We are a district that uses school wide positive behavior support. We have ram stars (named after our mascot). I give these paper stars when students demonstrate one of our 3Rs: ready, responsible, and respectful. I give out many, many ram stars the first two weeks of school to establish and reward students.

If some students are off task, I will go find someone near them who is on task and reward them with a ram star and state what behavior earned them a ram star. This often changes the off task behavior without having to single someone out.

Pointing out the positive behaviors is a great way to show students that this action is the desired behavior. As for the consequences for negative behaviors, at the beginning of the school year the students come up with reasonable consequences for the behaviors. I am a firm believer that the students understand there are positive and negative consequences. However, it is important that the students have a say in those consequences so that they feel they are fair. Also, they become stakeholders in the classroom.

I will positively praise students in a whole group (unless I know that students prefer not to be recognized in front of all of their peers) and many times (in elementary) this will redirect those who aren't doing what they need to. For those students who like to give us a run for our money, find any and every thing that they do remotely right and praise them. I also ask students to give me the name and phone number of someone (does not have to be a parent/guardian) that I can call when they have a good day. This will often motivate students who have after school activities that they value. As far as not so great behaviors, I usually pull students aside and ask them if there is something going on that I need to know about because they aren't acting like themselves. Then I ask for ways to give them the space they need to be successful and not in trouble for behavior.

I recognize a reinforce positive behavior by having students come up with ideas about what positive behavior is and looks like. As a class we create a list that is posted in the classroom. When I see students showing positive behavior I reward them with champ bucks that they can spend on items in the class store. I also send home positive notes to parents. I also have the students help me to create a consequences poster that I refer to during the school year.

My district is a Leader in Me school and one of the greatest resources to prevent and approach behavior issues includes the 7 Habits and the fact that each classroom has a written (and posted) Classroom Mission statement. Students also have their own mission statements, goals and targets that they continuously visit and revisit - along with peer accountability partners. We also have a full - time Behavior Interventionist (retired police) and Social Worker in each of our school buildings. Having support staff and shared language is truly key to preventing and managing behaviors.