Positive Behavior Support Plan

Jacqueline Small

Towson University

SPED 428: Spring 2018 Internship

April 25, 2018

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Part 1 – Definition of Specific Behavior:

Koby displays non-compliant off task behavior behaviors during class (e.g. refuses to do

work in class, will remain on phone and will not put it away when asked to, has negative peer

relationships in class (e.g. name calling, yelling across the room to talk to another student), and

fails to complete or attempt work that is assigned in class. Koby will display one or more of

these behaviors daily in class which prevents him and his peers from learning because it is

distracting to everyone in the room and will sometimes set off other student’s negative behaviors

in the class.

Part 2 – Literature Review:

Bruhn, A. L., Woods-Groves, S., Fernando, J., Taehoon, C., & Troughton, L. (2017). Evaluating

technology-based self-monitoring as a tier 2 intervention across middle school

settings. Behavioral Disorders, 42(3), 119-131. doi:10.1177/0198742917691534

This article discussed a case study in which it looked at three students who were in need

of Tier 2 interventions. The system was a self evaluating behavior system called SCORE IT and

is used on a device that the student has control of. Every 10 minutes a timer would go off in the

classroom and at that time the student would log on and evaluate themselves during the class.

After the student evaluated themselves the teacher would then go in and make their own

evaluation. After both the teacher and student would go over each other’s ratings. The study

showed to be effective for two of the students and helped show that the third student needed

higher interventions.
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Engelhart, J. M. (2013). Five approaches to avoid when managing the middle school

classroom. Clearing House, 86(3), 103. doi:10.1080/00098655.2013.772500

This article discussed what to avoid when you are trying to address behaviors in the

classroom. It discussed all the misconceptions that teachers make when addressing classroom

management, how the student may perceive that response as well as how to approach/prepare for

effective classroom management. This study explained that this is more important to focus on

how you as a teacher are responding to a situation rather than focusing on what the student

behavior is. By focusing on the student’s behavior you are not understanding how you are

reacting to the student and how that may affect the student .

Haydon, T., & Kroeger, S. D. (2016). Active supervision, precorrection, and explicit timing: a

high school case study on classroom behavior. Preventing School Failure, 60(1), 70-78.

This article discussed multiple strategies in a school for positive behavior support

intervention and supports. These strategies and interventions included; active supervision, pre-

correction and explicit timing procedures. All these strategies were used in order to prevent

behaviors from occurring or to subdue ones that were already occurring. This study showed to

help in reducing student problem behaviors, reduce transition time. By doing this the school was

able to have instructional time to its maximum potential.

Hollingshead, A., Kroeger, S. D., Altus, J., & Trytten, J. B. (2016). A case study of positive

behavior supports-based interventions in a seventh-grade urban classroom. Preventing

School Failure, 60(4), 278-285.

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In this article it discusses the affects of using positive praise versus reprimanding students

in order to maintain their classroom management. Teachers found that it took the same amount

of energy to give positive praise than to reprimand students and found the results to be more

positive when they were praising their students. The teachers in the study did not feel good about

constantly having to tell students “don’t” but rather point out the positive behaviors that they

were seeing in the student. The article also discussed how when giving students positive praise

they saw more students were acting better in order to get the same responses.

Lew, M. M., & Nelson, R. F. (2016). New teachers' challenges: how culturally responsive

teaching, classroom management, & assessment literacy are intertwined. Multicultural

Education, 23(3), 7-13.

In this article is discusses what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher. In order to

be culturally responsive to your students you must build on the students’ strengths and abilities

to promote student learning. To have effective classroom management the teacher must set clear

expectations and goals, show students what positive behaviors look like and follow through on

consequences. Behavioral management tools that this study found to be helpful for first year

teachers include techniques such as redirecting, relationship building, setting behavioral

expectations and boundaries, student engagement, flexibility and using positive supports. All

these supports allow students to feel more comfortable as well as having good classroom

management.

