Positive Behavior Supports



Positive Behavior Supports:

Toolbox for Teachers

Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom

Assume all students want to succeed. Keep the hope alive and don’t give up on kids. We have a common goal for all of them to succeed at West.

Develop and nurture relationships. There is no substitute for personal relationships with students. Once a relationship is established, many behaviors become manageable and most trouble is averted.

Suggestions from your West High colleagues

• 1-minute conference. Whenever possible (the vast majority of the time), have a private conversation with the student about their behavior. This avoids humiliating the student in front of peers and giving them an audience for further misbehavior. It also helps the student understand how to fix their problem and restore your relationship with them.

• Everyday is a new day. Fix it the day it happens and move on, no grudges! Teachers expect the same and model how to fix it when a relationship is harmed.

• Visit other classrooms. This committee learned the most from our fellow teachers who were willing to share what works for them. West is full of experts.

Ideas that work

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

| |Prevent the problem by pre-teaching students|the misbehavior right away. Build trust |toward the desired replacement behavior. Do|so the student can restore their |

| |the desired behavior. |by being consistent. |this mostly during a private conversation, |relationships and be successful. |

| | | |not in front of the class. | |

|Lateness |Be serious about this early and often. |Your reaction to their lateness shouldn’t|During a private conversation, remind the |Give a pass if late because of your |

| | |further disrupt the class. |student of the connection between success |conversation. |

| |Discuss why lateness is disrespectful to | |and promptness. | |

| |self, teacher, and class. |When they walk in late, tell them to see | |Help students find a shorter or less crowded|

| | |you after class so other students don’t |In private, ask why they were late and help|route. |

| |Wrap into a participation grade. |think there are no consequences. |problem-solve for the future. | |

| | | | |Help student organize materials to avoid |

| |Try an activity (ie. question of the day) |Use tardy detentions after 3rd tardy | |locker trips. |

| |during the first few minutes of class while |(have them ready ahead of time for | | |

| |you take attendance. Late students are |frequently late students) | |Contact parents and school supports to |

| |ineligible to earn those points. | | |provide more help. |

| | |Call home. | | |

| |Welcome students when they arrive. (Only if | | | |

| |you can be genuine) |Refer to Dean of Students. | | |

| | | | | |

| |Provide a class reward for a good on-time | | | |

| |record. | | | |

|Food/drink |Make sure students know your classroom |Ask if they have enough for everyone. |Private conversation about your classroom |Ask why they have it (ill, hungry, etc.) and|

| |policy. | |policy and your reasons. |help problem-solve for future success. |

| | |Ask them to put it away. | | |

| |Discuss why this is the policy and what is | | | |

| |positive about it. |Remove food/drink. | | |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Putting head down |Tell students to let you know right away if | “I’ll begin when I see your eyes.” |Frequently remind the whole class of |During a private conversation, ask if there |

| |they’re having a bad day or not feeling |“Sarah, please look up.” |desired posture. (Before a video, guest |is a reason and send to appropriate support|

| |well. |“Your attention, please.” |speaker, lecture, or student presentations)|staff if needed (ill, personal issue, |

| | |“Are you with me?” | |academic issue) |

| |Explain the need for eye contact in |“Ready?” | | |

| |communication. |“Heads up.” | |Give a responsibility to re-engage them. |

| | | | |(“Emily, please collect today’s papers.”) |

| | |Wait for students to look up before | | |

| | |starting. (Use sparingly or kids will | |For chronic problem call home. |

| | |learn to take forever) | | |

| | | | |Set appointment with student/parents for |

| | |Use teacher proximity. | |follow-up. |

| | | | | |

| | |Ask quietly what the problem is. | | |

| | | | | |

| | |Touch them between the shoulders. (Only | | |

| | |once you have rapport) | | |

|Put-downs and toxic |Discuss the first day what language is |Address immediately and quietly. |Suggest how to express ideas without |In private conversation, ask student to list|

|language |expected and why . |“James, that’s a put-down.” (please see |putting down. |several things they can say instead and |

