Title: Developing Program-Wide Systems of PBS at the Preschool Level
1Developing Program-Wide Systems of PBS at the
Preschool Level
- Becky Beckner, PhD
- Columbia Public Schools
- University of Missouri
- rbeckner_at_columbia.k12.mo.us
2EC and Elementary PBS Similarities
- Proactive, preventative approach
- Teach and practice expected behaviors
- Feedback for appropriate and inappropriate
behavior - Team-based management
- Training and support for all staff members and
students - Due to the structure of early childhood
programs and the ages taught, there are a few
concepts that must be adapted.
3Program-wide PBS
- Early Childhood PBS is generally approached as a
program-wide system rather than school-wide,
although this will vary depending on the program
make-up in a particular community. - Within a public school system, early childhood
classrooms are often spread out across several
elementary buildings. - These may be in buildings that have school-wide
PBS of their own, indicating that the early
childhood program must be mindful of creating a
developmentally appropriate PBS system while
fitting into the different elementary buildings
programming.
4Program-wide PBS
- Some public school early childhood programs are
developed for typically developing children
(i.e., Title One preschools), while others blend
with Head Start and/or Early Childhood Special
Education classrooms. - Some early childhood programming occurs in
community-based childcare centers. - The PBS team must consider these scenarios when
planning for implementation. - The EC-PBS team is typically quite large.
5Columbia Public Schools
- Columbia, Missouri
- 18 Title I preschool classrooms in 12 elementary
buildings with 500 students and itinerant ECSE
support - 8 ECSE classrooms at a Center with 130 students
- 7th year of PBS implementation
- Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible
6Other EC Programs in Missouri
- Central Missouri Community Action
- 8 counties of Head Start classrooms
- 6th year of implementation
- Columbia Montessori School
- Academy Early Learning Center
- Sedalia Early Childhood Center
- Rockwood Early Childhood Program
- Francis Howell Early Childhood Program
- United Services
7Developmentally Appropriate Programming
- It is important for the PBS team to focus on the
developmental appropriateness of planning instead
of merely copying the programming of an
elementary building. - One example of this would be deciding on school
behavior expectations and completing the rules
matrix. For an early childhood program, it may be
important to focus on 2 or 3 expectations instead
of the 4 to 6 chosen in an elementary building. - Again, some classrooms are in buildings with
existing PBS programming. The team should be
aware of existing situations when deciding on
program expectations, and plan accordingly.
8Formalization of Learning Through EC-PBS
- Another thought to consider is the typical
purpose of children who are 3 to 5 years of age.
For most of them, this is their first experience
with organized schooling. All school-appropriate
behaviors to be learned are new to them and
require numerous opportunities for practice. - These include not only the rules and routines of
school, as laid out in the expectation matrix,
but also how to make friends, how to express
emotions, and general school structure. - Early childhood teachers already spend much of
their time teaching such skills yet often fail
to articulate the importance of these lessons to
the children, parents, and other staff by
labeling such lessons as part of the daily
routine.
9Instruction of Social Skills
- The learning of preschool-aged students occurs
through play and trial and error actions. - Social skills instruction in early childhood
settings often utilizes puppets, storybooks,
finger plays, social stories, songs, group games,
and art activities for well-rounded instruction
and practice of such skills.
10Circle Time Rap
- Now its time for the Circle Time Rap
- My eyes are on the teacher
- My hands are in my lap
- My legs are sitting criss cross
- My voice is very quiet
- Im sitting on my bottom
- Now everybody try it
11Philosophical Differences
- Philosophical differences refer to variations in
peoples beliefs and values. Differing
philosophies can affect buy-in, overall support,
the extent and integrity to which staff use PBS
techniques, and overall school climate. - Therefore, it is important that philosophical
differences that may exist among faculty and
staff be addressed. - Many early childhood programs utilize curricula
based on constructivist theory (e.g., High/Scope,
Project Construct). The early childhood PBS team
will need to work closely with the staff to
ensure that the curriculum and PBS programming
blend well. - There are two particular concepts that may need
to be discussed and addressed by the team.
12Formal Curricula
- Early childhood educators often create lesson
plans based on the current interests of children
in the classroom. - Purposeful Instruction It will be important for
the staff to discuss the need for all children to
be directly taught appropriate school behavior.
13Praise and Tangible Rewards
- After discussing this issue, many EC programs
have resolved to use a minimum of verbal feedback
in the form of acknowledgement of appropriate and
inappropriate behavior. - Typical examples heard in early childhood
programs are Tim, you are using your walking
feet. You are being safe, and Tim, our rule is
to use our walking feet to be safe. Can you show
me or should we practice? - Several early childhood programs have utilized a
continuum of strategies to recognize appropriate
behavior, ranging from verbal acknowledgement for
group behavior to awards for individual behavior.
- The PBS team will need to work closely with the
staff to come to an agreement on what strategies
are appropriate for children in their program.
14Group Contingency for Appropriate Behavior
(Beehive)
15WE FILLED OUR BEE HIVE TODAY!
