capacity for classroom PBS

UNIVERSAL INTERVENTIONS IN THE
CLASSROOM

Foundations
Expectations and rules
 Acknowledgement Systems
 Strategies for responding to problem behavior


Systems to “tune up”
Curriculum
 Instructional techniques
 Setting/physical environment

UNIVERSAL SUPPORTS

Foundations

Expectations and rules
RATIONALE FOR RULES IN CLASSROOMS

Provides
Structure
 Consistency
 Positive climate

Allow teacher to maintain positive environment
& focus on academics
 Legal, ethical, and professional accountability

GENERAL CLASSROOM RULES
Linked to school-wide program
 Relevant for YOUR classroom

What are problem routines, settings?
 What behaviors would you like to see more of?

Positively stated & succinct
 Observable behaviors
 Posted in public, easily seen place

GENERAL CLASSROOM RULES
Linked to school-wide program
 Positively stated & succinct (3-5)
 Observable behaviors
 Posted in public, easily seen place
 Taught and re-taught frequently
 Enforced consistently

Teaching
Matrix
RULES FOR ROUTINES: ESTABLISH A
PREDICTABLE ENVIRONMENT

Identify routines








How to enter class and begin to work
How to predict the schedule for the day
What to do if you do not have materials
What to do if you need help
What to do if you need to go to the bathroom
What to do if you are handing in late material
What to do if someone is bothering you
How to determine if you are doing well in class
Establish signals for correct behavior
 Teach effective transitions

DESIGNING CLASSROOM ROUTINES
Routine
What do you What is the
expect?
signal?
How will you
teach it?
Entering Class
Enter, sit down,
start work
Examples &
non-examples
Instruction on
board
Obtaining class
attention
Orient to
teacher, be
quiet
Teacher’s hand in Explain rule,
the air
demonstrate
Getting Help
during seat
work
Raise hand,
keep lips
sealed, wait
for teacher
Students
working on
task
Explain rule,
students
demonstrate
examples and
non-examples
EXAMPLE: PLANNING FOR
TRANSITIONS
Steps for Effective Transitions
1.
Teach transition rules
2.
Establish predictable transitions
3.
Minimize frequency of transitions
UNIVERSAL SUPPORTS

Foundations
Expectations and rules
 Acknowledgement Systems
 Strategies for responding to problem behavior


Systems to “tune up”
Curriculum
 Instructional techniques
 Setting/physical environment

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SYSTEMS
Increase pro-social behavior
 Focus staff and student attention on desired
behaviors
 Foster a positive climate
 Increase time spent on academics

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: FORMAL VS. INFORMAL

Formal Acknowledgement
Linked to SWPBS
 Independent system


Informal Acknowledgement—CRITICAL
Frequency
 Use to “turn situation around”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TIPS
Simple systems are best
 High frequency in new systems
 Acknowledgement should be contingent on
behavior
 Avoid threats and response cost
 Avoid removing opportunity for
acknowledgement

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SYSTEMS
 Whole-class
 Small
group
 Individual student
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SYSTEMS
 Whole-class

Best for
Discrete activities
 Situations when each instance of correct behavior can be
acknowledged
 Embed within other systems

 Examples
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SYSTEMS
 Whole-class
 Small


group- “teams”
“Work bursts”
Considerations
Group makeup
 Timing of activities
 Acknowledgements

 Examples
SAMPLE: CLASSROOM GAME

Pre-planning





Specify rules
Group versus individual acknowledgement
Determine rewards
How rewards will be distributed
Timing
SAMPLE: CLASSROOM GAME
Muggles
Gryffindor
Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw
SAMPLE: CLASSROOM GAME

Game winners

Group game
Team member picks from grab bag, throws beanbag at
board, etc.
 Teacher’s choice


Small prize for all team members
SWPBS tickets
 Tangibles
 Intangibles

SYSTEMS
 Whole-class
 Small
group
 Individual student
Acknowledgement contingent only on that
student’s behavior
 Advantages

Can individualize
 Allows for acknowledgements to be tailored for student


Limitations
Less opportunity for student influence
 Can be difficult to implement consistently while
teaching

SAMPLE PROGRAM



Monthly Tim earns tokens (Bronco Bucks)
throughout the school day from all staff
members that he can spend once a month to
purchase items at the school store.
9-Weeks For each dollar Tim spends at the
store, his name is entered in a drawing for a
chance to win a bicycle.
Random Occasionally, other incentives
such as student dances, jean day, etc. are
introduced randomly. Students gain
admittance by using “Bronco Bucks”.

Daily
If Tim earns 2 “Bronco Bucks” he can
participate in the review game/get a positive
note sent home

Weekly
Everyone that received 2 (or other set #) daily
rewards during the week receives a preferred
activity time at the end of the week

Monthly
If the entire class reaches their goal of earning a
specified amount of “Bronco Bucks” by the end of
the month, the class gets to watch a movie

9-Weeks
There is a competition between all of Mr.
Smith’s classes. The class earning the highest
number of “Bronco Bucks” earns a pizza/ice
cream party
ALIGNING WITH SWPBS SYSTEM
Expectations match school’s
 Using school-wide acknowledgement tokens?


