Teaching Behavior Expectations Across All Settings

Learning Activity

Teaching appropriate behavior is just as important as teaching academics and is a critical element of successful PBIS implementation. Communicating behavior expectations is not a ‘One and Done’ situation. It is not enough to just post the words on the walls of the classroom. Additionally, it cannot be assumed that students know the expectations/rules and appropriate ways to behave, or that they’ll quickly grasp these expectations and rules without consistent practice and modeling. Rather, schools should have schedules in place to continually communicate how we expect students to act and should be based on school-wide data.

Teaching behaviors should focus on what students should do not what they shouldn’t do.  Students should understand what the behavioral expectation is for various settings and be shown what it this behavior looks like in those settings. They should be given opportunities to practice their skills and receive specific feedback based on how they are demonstrating the expectation. 

Proper behavior can be taught to students via kick-off events involving teaching staff, students, and families; on-going direct instruction; by being embedded in other curricula; through booster training; and through continued visibility in visual displays, daily announcements, and school newsletters. 

Resources

Developing a System for Teaching Appropriate Behavior

Teaching Behavior and Expectations 1

Teaching Behavior and Expectations 3

Teaching Procedures, Routines, and Rules During the First Week of School in Second Grade

PBIS - Playground Expectations 

PBIS Hallway Expectations