Positive Behavior Support in Schools: Article Review

Introduction to Positive Behavior Support

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is best conceived of as a framework that governs how schools consider and make choices about discipline, rather than as a specific behavioral management approach. The article under review suggests a four-step process for schools to better integrate PBS into their secondary and tertiary responses to the approximately 20% of students who do not respond to the initial approach. The four-step iterative model consists of the following: (a) prediction — not only identifying which students are most likely to misbehave, but also identifying what other factors create the situations in which misbehavior occurs; (b) high-probability interventions, using the information gathered during prediction to intervene and prevent possible misbehavior; (c) consistency, implementing interventions correctly and uniformly; and (d) assessment, examining which students are still struggling and what can be done to help them. This approach shifts the focus toward specific, identifiable problems that can be systematically addressed.

Prediction: Identifying Students and Risk Factors

Prediction, in this process, involves asking a number of targeted questions. In addition to identifying which students are most likely to misbehave, this system encourages asking what factors are likely to trigger misbehavior in those students, how that misbehavior is likely to manifest, and how to act on those factors proactively. The prediction step thus lays the groundwork for all subsequent interventions in the model.

High-Probability Interventions and Classroom Guideposts

The prediction process determines which high-probability interventions are appropriate, so the article does not prescribe specific interventions; instead, it names three areas that can "serve as guideposts" (p. 518). First, positive relationships between teachers and students are identified as one of the most important factors in helping children adjust to school, and are associated with fewer behavioral problems. The article reinforces the position that it should be the teacher's responsibility to initiate positive interactions with students.

Second, student failure highlights the need for effective instruction. The article makes the important point that students who are unable to follow classroom directions are more likely to misbehave, and that simply telling students to "work harder" does not account for the quality of instruction as a key factor in determining how much learning can take place. Third, better classroom management could alleviate some of the pressures that cause students to misbehave.

Conclusion: PBS as a School-Wide Heuristic

In conclusion, PBS functions as a heuristic — a practical learning tool — for designing and implementing behavioral change within schools, as well as a means to actually create that change. It takes some of the blame off students who are misbehaving by placing their behavior within a broader context. The recognition that approximately 20% of students in any given system are likely to be identified as presenting behavioral challenges can help lead teachers and administrators away from pathologizing individual students.

While some aspects of PBS — and of this article's application of it — may seem self-evident (for example, the idea that misbehavior may be connected to a student's environment), the framework nonetheless gives schools a shared language and structure through which to identify and implement meaningful behavioral changes. Scott, Alter, Rosenberg, and Borgmeier's (2010) model offers a systematic, school-wide approach that contextualizes student behavior and positions educators to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.

References

Scott, T. M., Alter, P. J., Rosenberg, M., & Borgmeier, C. (2010). Decision-making in secondary and tertiary interventions of school-wide systems of positive behavior support. Education & Treatment of Children, 33(4), 513–535. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.