Bringing PBS HomeCollaborating with Families

Developed and compiled by Mack and Vitto, 2007

AcknowlegementsMuskegon Area ISD Behavioral Support Team

Muskegon Participating PBS Families

MiBLSi training materials &

Publications by:Dr. Tim Lewis, Dr. Rob Horner, Dr. George Sugai

&Sandra L. Christenson and Susan M. Sheridan

Thanks to our colleagues for letting us share their experiences and recommendations

Goals for today’s session:

Introduce a “Systems” model for developing effective parent understanding of and involvement with Positive Behavior Supports in schools

Considerations for dealing with difficult Home/School Partnerships

When family members are involved in their children’s education, children and youth do better, stay in school longer, and achieve more

Many schools only engage a small percentage of the families of their students

There is a good deal of misunderstanding between teachers and families about each others’ roles and responsibilities

What We Know

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Many families are involved in their children’s educations in ways that school personnel don’t know about, support, or foster

History/cultural differences , race, and SES affect the quality of the relationships between school personnel and families

Productive relationships result when school personnel get involved with families and their communities

What We Know

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Stereotypes about ...

TEACHERSParents

Teacher as deityTeacher as babysitter

Teacher as whiny bureaucratTeacher as apathetic bureaucrat

Teacher as surrogate parentTeacher as therapist

Teacher as partner

Parent as couch potatoParent as troublemakerParent as enablerParent as ostrichParent as dropoutParent as advocateParent as partner

Attend school for meetings/conferences, special assemblies or events Volunteer in classrooms, help with field trips Participate in fund raising events Join school councils or other decision-making groups Supervise homework and help students with school assignments, projects at home Make sure students are “ready for school” and learning by making sure they are well fed, clothed, and get enough sleep

Involvement” has traditionally Involvement” has traditionally

meant parents. . .meant parents. . .

It leaves out too many families• family history• unwelcoming environments• language & cultural differences• time & transportation

It’s a narrow definition•school focused•child focused

It only goes one-way

Why “Involvement” Hasn’t Worked

Very Well

Starting Point Schools and their communities should define

what “involvement” means across a continuum of behavioral supports

Schools should build a system that is accessible and open to family involvement Schools cannot mandate family involvement Schools must build a system of support that is

not-contingent on family involvement Families should also work toward understanding

limitations of education system

A Working Definition of “Family Involvement”

Awareness InvolvementSupport

A Working Definition of Family Involvement Across the

Continuum

Awareness – Universals, Small Group, Individual

Involvement – Universals, Small Group, Individual

Support - Universals, Small Group, Individual

Primary Prevention:School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:Specialized

IndividualizedSystems for Students

with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

SUPPORT

Universals: Connect Points To Families Primary Focus = Awareness

Information, Information, Information (2-way) Educators and parents sharing information across

multiple venues Involvement

Parent team member Specific activities to partner with families at school

Support Information regarding range of services & supports Referral Points Strategies for home use

Steps toward Awareness of School-wide PBS initiative

Introductory Letter or Newsletter Open House/Conference Video or Slide Presentation PBS for Parents Booklet Involving Parents in Kick-off Hero Nights Wrap Around Programs

Awareness Components

Include in handout or presentation: What is Positive Behavior Supports Why is it needed? How is it different from traditional

approaches What does “positive” mean? What are the schools expectations? How are they trained? How and why are kids rewarded? How can parents support PBS?

INCLUDING FAMILIES IN PBS

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Developed by Susan Mack, M.A. and Steven Vitto, M.A.

MAISD Behavioral Consultants

A POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS PROJECT

Positive Approaches for Challenging Behavior

Booklet

Include: Behavioral Expectations Matrix Tickets/Coupons Certificates Introduction to PBS process at your

school At the end of booklet put in your area’s

resources and contact information

Seven Steps for establishing PBS at home

1. Get all family members on board2. Hold a family meeting to introduce the idea and

discuss how the family can support PBS at home3. Pick three areas where the most growth is

needed and decide on expectations that are consistent with schools

4. Decide how to teach these expectations at home5. Decide how to reinforce expected behaviors6. Decide how to correct behavioral errors-what’s

your discipline plan7. Hold family meetings as needed to make the

expectations work for you and your family

Small Group/Targeted: Connect Points To Families Awareness

Continuum of supports explained Referral points defined

Primary Focus = Involvement Parent consent/ information meeting Parent part of planning Follow-up meetings and outcome sharing

Support Partnership to explore school / home strategies Quick easy “generalization strategies” for home use

Individual/Intensive: Connect Points To Families

Awareness Information (e.g., IDEA, ADA, Mental Health,

District Services) Accessible referral point (special education /

non-special education) Teacher education RE impact on family “Science” of behavior for both educators and

family Involvement

Family advocacy groups on school/district team Parents of children with disabilities on

school/district team Primary Focus = Support

Partner planning – strengths-based focus using functional behavioral assessment

Facilitating interagency programs Targeted training/supports for families

Collaborating with Difficult Home/School

Partnerships

“To build trusting relationships, we need to communicate with the intent to learn from others, not control them.

