positive behavior support [pbs]
Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is a set of principles that strive to create a positive and proactive discipline structure. PBS is a set of organizing practices, not a specific program. Through research, behavior has been found to be learned, functional, contextual, and human. Teachers need to remember that we teach and reinforce behavior daily, whether it is positive or negative. Research has also shown that we use our behavior to achieve our goals, and we behave differently according to the setting.
The Michigan Department of Education states the following in regards to how PBS can emphasize behavior to encourage learning by:
- Building Relationships
- Creating Routines
- Teaching skills, rules, and expectations
- Identifying replacement behaviors for behaviors interfering with learning
- Making problem behavior less effective, efficient, and relevant
- Making the desired behavior more functional and adaptive
The PBS behaviorally-based approach can be applied (1) school wide, (2) amongst targeted groups of students at-risk, and (3) as an intensive effort for individual students. This approach strives to improve the quality of live for these students throughout their entire education across the spectrum (preschool, general, special or alternative, middle school, high school, and postsecondary).
The image below displays information pertaining to PBS being applied to three key areas in schools. This chart shows the following three facts:
- About 80% of students have zero to one office referrals in a school implementing school-wide PBS practices.
- Approximately 15% of all students exhibiting behaviors benefit from targeted interventions.
- Almost 5% of students have challenges requiring intensive and specialized interventions including support.
Source: http://www.modelprogram.com/CommitmentToPBS.html