Positive Behavior SupportPositive Behavior Supportin thein the Early Childhood Early Childhood

ClassroomClassroom

Positive Behavior SupportPositive Behavior Supportin thein the Early Childhood Early Childhood

ClassroomClassroom

Purpose

• Examine the need for early intervention.• Address how PBS key features can be

applied at the early childhood level.• Provide examples of PBS tools used in

early childhood programs.

Challenging Behaviors

How do these behaviors make us

feel?

The Bigger Picture

• “Children with early behavior problems are at-risk for peer rejection, teacher rejection, limited opportunities for learning appropriate behavior in school, and continued problems in these areas as they get older” (Stormont, Lewis & Beckner).

The Bigger Picture

• “Research indicates that if at-risk children have not learned more adaptive behavior patterns by the end of the third grade, it is highly unlikely that they will ever be successful in the absence of continuing and comprehensive external supports”

(Stormont, Lewis & Beckner).

Risk Factors

“Young children who are at risk due to factors such as poverty, neglect, violence in the home, or other types of family adversity are also more vulnerable for developing problem behavior patterns” (Stormont, Espinosa, Knipping & McCathren, 2003).

How can we intervene ?

• Implement Positive Behavior Support!

• Partner with early childhood special education, Title One, Head Start programs and community preschool programs to provide systematic early intervention.

(Stormont, Lewis & Beckner)

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 OF SCHOOL-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

Concepts unique to Early Childhood PBS

• Program-wide positive behavior support vs. school-wide• Focus on developmental appropriateness rather than

copying elementary building programming.• Learning occurs through play and trial and error

actions.• Social instruction goes beyond rules and routines, to

include how to make friends, how to express emotions, and general school behavior.

• Blending of constructivist educational approach and PBS methodology.

• Data collection: classroom vs. use of principal’s office or buddy room.

Beckner, Rebecca, (July 2004). Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support Supplemental Materials for the Missouri PBS Institute Model, p. 2 & 3.

Program-Wide PBS

• Classrooms may be located in different buildings.

• Still form one PBS team—representative of each of the programs and the various professionals.

Developmental Appropriateness

• Behavior Expectations– Limit to 2 or 3– Align with elementary building PBS

expectations

SETTING

Classroom

Bathroom PlaygroundMeal time

Walkways

Bus/Van

Be Safe

Keep feet on ground.

Use walking feet

Use inside voices.

Wash hands with soap and water

One person in a stall

Go down slide on bottom.Rocks and woodchips stay on the

ground.

Push chairs in.

Keep body to self

Use walking feet.

Stay with an adult.

Keep seatbelts on.

Keep back to seat.

Be Kind

Be a friend.Share with

others.Use listening

ears.Take care of our school.

Use inside voice.

Keep hands to self.

Let others play.

Keep body to self.

Share with others

Use nice words

Use manners.Ask to be excused.

Use inside voice.

Keep hands to self.

Use inside voice.

Keep body to self.

Be Responsibl

e

Be a good helper.Follow

directionsClean up.

Make good choices.

Flush toilet.Turn off water

Clean up.

Use equipment correctly.Use line basics.

Clean up.

Keep food on plate.

Clean up.

Use listening ears.

Use line basics.

Listen to driver/monitor.

Take care of own things. Follow bus

rules.

EXPECTATION

MATRIX

Exp

ecta

tions

Preschool Learning and Social Skill Instruction

• May be children’s first experience with organized schooling.

• Developmentally appropriate social skill instruction that uses puppets, storybooks, finger plays, social stories, songs, group games and art activities.

Beckner, Rebecca, (July 2004). Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support Supplemental Materials for the Missouri PBS Institute Model, p. 2.

Blending of Constructivism and PBS

• Development of lesson plans

• Tangible rewards and/or praise– Example: “Tim, you are using your

walking feet. You are being safe.”– Example: Group beehive incentive

Beckner, Rebecca, (July 2004). Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support Supplemental Materials for the Missouri PBS Institute Model, p. 3.

Data Collection

• Analysis of data important to development of action plan.

• Method of gathering information on behavior incidents will have to be decided.– Example: Incident Report

Beckner, Rebecca, (July 2004). Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support Supplemental Materials for the Missouri PBS Institute Model, p. 3.

More on Meaningful Differences . . .

Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young

American Children

• Betty Hart & Todd Risley, published 1995

• Research done in Kansas City, Kansas

• Observed 42 families for more than 2 years, 1 and 2 year olds.

• Overall thought: Everything we do is mediated by language.

• Children who live in poverty hear 250,000 words per year.

• Children who live in professional homes hear 4 million words per year.

Affirmative Statements• Professional homes: 30 affirmative

statements per hour• Working class homes: 15 affirmative

statements per hour.• Poverty homes: average of 6 affirmative

statements per hour. Twice as many prohibitive statements per hour.

Hart and Risley’s advice:

– Children of poverty would need 26 hours per week of affirmatives to catch them up with the type of positive language used in classrooms.

Supports for Children At-Risk for Chronic Behavior Concerns

Use data to determine which classrooms and children need extra support.

The BUZ Team (Buddy Up Zone)Met on children who had more than three

incident reports during a month.Behavior improvement plans

Crisis PlanDe-escalate the behaviorFocus remains on developing appropriate social

skills

(Stormont, Lewis & Beckner)

The results . . . now

The results . . . later

Internet Resources

• The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning www.csefel.uiuc.edu

• University of Southern Florida http://flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu/

• Teaching Tools: Easing Transitions for Young Children with Challenging Behavior http://www.challengingbehavior.org

• Columbia Public School DistrictEarly Childhood Special EducationContact person: Becky Beckner555 VandiverColumbia, MO 65202(573) 214-3950

• Rockwood School DistrictEarly Childhood Center at Clarkson Valley Early Childhood Center at Vandover

Coordinator for Early Childhood Education:Louise NelsonPhone: 636.207.2600 ext. 271  

      Coordinator for Early Childhood Special Education:Marie WohlertPhone: 636.207.2600 ext. 276        

Programs Implementing Positive Behavior Support

Presenter Contact Information

Susan CookRegional Positive Behavior Support CoachHeart of Missouri-RPDC108 Townsend HallColumbia, MO 65211

cooksm@missouri.edu(573) 882-5763(573) 884-5680 (fax)