Trust is the glue that makes effective collaboration and teamwork possible.

Without trust, people become competitive or defensive, and communication is distorted and unreliable.”

All families have strengths. Parents can learn new techniques. Parents have important perspectives

about their children. Most parents really care about their

children. Cultural differences are both valid and

valuable. Many family forms exist and are

legitimate.

Focus on Positives

Principals and staff positively impact students' lives by sharing positive moments with them. Students/families need to see principals/staff as caring individuals whose primary concern is student learning

Contact parents with positive news. Particularly if you need to call that parent later with some negative news. People believe you are fair when you share in positive events as well as negative events.

Known and Unknown Adult learners want choices Adult learners want control What we know grows larger, and when we

know more we get to a point when we realize how much more there is to learn… Asking people to change is scary; we are

asking them to shift what they value and believe…

Our self concept as a learner is effected by our history

The Difficult Home School Partnership

Handle with Care

Grade retention Disruptive behavior Poor study habits Possible special class placement Referral Testing Medical attention Unexpected parental concerns or even

complaints

Frame of Reference

"Seek first to understand… then to be understood."

Stephen Covey

-more willingness to commit to goals

Where trust is present, there is:

-less stress

-no feeling of manipulation

-easier to anticipate behavior

Professional Skills for Good Communication between Teachers

and Parents

Good listening techniques Tact Kindness Consideration Empathy Enthusiasm Understanding of parent-child relationships

Be Pro-Active

Communicate and build relationships

Avoid judgment and imposing your value system

“If you haven’t walked in their shoes, then you can only imagine…”

Suggestions for Difficult Home/School Partnerships: Communicate concerns early Before the conference

Keep a log of the child's unusual or disruptive behavior.

Keep track of the child's grades and missing assignments.

Keep a record of all communications with parents.

Keep notes and records concerning the child's behavior in other classrooms.

Establish Norms

How ideas will be expressed How decisions will be made How people will be treated What will signal an end of the

meeting

Positive Techniques for Difficult Meetings

Warm up with warmth Treat with respect Weigh your words Allow for anger Plan for options Seek support Put it in writing

After the Meeting

Follow-up Confirm that all parties involved in

the conference actually followed through on their commitments

Demonstrate your sincerity and concern for the child

Offer further help

Don’t:

Argue Yell Use sarcasm Behave unprofessionally with a

parent Remember we are role models. It is

up to us to show the most difficult parents a better way to communicate

Types of Difficult Parents The Parents Who Rescue, Defend,

and Accuse: The Conspiracy Theory The Advisor: Responding to Advise

from Mom & Dad The THREATENING Parent The Limited Parent The Abusive Parent The Parent in Denial

If teachers are intimidated by angry parents:

Don’t be on the defensive Maintain strong eye contact with

angry or aggressive parents. This look should NOT be an

intimidating one. Simply maintain eye contact, and do not look away.

Open houses and conferences is not the best time to talk about severe or complex problems

Placement Always try to provide an environment

where the student will be happy, safe, valued, and have a desire to take risks and learn. An if the parent insists the child be placed in an environment school staff believe is inappropriate, school staff should do everything possible to make it a place of learning and acceptance for the child.

Final Thoughts It is only through establishing trust and

convincing the parents that you do have the interest of their child at heart that a door or window may open and acceptance will take the place of denial.

Be patient and supportive. Ultimately, it is your continued support and caring even in the face of disagreement that will help bring the parent closer to accepting “what is.”

Final Thoughts

“Every parent and family, no matter they have been viewed by the school as dysfunctional, trouble makers, “crazy,” out of touch, in denial, defenders, rescuers, etc. deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

If we truly want to make a positive difference in every child’s life we have to make a positive difference their parents lives as well.”

I have come to a frightening conclusion;I am the decisive element in the home.

It is my personal approach that creates the climate.

It is my daily mood that makes the weather.As a parent, I possess tremendous power to

make a child’s life miserable or joyous.I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or

heal.In all situations it is my response that decides

whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or

dehumanized.-Haim Ginott