Comments on: Has Anyone Heard of PBIS?

By: Steven Kimmi

Steven Kimmi — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:03:01 +0000

My district piloted PBIS two years ago in a middle school setting. They found it to be successful enough to go district wide, so this previous year each school began the PBIS process.

Within my own school it has been quite interesting to participate in the reality of a program like PBIS. As you have mentioned there are positives, but there are also problems. I’ll be interested to hear how things go in your future posts.

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:39:40 +0000

I am really excited to get comments from PBIS trainers, Alan and Ellen. Thank you so much.

A couple of questions I’d like you both to continue to dialogue on, if you’re willing.

A) I think you hit the nail on the head when you bring up the conflict between behaviorist and constructivist approaches to school governance. This is one of my own concerns about the program. As I’m sure you know, even though clarifying expectations and rewarding positive behavior is a big step in the right direction, it still ultimately falls under the heading of behavorism. There’s a great deal of research in the past 25 years (particularly by Ed Deci and Rich Ryan) that indicates that reward systems simply do not work in the long term for the stated aims of school. Can you comment?

B)Ellen, you also state that PBIS is “about adult culture/behavior first and foremost.” This is another concern of mine. Can you comment, particularly on the secondary level, on the specific role of students, families, and local community in PBIS? How much of a say– try giving a percent– do each of these stake-holders have in the process of implementing the program in schools? What are the vehicles for their voice?

Thanks again.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:29:53 +0000

I too am a long-time practitioner, coach, and trainer. I couldn’t say it better than Ellen…thanks. Rewarding is the absolute best word to describe my work with numerous schools, and their successes with PBIS have come in some tough urban environments. I have numerous links, tips, and resources around PBIS on my web site: http://www.pbis299.googlepages.com
Good luck!
-Alan

By: kayak001

kayak001 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:53:11 +0000

Hello Dina!… as a practitioner for 5 years and PBIS coach/trainer this past year here are some thoughts…PBIS looks for the best data supported innovations out there and places a system around it, embeds a practical information feedback loop for adjusting along the way and school teams drive it by contextualizing it to their communities/values and what outcomes are important to them (nobody is “selling anything to anyone” or making mega bucks.. it is grassroots, requires 80% staff buy-in) it is about adult culture/behavior first and foremost and has some basic underlying assumptions (e.g., all behavior serves a purpose and is learned, and if we, as educators expect certain behaviors, we teach and we live them and recognize the heck out of them so students CAN internalize them… I really try to keep away from the whole boo-hiss arguments that often pit behavioral thinkers in opposition to constructivist thinkers… it’s a red herring making it too easy to miss the point. it’s a big tent, lots of work and ideas for everyone to find their voice in creating AND sustaining a more positive and proactive staff, student and family culture. it’s not quick, it’s not easy, but it works well (there really is a good deal of data out there– while definitely NOT in it’s infancy, it has certainly reached it’s adolescence! i suggest you take a look at some of the work in IL, MD, FL, CO who are a little further along… if you would like more specific links or information simply let me know… i took a salary cut and gave up my summers off to take a job working in this field– it has been professionally and personally meaningful and rewarding work. feel free to ask me if you have any questions, friendly comments. i wish you and your school team much luck for the coming school year! -ellen

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:39:55 +0000

Wow, that’s awesome. I think you’re right about this one. Just for fun (what the hell is wrong with me), I poked around on the PBIS website. Good times. I love that they ask valid research questions and then don’t really answer them. Please blog about both the response and implementation of this program at school. I’d love to hear about what happens. My sense is that it won’t really get anywhere due to a lack of original creativity and buy-in from both the faculty and more importantly, the kids.