| | |me after class.) | |create a plan to repair damage to other |

| |Discuss the difference between toxic and |Use “teacher stare”. | |students. |

| |nurturing language. | | | |

| | | | |Involve parents if continues. |

| |Hdave students react to quotes about hurtful| | | |

| |words. | | |Involve support staff if chronic. |

| | | | | |

| |Encourage students to report hurtful | | | |

| |comments quietly and individually. | | | |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Cross-Talk |Explain the social contract of school. |Teacher pauses until it’s quiet. “I’m |Change seating chart. (Move seats often and|Move student to the front of the room to |

| | |waiting until you can hear me.” |carefully to split up cross-talkers.) |help concentration. |

| |Discuss the time and place for talking. | | | |

| |1. Seating chart. |Address student who is talking by name. |In a private conversation remind talker |Give student some skills to use when they |

| |On first day, tell them they may choose to | |about their focus in class. |don’t want to cross-talk with those who are |

| |sit in a place they can learn best – give |Eye contact & head shake with talker. | |tempting them. (don’t give eye contact, look|

| |them overnight to think about it. | |Ask what will help them concentrate. |forward, ignore, etc.) |

| | |Teacher moves to stand next to talkers. | | |

| |Make it clear that you will move them if |(Let them know you may need to split them|Let them know it makes it difficult for you|Call parents. |

| |they aren’t learning best in that location. |up.) |to do your job when there is talking going | |

| | | |on. |Involve support staff. |

| |Then, have a seating chart by the second day| | | |

| |of school. | | | |

| |(9th grade, maybe no choice until 2nd | | | |

| |quarter when they’re more comfortable.) | | | |

| | | | | |

| |2. Build in some time /space to let students| | | |

| |talk. (last minute of class, etc.) | | | |

|No supplies |Have simple supplies available in the room: |“Please see that those around you have |Private conversation for those chronically |Provide a place for student supplies within |

| | |paper and a pencil.” |without their supplies. |the room. |

| |Pencils, paper | | | |

| |Kleenex (ask kids to bring), |“No need for the hall pass, more supplies| |Encourage the use of a planner to stay |

| |Lotion & Hand Sanitizer is a nice touch, |are here.” | |organized. |

| |room smells good! | | | |

| | |“Ready?” | |Involve support staff, case mgrs, parents. |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Bathroom Pass |Discuss appropriate time to use the pass and|“Now is not a good time.” |In a private conversation, remind them |Remove pass privileges for a period of time.|

| |not disrupting the class to do so. |“Please wait until after instructions.” |about your pass policy and the appropriate |Ask if there is a reason for frequent use. |

| | | |times to go. |If so, involve the nurse or appropriate |

| |No passes first 10 minutes. | | |support staff. |

| | | |“You have abused the privilege. You may | |

| |Students can use pass as needed, 5-minute | |earn it back after 2 weeks of non-use.” |If privilege is removed, they should be able|

| |limit, not to disrupt class. | | |to earn it back. |

| | | | | |

| |Keep pass in a place that is visible to | | | |

| |everyone, but teacher has easy control over | | | |

| |it. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Give each student 3 passes every quarter for| | | |

| |their own use. Not replaced if lost. Can’t | | | |

| |leave room without one. Unused passes are | | | |

| |worth 5 pts. extra credit each quarter. | | | |

|Unwanted Touching, |Discuss the need for safety, security, and |Put in front – no one to kick. |Practice staying in seats until the bell. |Private conversation. |

|bumping, kicking, |personal space. | | | |

|play fighting | |Move seating chart. (for several/all |Give them other things to do instead of |Referral to office. |

| |Seating chart is free choice until teacher |students, not just offender) |gathering by the door before the bell | |

| |needs to move students. | |rings. (stay in seats and chat, check out |Call home. |

| | |Proximity of teacher- move near the |your classroom library, look at your | |

| |Students stay at desks until bell rings. (Or|trouble. |bulletin board up close, etc.) |Call security for removal from classroom. |

| |at least stay away from the door.) | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Encourage students to report privately if | | | |

| |there is an issue with another student. | | | |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Cell phones/ texting|Discuss why the rule exists. |“I’m asking for your phone now, you may |Ask students to remind the class of your |Private conversation. |

| | |get it from me after school.” |policy. |Students appreciate it when the issue can |

| |“Phones need to be off and away.” | | |stay only between the two of you. This will|

| |“I love cell phones that are |“You choose, would you like to give it to| |protect the relationship and trust. |

| |invisible/inaudible to me.” |me, or have a referral to the office.” | | |

| |Use cell phones appropriately. “Please take| | |As a last resort, involve others. (home, |

| |them out and enter the phone numbers of your|“Please escort your phone to the office.”| |security, support staff, admin.) |

| |group members.” | | | |

| | |“Move to the texting seat – at the front | | |

| | |of the room so I can see that you | | |

| | |aren’t.” | | |

| | | | | |

| | |“Put phones out on the desk and turned | | |

| | |off during tests.” | | |

|Getting make-up work|Explain the student’s personal |Now is not a good time. |Use a homework buddy. |Keep extra copies for absent students with |

| |responsibility for their learning. |I’ll have a few minutes at ____time. See| |their names on them, in classroom folders. |

| | |me then. |Check the crate. | |

| |Keep extra handouts in a crate for 2-3 | | |Ask students to email you. |

| |weeks. It’s students’ responsibility to take| |Ask another student to catch you up during | |

| |what they missed. | |lunch. |Students can meet the teacher during lunch |

| | | | |or after school. |

| |Put weekly schedule on the | | | |

| |board/crate/handout. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Use guided study as a resource for notes | | | |

| |they have on file. | | | |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Being exclusive. |Discuss and provide a rubric/roles for group|Private conversation after class or while|In private, explain, “I’ve heard other |“When I see you being exclusive, I’ll remind|

| |process. |others are busy. |students complaining.” |you by doing ____.” |

| | | | | |

| |With the assumption that no one wants to do | |“I see you are a leader. This class needs |Keep tallies so a student only gets 3 |

| |nothing, brainstorm ideas with class on how | |you to lead them in a more positive way.” |comments a day. They can keep their own |

| |to make sure everyone is participating. | | |tallies. |

| | | | | |

| |Give some individual grades for group work. | |“I have trouble sharing air space, too.” | |

| | | |(Most teachers do!) | |

| |Peer grading. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Teacher must walk around and observe groups.| | | |

| | | | | |

| |Vary how groups are made (heterogeneous, | | | |

| |homogeneous, random, etc.) | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Let kids pick groups -everyone must be | | | |

| |included or you’ll never do it again. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Change groups often. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Limit length of group projects. (absences | | | |

| |are difficult) | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Put a score on work station desk indicating | | | |

| |good group dynamics. Return to adjust score| | | |

| |as class progresses. | | | |

| |Teach |Interrupt |Guide |Provide resources |

|Tuesday Reports |Sign them on Tuesdays only. (within reason, |“Is today Tuesday?” |“I sign these on Tuesdays” |Extras are in the room. |

| |in case of absence) | | | |

| | |“Now is not a good time” |“Find me at lunch or after school if it is |Contact student, parent, coach |

| |Student info must be filled out in ink | |not Tuesday.” | |

| |before signing. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Keep a supply in the room, delivered by Sr. | | | |

| |Citizens before school starts. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Make time in Tuesday’s lesson plans for | | | |

| |signing while students are busy. | | | |

| | | | | |

| |Indicate “Pass”, “Fail” or a grade. (Be | | | |

| |sure it’s a grade if the student is close to| | | |

| |an “F”) | | | |

-----------------------

Help students be responsible for their own behavior

1. Teach – Part of our job is to teach students how to “be” both in school and out there in the world. Prevent problems by pre-teaching students the desired behavior. Sometimes, practicing introduces humor and helps students remember.

2. Interrupt the misbehavior in order to de-escalate it.

3. Guide students toward the desired behavior,

4. Provide resources so the student can restore their relationships and be successful.

[pic]

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download