Positive Behavior Support
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a school-wide model that creates and promotes a positive climate and culture, while making school and learning more enjoyable for students and staff. Here at Weisenberg, teachers and support staff are trained to appropriately manage behaviors within a school setting.
Traditionally, schools have utilized punishment as the main form of managing school behaviors. Research has proven that punishment is discouraging, gives attention to undesirable behaviors while ignoring positive behaviors. Furthermore, it builds resentment and creates power struggles between students and teachers. The PBS model utilizes a system of discipline, which focuses on training students to act in accordance with the school-wide expectations. In contrast to punishment, this system of discipline is encouraging, reinforces desirable, cooperative behavior, and nurtures development of acceptance of responsibility for behavior. It also builds respect and fosters cooperation by including the student in decision-making.
Throughout the year, Weisenberg staff will explicitly teach and review proper classroom and school-wide expectations through lessons, peer-modeling, positive reinforcement, and Think Sheets. The goal is to proactively replace misbehaviors with school appropriate behaviors.
While a system of punishment involves the teachers choosing the consequences for the student, the PBS model puts the ownership of these consequences in the hands of the student. For example, when a student:
