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Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
ADDITIONAL READING:
Creating a Safe, Civil and Productive School
"Behavior and discipline have always been a
problem and frustration for educators –
just reread Huckleberry Finn,” Randy
Sprick, Ph.D., recently reminded more
than 200 educators attending the
program, “Strategies for Improving
School-Wide Discipline: Positive,
Proactive Practices,” at St. Michael’s
Woodside in Broadview Height, sponsored by
SST 3.
Click to Read More 
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Promoting Social and Emotional Competence. Positive
Behavior Support (PBS) is an approach to helping
people improve their difficult behavior that is
based on four things:
- An Understanding
that people (even caregivers) do not control
others, but seek to support others in their
own behavior change process;
- A Belief that there
is a reason behind most difficult behavior,
that people with difficult behavior should be
treated with compassion and respect, and that
they are entitled to lives of quality as well
as effective services;
- The Application
of a large and growing body of knowledge about
how to better understand people and make humane
changes in their lives that can reduce the occurrence
of difficult behavior; and
- A Conviction to
continually move away from coercion - the use
of unpleasant events to manage behavior.
Coercion involves attempting to control the behavior
of others through threat of, or escape from unpleasant
events. Coercion minimizes the dignity of the
other person, often provokes retaliation, and
sometimes causes physical and emotional harm.
One example of coercion involves overpowering
someone and physically forcing him to do something
he doesn't want to do. If he doesn't comply, he
is forced and continues to be forced until he
gives up fighting. A common and relatively minor
example includes taking privileges away from a
person when she misbehaves. However, even minor
coercion can be harmful in that it can take away
from the dignity, autonomy, and sense of self-control
of the other person.  Equally
important is that when minor coercion that was
once effective ceases to work, caregivers tend
to increase the level of coercion rather than
decrease it. They may increase the length of time
required to spend in time-out, the amount of privileges
taken away, or the tone of voice used.
PBS involves a commitment to continually search
for new ways to minimize coercion. This does not
mean parents or caregivers should be judged harshly
if they occasionally resort to yelling. We all
fall back on patterns of caregiving that have
worked for us in the past, especially when we
are challenged by difficult behavior. PBS simply
means that we, as caregivers, recognize the times
when we have resorted to coercion, and continually
seek to find alternatives that we can use next
time we're challenged with similar behavior.
Below is a list of things you may find helpful.
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