Do You Like to Buzz? (sung to the tune of Do
Your Ears Hang Low?) Do you like to buzz? Are
you covered in fuzz? Do you call a hive a home In
the garden where you roam? Do you know how to
make honey? Are your stripes a little funny? Do
you like to buzz?
WE ARE BEING SAFE, KIND AND RESPONSIBLE
16Strategies for Addressing Philosophical
Differences Share Data
- Schools have reported data is our best weapon.
Data should be shared and explained to staff in
meaningful ways. - Personalize communication when speaking with
personnel regarding data. Make certain teachers
understand the needs and outcomes that are
revealed by the data. Share data from different
levels (e.g., classroom, school-wide, district).
- Share data on a regular basis. Allow teachers to
see the transformation. Teachers need to see that
PBS works.
17Share Data
- Provide stories from staff members who have
switched to the PBS philosophy. - The stories should explain why they used to
disagree with PBS, and what happened to make them
think differently. - These stories can be posted in staff areas to be
read during down times, shared at faculty
meetings, through email, in staff newsletters, or
on a school PBS folder on shared files. - Provide public recognition and praise for
teachers who are using PBS effectively.
18 Adult Incentive Form
19Communicate Effectively
- When addressing philosophical differences
regarding PBS among staff, effective
communication is key. When speaking with staff,
do so in a meaningful way, which may include
addressing staff individually. - Frequent communication opens dialogue for problem
solving among staff members. - Make certain that staff members feel comfortable
seeking clarity and asking questions. Regardless
of individual differences, staff should feel
supported as a whole.
20Open Communication
- Philosophical differences cannot be adequately
addressed if staff members feel as though they
have no voice in the PBS process. Involve staff
members who object to PBS. Having a naysayer or
two on the PBS team will provide a platform for
others who may have differing opinions. - Have a person/s on the team whose role is
communication specialist- a person who provides
updates to the staff, this is the person for
staff to contact when they have questions.
21Listen to the Staff!
- Address faculty concerns.
- Questions may be answered anonymously during
faculty meetings (chances are there are other
staff members who have the same question, but
have not asked it). - Create an anonymous suggestion and question box,
so that staff members can share their concerns
freely. -
- Be empathetic and try to listen for the concerns
that are their underlying objections. For
example, a staff member who complains, We are
already doing this, may feel this way because
she does not have enough information about PBS. - Instead of insisting PBS is a new strategy for
your school, gradually provide information.
Explain how PBS fits in with ongoing
initiatives.
22Empower Teachers
- Provide teachers with the opportunity to observe
classrooms and speak with teachers who
successfully implement PBS strategies. - Utilize teachers and staff to provide details and
examples from their classroom and school proving
that PBS can be successful. - Have other schools share their outcomes. Provide
research articles supporting PBS. - Emphasize the benefits of PBS. For example PBS
strategies can save time and effort data
collection provides accountability to families
and districts and PBS improves school climate.
23Go the Extra Mile!
- Be sure to check back with staff members to see
if their concerns are being addressed. - When a change is made to some component of PBS
because of staff concerns, let the faculty know
what the concern is and how they have made
changes to address the concern.
24CPS Year 7 Survey Results
- How many children have you taken to BUZ team this
year? - 023 people 114 people 210 people 31
person - For what area/s of concern?
- Communication-10
- Behavior-16
- Academics-7
- Sensory-2
- Was the process easy? Yes 22 No 3
- Was the process helpful? Yes 22 No 3
- Did you get your needs met? Yes 19 No 5
25Data Collection Regarding Individual Students
- Most early childhood programs have not previously
used systems to collect behavioral data. - As analysis of appropriate data is key to
developing a workable action plan, the PBS team
will need to discuss how to gather basic
information about behavior incidents as they
occur. - Many decisions must be made regarding the use of
a Behavior Incident Report.
26Data Collection for Parents
- Parents are very involved in the education of
preschool-aged children. Early childhood teachers
typically share information about specific
behavior incidents with parents in person or by
writing a note. It is important for the teacher
to still have this ability regardless of what
type of form is developed. - Teachers do not generally want to send home a BIR
for minor, classroom-managed issues. Therefore, a
decision-rule must be made regarding when a BIR
should be sent home. - Likewise, a decision must be made regarding which
offenses are recorded and turned in to a central
location for analysis. Many teachers use the BIR
as a data collection tool with a summary of minor
chronic behaviors turned in to the central office
and to parents.
27Behavior Incident Report
- Data rules At CPS
- Sent home and to data manager if a Level 3
consequence is given - After 3 incident reports, support is offered
- Reality BIRs are not consistently used unless
requesting support or as part of the evaluation
process.
