POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION & SUPPORTS (PBIS)

Second Step

(SEL) As part of our PBIS Initiative at Brookwood Jr. High School, our teachers have been infusing a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum into their daily routines. With a lesson focused on each week, this curriculum teaches our students essential skills such as empathy, emotion management, problem-solving, friendship, and responsibility. The weekly focus for each lesson varies. Please talk with your child about these lessons; it will help reinforce them at home! If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s SEL teacher.

defIne, teAch, And routInely Acknowledge fAmIly exPectAtIons.

• Discuss how you want to live as a family and identify some “pillars” (important, building-block concepts) that represent what you value. Talk about what those pillars look and sound like in everyday routines. To help the family remember and be consistent, choose only 3-5 and create positive statements about them.

here Are A few exAmPles: creAte engAgIng And PredIctAble routInes.

• Speak in a respectful voice.

• Be responsible for actions.

• Be safe; keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.

• Identify a couple of “hot spots” to begin. Challenging behaviors often occur within routines. Perhaps mornings or mealtimes create hot spots for the family. After discussing 1-2 ways to be respectful, responsible, and safe in the morning, teach what each looks like. Have fun with it! Set up “expectation stations” for practicing the plan and assign each family member one pillar to teach to the rest.

• Behaviors that get attention get repeated. Notice when a child does the right thing and says something about each success: “I noticed you stopped to pick up your shoes in the hallway. Thanks for putting them away and keeping the walkway safe for others.” The easiest way to change a behavior is to point out what a person does right!

• Remember this catchy phrase, “5-and-1 gets it done,” to ensure five positive interactions for each negative interaction. When the expected behavior becomes routine, the reinforcement can fade away.

• Children crave structure and routine. Adults may look forward to a relaxing evening or weekend, but kids often need regular activity and engagement. Consider that either the kids are busy or the adults are busy managing bored kids!

• Use visuals to create predictability. A visual schedule can display the day’s significant routines with pictures drawn, real photos, or magazine cut-outs. Create the schedule together, if possible. Parents can ask a child to check the schedule – especially when moving from a preferred to non-preferred activity. It’s hard to argue with a picture!