School wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS)
At Freshwater State School, we have embedded School wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) as our framework for encouraging appropriate interactions and behaviour. The implementation of SWPBS has six main features:
Team formation – our SWPBS leadership team is a representative group composed of teaching staff, teacher aides, specialist and administrators.
Defined expectations– we have three school rules: be safe, be respectful and be responsible. From these expectations, we have developed the “matrix of expectations” to guide our thinking around what behaviours we want our students to demonstrate.
Teaching expected behaviours – this is one of our most important tasks – how to teach the behaviours we have identified in the matrix of expectations in a way that is easily implemented, and with everyone using a common language. To do this, we make use of a lesson schedule, posters and power point lessons. We also explicitly teach school-wide routines, such as the eating area routine, responsible play and moving around the school.
Acknowledging positive behaviour – research continues to show that the most
effective way to change a student’s behaviour is to ‘catch’ them doing the right thing and give them immediate positive feedback. Part of our task is to help develop enough strategies to support a healthy rate of positive feedback for all students, whether in the form of verbal praise or more tangible awards such as tough cookie awards or happy mail.
Discouraging inappropriate behaviour - we respond to inappropriate behaviour using ‘least intrusive’ strategies. At Freshwater State School we use the ‘minor and major behaviour’ document to provide a consistent guide of what to do and say in regard to minor and major behaviours.
Use of data – one school provides a ready source of information regarding what behaviours are occurring across the school. We also make use of school-based data management systems, such as the rethink record and minor behaviour record, to monitor the frequency of behaviours across the school. This allows us to make decisions and design interventions that are relevant and appropriate.
Download the responsible behaviour plan (PDF, 1025 KB).