Reflections on Tier 1 Practices at ESMS

The Missouri SW-PBS Summer Training Institute was a great learning experience for me. I have been on our PBS Tier 1 committee for 5 years, yet it was nice to revisit what PBS is all about. One of the sessions that had the most impact on me was Student Voice: Empowering Students/Staff. This session mainly focused on student and staff buy-in regarding the philosophy of PBS and 4:1 specific positive feedback. The Tier 1 committee analyzes school wide discipline data every other week to determine what areas of the GRR matrix we need to focus on to improve our school. Yet, what if we had our student leaders analyzing data also? What if the students and staff decide how we will teach or revisit a GRR lesson? The students will know they have a voice in their school which will teach them to become positive leaders. The speaker also suggested having students do “student walk-throughs” to observe what is going on in the classrooms. Students can make their own GRR videos and role play different situations that can happen during a typical school day. As adults, we need to let go (not completely) and let students control their own learning. My goal for next school year is to give more specific positive feedback to the students. Unfortunately, the students who follow the GRR expectations all of the time do not get the attention they deserve. The presenter mentioned that having a strength chart is very helpful. This chart will help remind me of how many times I am giving specific positive remarks towards the students that are following the expectations. If we can help the students become positive leaders in our school then maybe they can correct negative behavior that happens in class. I need to remember, that many times all our students really want is encouragement from others.