Monday, December 7, 2009

The Importance of Teacher Knowledge and Skills

To create a successful school wide positive intervention behavior support system, teachers need to have certain skills, such as behavior management, reflection on own teaching, collaboration with school staff, and following through with school wide practices, which are addressed in other posts. According to Blum and Cheny, if teachers do not have these skills, than they relay heavily on office referrals for problem behaviors instead of "teaching students social skills that are necessary for them to succeed in school." (Blum & Cheney, p.239) Although this discipline tactic may produce a short term solution to the problematic behavior, in the long run it may "increase classroom disruptiveness and limit teachers' instructional effectiveness with students." (Blum & Cheney, p.239) Without the essential skills, educators may become ineffective and will not be able to reach or teach their students. By focusing on the problem behavior, they are reinforcing this behavior which will encourage more of the same. With the knowledge and skills, teachers and schools will be able to create a positive behavior plan that works for both the school system as well as the students.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Kendall Semonelli's post

Identify and discuss the skills that are essential for educators to successfully implement this system in their classroom.

“In a school-wide PBS model, it is recommended that school staff should organize their resources, activities, and policies so that they can enhance and sustain practices and outcomes for both student and teacher behavior in schools” (Blum and Cheney, 2009, p. 240).

“…if teachers do not have sufficient skills recommended for the implementation of school-wide PBS, the program and ultimate outcomes for students will be unsuccessful” (Blum and Cheney, 2009, p. 240).

One of the most important knowledge that a teacher needs to have is strong classroom management skill. “…new teachers need strong classroom management skills that are consistent with PBS approaches to teach important social skills to their students while using evidence-based practices to diminish problem behavior” (Blum and Cheney, 2009, p. 240).

Blum, C. & Cheney, D. (2009). The Validity and Reliability of the Teacher Knowledge and Skills Survey for Positive Behavior Support. Teacher Education and Special Education. Volume 32 Number 3.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Working Together for a Successful PBS

It does not only fall only to the classroom educators for positive behavioral supports (PBS) to be successful in a school. It is necessary and "recommended that school staff should organize their resources, activities, and policies so that they can enhance and sustain practices and outcomes for both student and teacher behavior in schools" (Blum & Cheney, 2009, p. 240). Along with the knowledge and skill set it takes to be a great educator, when working on with PBS's, it is important for educators, and administrators, to have a "deep knowledge of effective PBS practices will maximize the benefits of the PBS system and affect social and academic outcomes of students" (Blum & Cheney, 2009, p. 240). All school staff need to work at making a PBS successful, and help new teachers gain an understanding of the processes involved. New teachers also need to be responsible for the knowledge they bring to their classroom and "need strong classroom management skills that are consistent with PBS approaches to teach important social skills to their students while using evidence-based practices to diminish problem behavior" (Blum & Cheney, 2009, p. 240).

Check out this great video on how all school staff, from teachers, to the person who serves lunch, to the bus driver, can create a positive environment using PBS: Systematic Supervision

Reference
Blum, C. Cheney, D. (2009). The validity and reliability of the teacher knowledge and skills survey for Positive Behavior Support. Teacher Education Special Education 32(3) pp. 239-256.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Essential Skills

Some skills that are essential to implement SWPIBS in their classroom is support systems to answer questions and refection processes on management styles. To have a support system in place to help teachers there needs to be an initial assessment of the classroom to be able to have a baseline to judge the teaching style. “A collaboration of priority development has been demonstrated to be useful strategy in the implementation of school-wide PBS” (Sugai and Horner, p. 251). Resources should be found to support teachers and allow professional development around these skills. Teachers should reflect on their management skills. “Reflective educators who constantly analyze their efficacy with students” (Sugai and Horner, p. 252) become successful in management styles. These are just two skills that an essential in implementing SWPIBS.