Classroom Behavior

So many things go into what we clump together as "classroom behavior."

1. What is the Behavior Education Plan the school board past in 2014? There is one for middle/high school students and a different one for elementary school students.

2. In particular pp.27-31 of the secondary BEP deals with behaviors, interventions, and discipline focused on the classroom, including when behaviors would command a Level 2 response and what that response should be. Pages 12-15 explains the rationale for level 1 documentation and what documentation needs to happen for it to be categorized as level 2.

After the first quarter, there are two themes I hear most frequently: when do behaviors need to be documented and whether students can or should ever be removed from the classroom.

In particular, there has been some questioning around when level 1 documentation should occur. Ultimately, level 1 behaviors should be documented once, despite classroom supports being in place (ie. engaging curriculum, routines, lesson scaffolding, relationship building,etc.) student behaviors persist. This then suggests that other intervention and support is needed for the student.

The other area of questioning surrounds whether students can or should be removed from the classroom. Of course our goal is always to keep students in the classroom, closest to where learning occurs. The BEP does realize though that some behaviors need to be regulated so that the student is ready to engage with learning. Being sent out of the classroom for this purpose goes along with the spirit of the BEP. Using classroom removal as a punishment is not consistent with the BEP. This document seeks to clarify both of these dilemmas.

3. There are toolkit resources (in addition to the PBIS World site chock full of ideas for Tier One interventions) designed to help teachers implement this plan in the classroom. Here is a sampling of what's there:

SECTION 1: Multi-Tiered Behavioral Practices

Universal School Wide & Classroom Practices
Universal School-Wide Systems & Practices
Universal Classroom Practices

Proactive Classroom Practices

Importance of Relationships

Strategies to Respond to Behavior

Classroom Interventions, Level 1

Decision-Making Role at Level 1

Rationale for Documenting Level 1 Behavior

Parameters for Documenting Level 1 Behavior

Tools & Resources: Classroom Practices and Interventions