| School Discipline | Introduction | - | |
| Help | [Orientation] Support | Lesson | Practice | - |
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Schools are under pressure to implement numerous initiatives, all of which require a significant amount of time and resources (Sugai et al., 2000). These initiatives, coming from federal legislation, state regulations, and district mandates, are introduced individually, with little or no efforts to integrate new strategies into the school (Guskey, 1995). Without a system for incorporating these initiatives over a long-term period, the probability that they will be implemented and maintained is poor. In fact, a number of authors have suggested that school reform efforts will only succeed when they involve an integrated and long-term strategy for changing the structures and cultures of the school using community, family, and school perspectives (Darling-Hammond, 1997; Lawson, Briar-Lawson, 1997; Schorr, 1997). A number of schools are actively modifying the way they look at the change process. These schools place a strong emphasis on the importance of ongoing learning for teachers as well as students. They describe themselves as learning communities and actively seek ways to increase the effectiveness of their teaching (Hord, Meehan, Orletsky, & Sattes, 1999). In learning communities, teachers and principals work together in collaborative problem solving teams to address issues and make important decisions (Fleming & Leo, 2000). The purpose of this module is to introduce features of positive behavioral support from a systems perspective and explain how it fits within larger school change efforts. This module emphasizes the importance of designing an environment that promotes collaboration and ongoing learning. Although positive behavioral support initially started out as an intervention approach for individual students, it now includes strategies for redesigning the environment at a systems level (Sugai et al., 2000). A systems perspective in positive behavioral support refers to larger issues within an environment that can influence student behavior including the policies and procedures within a school, the values and beliefs held by staff, how resources are managed and allocated, issues related to interagency collaboration, and availability of staff development opportunities (Durand & Kishi, 1987; Freeman, Baker, Horner, Smith, Britten, & McCart, in press; Janney & Meyer, 1990; Meyer & Evans, 1989). Without a systems perspective, the adoption of positive behavioral support strategies may be ineffective due to inconsistent implementation and a lack of long-term planning. There are a number of suggested readings within each of the lessons contained in this module. The goal is to provide useful information whether you simply want to learn about the specific topics in each lesson, or are interested in positive behavioral support in the context of the broader perspective of school reform. The intention is to assist professionals who are actively integrating all of their school initiatives using a systems-level approach. The first lesson within this module describes strategies teachers can use to build a positive learning environment. Effective classroom management strategies prevent problem behavior and reduce the need for individualized positive behavioral support plans. The next lesson describes how staff development systems can be used to encourage a climate of ongoing learning for teachers and staff in topic areas such as classroom management and positive behavioral support. In addition, the staff development strategies described in this lesson can facilitate the implementation of other initiatives, creating a coordinating force for learning new skills. The last lesson introduces issues related to school-wide discipline and emphasizes the collaborative processes described within the staff development lesson. All of the lessons within this module can contribute to efforts in making your school a community of learners. Disclaimer The Positive Behavioral Support Online Academy Modules have been designed for teachers working with students in both general and special education. Fictional case study examples and vignettes across age groups and grade levels are provided in order to demonstrate how positive behavioral support strategies can be applied in diverse settings and situations. Pictures of students appearing in the modules have been used with permission and do not represent actual individuals. |
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