28Screening Process
- Behavior Checklist (November and March)
- Subjective measure compiled from clinical and
developmental scales - Sample data November-450 filled out
- 43
red-flagged - March-520 filled out
- 13 more red-flagged
- Standardized Screening Instruments
29Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA)
- Assess a childs level of internal protective
factors, or resiliency (self-control, initiative,
attachment) - Create a classroom profile to pair with lessons
for school, share information with parents for
strategies at home - Goal Strengthen protective factors and minimize
impact of risk factors - Infant/Toddler, Preschool, School-age, and
Clinical versions - Short screen for Problem Behavior
30Early Screening Project(Walker, Severson,
Feil, 1995)
- Proactive multiple-gated screening
- Stage One Teacher ranking of externalizing
internalizing behaviors - Stage Two Teacher ratings of the 5 highest
ranked children - Stage Three Direct observations parent
questionnaires of children exceeding Stage Two
criteria
Teacher Ranking
Teacher Ratings
Observations
31Early Screening Project
- Stage Two Normative comparisons on several
checklists/scales that are appropriate to
externalizing and internalizing concerns - Scores of At-Risk, High-Risk, or Extreme Risk for
each scale with separate tables by gender - Convert to T scores and percentile ranks
- Stage Three Optional measures that guide
decision-making regarding support - Parent Questionnaire with items that correspond
to teacher scales - Social Behavior Observations during peer play
that identify antisocial/nonsocial behavior or
prosocial behavior (two 10-minute sessions) - The ESP can be used as a clinical tool to
determine eligibility for special services as
well as programming/monitoring progress
32PRE-SET (Horner, Benedict, Todd, 2005)
- Adaptation of the School-wide Evaluation Tool
(SET) used in K-12 educational settings to
measure critical features of school-wide PBS. - The Pre-SET assesses classroom and program-wide
variables across 9 categories - A. Expectations Defined
- B. Behavioral Expectations Taught
- C. Appropriate Behavior Acknowledged
- D. Organized and Predictable Environment
- E. Additional Supports
- F. Family Involvement
- G. Monitoring Decision-Making
- H. Management
- I. Program District-Wide Support
33Staff Support in Crisis Situations
- Most EC teachers do not send children to the
principals office or to a buddy room when
escalating and/or violent behavior occurs. - Child care licensing regulations are particular
about use of physical restraint and continued
enrollment of students who may be dangerous - A Crisis Plan is completed by each classroom team
in order to be prepared for such events. - Students are taught classroom evacuation.
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35Early Childhood Secondary and Tertiary Supports
- On-Going Monthly PBS Support Group Training of
staff on concepts such as managing escalating
behavior, determining environmental triggers for
behavior, and understanding the function of
behaviors - Intensive Social Skills Instruction
- Beyond the lessons provided to teachers,
- For at-risk behaviors such as dealing with
frustration tolerance, - Materials are provided or a specialist
provides the requested lesson for small groups
36Other Secondary and Tertiary Supports
- Mentoring for children in need of extra attention
(due to crisis, family issues, or
attention-seeking behaviors) - Administrators and traveling specialists
- 15 to 30 minutes per week, plus field trips and
class parties - Unconditional involvement
- Special Education evaluation in the area of
social/emotional/behavioral functioning - Special Education services
- Behavior consultation
- Direct social skills instruction
- Individual counseling
- Parent PBS training
37Teacher Assistance Teams
- CPS Buddy-Up Zone (BUZ Team)
- Available every Friday-different times of the
day-Four teams of peers - Any area of concern (85 of meetings during
2007-2008 were for behavior) - Request for Support and gathering of available
data - Parent permission required, attendance encouraged
- Teacher Support and Referral Team (TSAR)
- Two per month-classroom team, Mental Health
Consultant, ECSE staff
38General Education Interventions
- Compile what is known, what is in place
- Identify antecedent/environmental strategies
- Identify curricular modifications
- Address any behavior management needs
- Recommend interventions, supports, materials,
observations, data collection methods/tools,
and/or referrals for evaluation - Schedule a follow-up meeting
39RTI and BUZ 2008-2009
- Early Childhood DIBELS administration for all
pre-kindergarten students in Title I - Cluster teams School Psychologist, ECSE Teacher,
Speech/Language Pathologist, Title I teachers - Meet every 2 weeks
- Ongoing screening for those who need it
- Implementation of strategies
- BUZ available per cluster at each meeting
- Behavior Consultant, Occupational Therapist
40Transition to Kindergarten
- Transition to kindergarten is a big step for all
students and their parents. - In particular, those with behavioral difficulties
tend to struggle. - At CPS, Transition Plans are written for all
children who have gone through BUZ/TSAR teams. - Parental permission is obtained prior to the
initial team meeting. - Support forms and transition plans are sent to
the principal of the receiving elementary school
for dissemination
41Where to get more information Positive Behavior
Support Systems Applying Key Features in
Preschool Settings Authors Melissa Stormont,
Timothy J. Lewis, and Rebecca Beckner TEACHING
Exceptional Children VOL. 37 NO.6 July/August
2005 http//journals.sped.org/ec/archive_article
s/VOL.37NO.6JulyAugust2005_TEC_Stormont37-6.pdf
42Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Supporting
Young Childrens Social-Emotional Development
and Addressing Challenging Behavior The
Southeast Kansas Community Action Program
(SEK-CAP) (www.Challengingbehavior.org)
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