Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
At Isabella State School, we have embedded PBL as our framework for encouraging appropriate interactions and behaviour. The implementation of PBL has six main features:
Team formation – our PBL leadership team is a representative group composed of teaching staff, teacher aides, and administrators.
Defined expectations– we have three school rules: We learn, we show respect and we are safe. From these expectations, we have developed the 'matrix of expectations' to guide our thinking around what behaviours we want our students to demonstrate.
Teaching expected behaviours – this is one of our most important tasks – how to teach the behaviours we have identified in the matrix of expectations in a way that is easily implemented, and with everyone using a common language. To do this, we make use of a lesson schedule, posters and power point lessons. We explicitly teach school-wide routines, such as the eating time routine, responsible play and moving around the school.
Acknowledging positive behaviour – research continues to show that the most effective way to change a student’s behaviour is to ‘catch’ them doing the right thing and give them immediate positive feedback. Part of our task is to help develop enough strategies to support a healthy rate of positive feedback for all students, whether in the form of verbal praise or more tangible awards such as 'Gotcha' awards, 'Student of the Week' certificates, postcards sent home or a prize from the school shop.
Discouraging inappropriate behaviour - we respond to inappropriate behaviour using ‘least intrusive’ strategies. At Isabella State School we use the ‘minor and major behaviour’ documentation to provide a consistent guide of what to do and say in regard to minor and major behaviours.
Use of data – OneSchool provides a ready source of information regarding what behaviours are occurring across the school. We also make use of school- based data management systems, such as the 'Clear Thinking Classroom' 'referrals and assistance provided by the behaviour support teacher to monitor the frequency of behaviours across the school. This allows us to make decisions and design interventions that are relevant and appropriate.