Part 3 – Baseline Data Collection:

I observed Koby on two separate occasions for 45 minutes during our self-contained

math class I have with him from 10:35-11:20am. During each observation it was during a time
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that I could watch the student take notes, do individual work as well as group work to see if the

type of learning is something that triggers the unwanted behavior. I created a chart that

documented when Koby exhibited any of these behaviors. Through my time with Koby before

starting this project I noticed that Koby has exhibited four different behaviors; non-compliance,

constant cell phone use and negative peer interactions and. I decided that for my data collection

that this would be important for me to look these three behaviors in order to address them later

for my PBSP. From this data I believed that all of these behaviors fall under non-compliance

because he will not follow the rules of the class and would not listen to the directions of the

teacher when addressed about his behaviors. I decided when creating these charts that I would

type them all on my computer during the observation.

*All my original charts were typed on my computer instead of pen and paper*

Student: Koby M Observer: Jacqueline Small

Date: 2/26/2018 Time: 10:35-11:20am (Math 8)

Behavior: Frequency: Consequence:

Non Compliance 11 times - Teacher asked him to

Ex)
- Coming into class on time
- Following directions (4x)
- Cell phone use (6x)
Not Completing Work
- Did not complete warm
up
- Did not complete any
questions in the activity
besides the one done with
help from teacher
- Did not complete exit
ticket
come into room
- Teacher reminded him of
what he should be doing
- Teacher reminded entire
class that no cell phones
are allowed and would
call home about cell
phone use
4 times - Teacher prompted him to
complete work
- Adult assistant sat next to
him to keep him on task
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Negative Peer Relationships 6 times - Teacher reminded him

- Name calling (3x) that everyone in the class
- Yelling across the room deserves respect
- Not allowing other
students to answer
question (2x)

Student: Koby M Observer: Jacqueline Small

Date: 2/28/2018 Time: 10:35-11:20am (Math 8)

Behavior: Frequency: Consequence:

Non Compliance 9 times - Teacher locked door

Ex)
- Coming into class on time
- Following directions (4x)
- Cell phone use (4x)
Not Completing Work
- Did not complete warm
up
- Did not participate in
group activity
- Did not hand in/complete
any work for activity
- Did not complete exit
ticket
Negative Peer Relationships
- Name calling (3x)
- Yelling across the room
(2x)
- Teacher reminded him of
what he should be doing
- Teacher reminded no cell
phone use
4 times - Teacher prompted him to
complete work
- Teacher gave him a zero
on the in class activity
5 times - Teacher reminded him
that everyone in the class
deserves respect

From observing Koby in class I realized that all of his behaviors have to do with non-

compliance. Koby is not following the class rules and expectations set by the teacher and fails to

come back to focus when an adult in the room tries to bring him back to focus. Each time the

students were expected to start a task Koby would immediately exhibit one of the three behaviors

that I recorded.

Part 4 – Hypothesis of Functional Intent:

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The functional intent behind Koby’s behaviors is the avoidance of doing work. When

Koby is asked to complete an assignment or asked to follow a direction in class he will

immediately begin to display one of his behaviors that can be described as non-compliance.

Koby is diagnosed with a specific learning disability and has told Mr. Samay and I before that he

does not like math and has a hard time understanding it. I believe that because he does have

difficulty picking up math quickly it causes him to shut down and try to find any way out of

completing the work.

Part 5 – Replacement Behavior:

1) What is the student should be doing?

The student should be complying to rules in class as well as directions given by teacher

or adult in the room. This means trying to complete all assignments given and trying to

have positive peer relationships in the class.

2) How will you teach the replacement behavior?

I will teach the replacement behavior to Koby by using three supports. The three supports

I will be using is verbal cues, proximity and incentive/point sheet. Koby is trying to avoid

working in math because he is not comfortable in the subject. By using verbal cues, it

will encourage him that he is doing well in the class and encourage him to keep working.

Proximity will help Koby stay focused because he knows I am watching and this will also

give him the opportunity to ask more questions if he needs to. The point sheet has Koby

invested in his own progress because he knows if he is working and complying to the

rules are directions he will receive points.

3) When will you teach the replacement behavior?

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The replacement behavior will be taught during our self-contained math 8 class. I will

share the details of the PBSP with his other teachers if they would like to implement

something similar. I will also share this information with the adult assistant in our room

who is with him for the majority of the day. Koby will meet with Mr. Samay and I before

we begin implementation to go over our expectations and allow him to give his own input

on what we are doing.