If using school-wide tokens
 Students can receive rewards in class for earning
tokens
 Continue collecting tokens for use in the school-wide
reward system
 Consider use of supplemental rewards for academic
achievement/participation
UNIVERSAL SUPPORTS

Foundations





Expectations and rules
Acknowledgement Systems
Effective classroom layout
Strategies for responding to problem behavior
Systems to “tune up”
Curriculum
 Instructional techniques
 Setting/physical environment

TRADITIONAL STRATEGIES USED FOR
DEALING WITH PROBLEM BEHAVIOR
Time out
 Demerit or fine
 Detention
 Writing assignment
 Deprivation of some reward

WHY HAVEN’T THE TRADITIONAL
STRATEGIES BEEN EFFECTIVE?
Practices without the…
 Systems
System for defining and teaching expectations
and rules
 System for responding to errors
 Acknowledgement system

 Data



Expected behavior defined
Monitor student behavior
Monitor student/teacher interaction
EFFECTIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR
MISBEHAVIOR REQUIRE A SYSTEM
Applied consistently
 Immediate feedback
 Pre-determined plan for major, minor, repeat
Requires a plan developed
violations
BEFORE
the problem occurs
 Linked to
context

Major, minor, and repeated
problems
for
REASONABLE AND LOGICAL STRATEGIES
Student Behavior
Illogical Strategies
Logical Strategies
Chews Gum
Teacher sends student ???
to the office
Turns in a sloppy
paper
Teacher refuses the
paper
???
Walks in noisily
Teacher ignores
behavior
???
REASONABLE AND LOGICAL STRATEGIES
Student Behavior
Illogical Strategies
Chews Gum
Teacher sends student Dispose of gum,
to the office
writes paper on the
issue
Teacher refuses the
Redoes the paper
paper
Turns in a sloppy
paper
Walks in noisily
Teacher ignores
behavior
Logical Strategies
Walks in again quietly
REASONABLE AND LOGICAL STRATEGIES
Student Behavior
Illogical Strategies
Logical Strategies
Passes paper in
incorrectly
Teacher deducts 10
points
???
Arrives late
Teacher sends student ???
to the office
Does not bring text
book or pencil
Student sits at their
desk without a pencil
or textbook
???
REASONABLE AND LOGICAL STRATEGIES
Student Behavior
Illogical Strategies
Logical Strategies
Passes paper in incorrectly
Teacher deducts 10 points
Passes paper in again
correctly
Arrives late
Teacher sends student to
the office
Misses instruction and has
to get help from a peer
Does not bring text book
or pencil
Student sits at their desk
without a pencil or
textbook
Student has to borrow one
from the teacher for .50
cents (classroom money)
STRATEGIES: TIPS FOR TEACHERS
Avoid stopping lesson to respond to student
misbehavior
 Use immediate consequences when feasible


Pick your battles
UNIVERSAL SUPPORTS

Foundations
Expectations and rules
 Acknowledgement Systems
 Strategies for responding to problem behavior


Systems to “tune up”
Curriculum
 Instructional techniques
 Setting/physical environment

OVERVIEW
Rationale for Classroom interventions
 FBA of a classroom
 Universal classroom interventions
 Building capacity for classroom PBS

SWPBS TEAM AND CLASSROOMS
Clear delineation of office-managed versus classroommanaged problems
 Training on effective teaching and behavior support
strategies

Preventive and educative
 Acknowledge pro-social behavior & explicitly teach
 Consequences: include opportunity to practice
 Planned a-priori and documented

Access to evidence-based strategies
 Materials for implementing interventions
 Secondary and tertiary interventions that are (a)
evidence based and (b) have contextual fit

NEXT STEPS: BUILD THE SYSTEM

Resources
Training
 Materials
 Technical support


System for implementation
System
Practices
Data
WS
Identify need Assess.
 Build action plan
 Develop plan for implementation

Teacher AP
Team AP
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
Cynthia M. Anderson, PhD
[email protected]
541.364.2617
YOUR CLASSROOM VISION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What do you want your classroom to look like?
What should it feel like to a class member?
What do you want your students to accomplish?
What do you want to accomplish?
What should a visitor see?
How would you like a visitor to summarize your
classroom? Would they say this now?
WELL-MANAGED CLASSROOM
Students are deeply involved in their work
 Students know what is expected of them and are
generally successful
 There is relatively little wasted time, confusion,
or disruption
 The climate of the classroom is work-oriented,
but relaxed and pleasant

Mr. Jones’ Class
Be Safe
Sit with your chair on
all 4 legs
Mrs. Lee’s Class
Walk
Be Responsible Bring your materials to Bring your homework
Be Respectful
class each day
every day
Keep your hands and
feet to yourself
Use appropriate
language
Talk when it is your
turn to talk
Ask if it is “OK” to
borrow an item
Classroomwide
Arrival
Computers
Be Safe
Follow
directions the Be in your seat
first time
when the bell rings
Keep hands, feet,
and objects to
yourself
One
Be
Respectful
Raise
Wait
Be
Responsible
Have
your hand
before speaking &
when you need help
Listen when others
are talking
Use inside voice
Use
indoor voice
when talking before
the bell
Lips are sealed
when the bell rings
materials ready Bring your
before activities begin homework, pencil,
and paper
person per
computer station
Hands off electric
cords and power
supply
your turn
10 minutes per
station when
someone is waiting
Return
to log-in
screen when you
are finished
Take all materials
with you