Pbis Pros And Cons

PBIS or Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports is named after language that is derived from the verbiage used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997. It is a school wide approach to positive behavior intervention with many principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis. PBIS is three tiered in its approach, including school wide policies and supports, individual and group interventions and intensive individual supports for students with repeat behaviors. The core of PBIS is an informed, educated approach to behavior management with a focus on replacement behaviors and understanding the function of the behavior before intervention can be successful.

PBIS is a three tiered approach to implementing positive, thorough response to discipline and positive reinforcement in the classroom and the entire school. The three tiers are implemented in the school as a community, as small groups and as intensive interventions for individuals in need. The first tier represents the school as an entire population, the second identifies students at risk and the third responds to children with chronic behaviors. In addition to a school wide approach, PBIS also recognizes that school and classroom
discipline and positive reinforcement needs to be consistent and frequently reinforced allowing teachers to work closely with the concepts of responsive classroom and RTI other programs when needed. This collaboration of approaches caters to the needs of the whole child recognizing the link between student successes in academics to their success emotionally and socially.
The process of implementing PBIS in schools is long and involves extensive training for all professionals involved in executing a safe, effective program. The process of transforming an entire school into an effective PBIS school takes approximately three years. A leadership team is established and data is collected and reviewed frequently. Although this is the process that is recommended, the NH Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports offers schools the opportunity to take workshops and tailor made programs that target certain behavior issues as an alternative to fully integrating PBIS.
PBIS supports the success of all students in the school community through the use of the three tier system. Tier one of the PBIS approach is universal or schoolwide PBIS. This tier targets the entire school community and establishes a schoolwide policy on behavior, respect and expectations. This tier is intentionally broad in an effort to establish a solid framework for the program. In an effort to maximize student success this tier within the program focuses on positive, effective classroom management and preventative school discipline. The goal is to nurture healthy, successful, proud students with solid academics complimented by healthy minds and bodies. This is done through, clear expectations, modelling positive behavior, early intervention and diligent monitoring of student progress.
Tier two of PBIS is more focused on specific problem behaviors for individual students or groups of students.
Tier two is not just for special education students, it is designed for all students or groups of students that may be experiencing a disconnect with the tier one expectations. Interventions may include peer modelling, encouraging positive social interactions though small group activities, and check-ins with school personnel. This approach is most affective when the function of the behavior is identified and confronted by a team that consists not only of educators but parents and counsellors. The goal of tier two is to identify the function and correct the behavior before it becomes an established behavior that may be more difficult to
correct.
The final third tier is extremely focused and directed towards specific students with patterns of problematic behaviors. This tier is most effective when tiers one and two have been successfully established and enforced in the school community. In tier three functional behavioral assessments are done in order to better understand the function of the problem behaviors. When an understanding is gained as to what the motivating piece is for the child, then guidance can intervene and classroom arrangement can be altered in order to avoid possible antecedents. Members of the team should encourage positive behaviors and have close monitoring of behaviors, successes and questions
PBIS is a school wide and intensive classroom wide program that focuses on positive behavioral reinforcements. It is an educational approach to discipline of the school as a community and the student as an individual. In this approach, schools are informed, and functioning as a population based on rules and guidelines of respect and responsibility. More intensively, knowledge is gained as to why a specific behaviors are happening, what may be causing the behavior and what replacements may help divert it in the future. It is an educated approach to discipline rather than consequence based approaches where the cause or antecedent is not always considered. It results in a healthy school community that is confident, respectful and responsible.