Creating Positive High School Learning Environments

George Sugai

Neag School of Education, UConn

May 18, 2006

George.sugai@uconn.edu

www.pbis.org

My job today…

• Describe context for work we do in schools…focus on HS

• Describe & discuss what School-wide Positive Behavior Support looks like in HS

We work w/ HS that worry about…

• Low academic achievement & performance

• Antisocial behavior– Aggressive actions, dress code, language use, etc

• Low attendance• Dropping out• Substance use• Mental health issues

– Social w/drawal, depression, emotional disturbances, etc

• Social skill deficits

Problem behavior happens….

• Insubordination/noncompliance

• Verbal/physical aggression

• Social withdrawal

• Skipping class/late to class

• Classroom disruptions

• Vandalism/stealing

• Harassment

•

Typical response focuses on “Get Tough” consequences

• Review rules & increase monitoring

• Increase security

• Remove, suspend, expel, exclude

• Set zero tolerance policies

Assumptions

• Students will “get it,” & take responsibility for change

• Someone else will address problem

• Punishment teaches how to act

• Remove troublemakers to improve climate

But….false sense of safety & security!

• Fosters environments of control

• Triggers & reinforces antisocial behavior

• Shifts accountability away from school

• Devalues child-adult relationship

• Weakens relationship between academic & social behavior programming

2001 Surgeon General’s Report

• Risk factors associated with increasing # of antisocial behaviors– Antisocial peer networks

– Reinforced deviancy

• Recommendations (rearrange contingencies…..prevention)– Establish “intolerant attitude toward

deviance”

• Break up antisocial networks…change social context

• Improve parent effectiveness

– Increase “commitment to school”

• Increase academic success

• Create positive school climates

– Teach & encourage individual skills & competence

So…how should we respond?

• Understand unique features of high schools

• Understand adolescent development

• Adopt preventive approach

• Adopt evidence-based practices

PBS implementation challenges in HS

• Limited research data

• Disagreement about need

• Low fidelity of implementation

• Slow rate of progress

• Wide range of student competence & narrow curricular/programmatic options

• Dropout option/alternative

• HS Instructional Philosophy

•

SYST

EMS

PRACTICES

DATASupportingStaff Behavior

SupportingDecisionMaking

SupportingStudent Behavior

PositiveBehaviorSupport OUTCOMES

Social Competence &Academic Achievement

What do PBS schools look like? • “All” staff commit to active participation in

improving school climate• “All” staff members directly teach &

encourage expected social behaviors• “All” staff increase their daily positive contacts

with kids in- & outside classroom• Administrators increase their involvement in

proactive student interactions & support• “All” students are actively engaged & involved

in at least one school-related activity• Data are used for decision making• Formal supports in place for non-responders

“Positive Office Referral”

• Balancing positive/negative adult/student contacts in Oregon

• Procedures– Develop equivalent positive referral

– Process like negative referral

Are “Rewards” Dangerous?

“…our research team has conducted a series of reviews and analysis of (the reward) literature; our conclusion is that there is no inherent negative property of reward. Our analyses indicate that the argument against the use of rewards is an overgeneralization based on a narrow set of circumstances.”– Cameron, 2002

• Cameron & Pierce, 1994, 2002

• Cameron, Banko & Pierce, 2001

Assumptions about adolescents

• Adolescents should know better…most do

• Adolescents must take responsibility for own behavior….most know they should & do….appropriately & inappropriately

• Adolescents will learn from natural consequences….most do

Guiding Principles

• “Knowing” or saying “know” does NOT mean “will do”

• Students “do more” when “doing works”…appropriate & inappropriate

• Natural consequences are varied, unpredictable, undependable,…not preventive

What about non-responders?

• More intensive & formal supports provided– Adult mentoring

– Social skills instruction

– Academic accommodations

– Student/family centered planning

• Adoption of function based approach

Questions to ponder

• Does current school climate positively support academic & social success for 70-80% of students?

• Are most staff consistently proactive in their approach to supporting student social behavior

• Are effective & efficient supports in place for students whose behaviors are unresponsive to school-wide efforts?

To conclude: Improving school climate is

about….• Increasing staff positive, active involvement

in teaching & encouraging appropriate behavior

• Balancing use of consequences for rule violations w/ consequences for rule-following

• Discontinuing use of ineffective, non-outcome linked activities

• Increasing student & staff involvement, priority, & responsibility for establishing positive school climate

• Establishing continuum of positive supports for all students