Part 6 – Positive Behavior Supports

To complete my PBSP for Koby I will implement three different supports in order to

replace his undesired behaviors. Since I know Koby likes the attention when he is highlighted in

a good light I will use this to my advantage in my first support. My first support I implemented

for Koby was verbal cues. I used this by highlighting every time he was following directions or

having positive peer relationships and working on the classwork. If I notice Koby is beginning to

exhibit one of his three negative behaviors, I will verbally remind him of the task at hand. These

verbal cues will try to make sure Koby knows he is being recognized for good behavior and

guided when he seems to start getting off task.

Another support I implemented was proximity. In order to use this strategy in the

classroom I will constantly be walking around the room to help students but to make sure that

Koby is staying on task. This is also an opportunity for Koby to ask me questions about what is

going on in the lesson without having to raise his hand. This is not only something that is helpful

to Koby but is a strategy that is good for all students in the classroom. When we are transitioning

from one activity to a new activity I typically will be near Koby in order to make sure that he is
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making the transition along with me. When Koby is starting to exhibit a problem behavior I will

move closer to him as I am continuing in the lesson.

The last support I used was an incentive program in order to help motivate Koby to

correct his problem behaviors. In order to create this incentive program, I had a meeting with

Koby and Mr. Samay to talk about what we have been seeing. I explained to him that my goal

for him was just to be more comfortable in the math setting and be in the best possible place to

enter math in high school next year. I listed out some expectations I expected for him to have to

earn points in the class and he was able to talk over if he had concerns we could change things.

Koby could receive a total of 5 points in a class period the first point is designated for the first 5

minutes of class and primarily focused on him showing up to class on time and working on the

warm up. Every point after that could be earned every 10 minutes but in order to receive the

points he had to try to be compliant in completing the work and having positive peer

relationships. Koby agreed to this and was able to pick out his incentive which was skittles for

every 15 points. When asked how he wanted to see the points he said that he would want them

displayed on his desk so he could see it throughout class.

When coming up with these supports my mentor instructed me to make sure that when

implementing the point system to make it as discrete as possible so not to draw attention to

Koby. I think this was very important advice because Koby cares about how his peers view him

in school. In order to be discrete about points I would only give points while checking in on his

work so if I am giving a point it looks as if I am writing notes on his paper and to receive his

reward Koby is advised during the class to hang back after class ends. I also made sure to never

mention out loud that he is working for points because this would cause the other students in the

class to become curios and wonder what was going on.

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Part 7 – Data Collection and Visual Representation

Below I have included the sheet that I kept for the 13 days of implementation. I kept the

chart on my laptop and recorded things on my computer during my class. I recorded the amount

of times Koby was either non-compliant, did not complete work or engaged in negative peer

relationships. I also created a running total of points earned to keep track of when Koby could

“cash in” for his prize. On Koby’s desk he just had a post it with tally marks that he could look at

during class. I also provided three graphs one that displays his points earned out of total possible

through a pie chart, a line graph showing the amount of points earned through the the 13 days

and my last graph is a line graph that shows the amount of times a behavior occurred.

*All my original charts were typed on my computer instead of pen and paper*

Date/Time Points for the Day Total

Points
03/27/2018 4 4
10:35- Immediately came to class and got started right away
11:20am Did not receive all points because began verbal altercation with
another student
Non Complaint: 1
Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
03/28/2018 4 8
10:35- Came to class late but worked until the bell.
11:20am Non Complaint: 0
Incomplete work: 1
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
03/29/2018 5 13
10:35- Was active in class
11:20am Non Complaint: 0
Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
04/03/2018 3 16
10:35- Non Complaint: 2
11:20am Incomplete work: 1
Neg. Peer Relations: 2
04/04/2018 4 20
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10:35- Non Complaint: 1

11:20am Incomplete work: 1
Neg. Peer Relations: 1
04/05/2018 3 23
10:35- Wouldn’t come into class
11:20am Talked all class
Substitute he didn’t like
Non Complaint: 4
Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 2
04/06/2018 4 27
10:35- Non Complaint: 2
11:20am Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
04/09/2018 0 27
10:35- Coverage teacher in our room was someone who he doesn’t like
11:20am refused to come into room.
Non Complaint: 5
Incomplete work: 4
Neg. Peer Relations: 4
04/10/2018 2 29
10:35- Non Complaint: 4
11:20am Incomplete work: 2
Neg. Peer Relations: 4
04/11/2018 4 33
10:35- Came to class late and didn’t complete warm up
11:20am Non Complaint: 1
Incomplete work: 1
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
04/12/2018 3 36
10:35- Verbal Outburst with 2 students would not quiet down with
11:20am prompting
Non Complaint: 3
Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 2
04/13/2018 4 40
10:35- Non Complaint: 0
11:20am Incomplete work: 1
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
04/16/2018 5 45
10:35- Excellent Day
11:20am Non Complaint: 0
Incomplete work: 0
Neg. Peer Relations: 0
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Points (13 days)

Points Earned Points Not Earned

Points Earned (Out of 5)

6

Points Earned (Out of 5)

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Target Behaviors
6

Non-Complaint Incomplete Work Negative Peer Interactions

Part 8 – Data Summary and Interpretation

From the data collected I found that Koby was making progress throughout the time I had

started implementing the PBSP. There was a spike on my graph that was during the period where

he did no receive any points and his problem behaviors were high. I believe this was because on

multiple days in a row there was a substitute that Koby did not have a good relationship with.

The moment Koby would see that teacher he would immediately shut down and exhibited all of

his problem behaviors. If we did not have that specific coverage teacher or an actual substitute I

think that my results would have yielded to be more consistent.

On the pie chart is shows Koby received 70% of the points over the course of the 13

days. This shows that only 30% of the entire implementation he didn’t receive points but this

correlates to the time period where he was frustrated over the teacher that came in for coverage

of our class. On the line graph displaying the amount of points Koby earned out of 5 total points.
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I believe that by having him earn over 50% of the points showed that my PBSP has been

successful and will only continue to grow.

On my last line graph, it displays the three non-compliant behaviors that I have seen most

in Koby. I looked at all the times he was either not following directions, not completing his work

and how often he began to have a negative peer interaction. This showed to be similar to my first

line graph in the way that when we had a substitute his problem behaviors were much higher that

they had been when starting the PBSP process. This graph shows that his problem behaviors

were staying significantly lower on all other days except those days when we had a teacher in the

room that he did not like.

Overall in my data, I believe that Koby was showing improvement. Koby began

displaying even more qualities that showed he was growing as a student. Such as he began to

take more responsibility such as if I did not give him the point sheet when he came in he would

come up and ask me for it. At the end of each class he would come up to me and give me the

point sheet back to ensure that I would have it for the next class.

Part 9 – Reflection

Through the process of developing and implementing a PBSP has made me grow as a

special educator. I was able to really look at the student to identify the problem behaviors that

were being exhibited and then decide how I was going to implement supports. Every student is

different and I knew that when dealing with Koby he likes to earn tangible things and loves

verbal praise. It was also important for me to make Koby a part of the PBSP so that he is

personally invested into the plan. Working with Koby through this process and having him work

with me made Koby’s and I relationship grow stronger. I believe that he felt I was more invested

in him because he knew I wanted him to succeed and was willing to do something to help him. I
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knew the plan was working when I saw Koby listening to directions the first time given and

when I saw him begin to work from bell to bell to complete the work. I have seen tremendous

growth in him and was extremely proud. Through my data charts of the points it does show that

Koby was making progress. I think that by using a point sheet with Koby was effective in getting

him to do his work because I also had that positive relationship with him.

If I could have done something differently it would have changed on collecting data

would be I wish it was during the time period where I was not 100% teaching. This was because

I was having to collect the data while I was teaching 100% of the time so it was hard for me to

keep track of all of his behaviors for the entire class period. I did always take input from the

adult assistant in our room as well as my mentor on whether they believe the data was correct or

if they thought a behavior happened more times than I recorded. Another thing that I might have

done is to implement this PBSP for a longer amount of time. If I had more time I think that my

data would show stronger data to back up his improvements. But for the 13 days I was able to do

it I believe that Koby has grown tremendously.