Effectiveness of Positive School-Wide Behavior Programs in Public Schools - Research Paper Example

In order for students to learn at their optimum ability, they must be engaged and focused on the instruction and learning activities that are taking place. Off task and unwanted behaviors can easily get in the way of student learning. This could be students misbehaving themselves or by being distracted by the unwanted behaviors of fellow learners such as behavioral problems (i.e. crying, dawdling, violence). Teachers have to address these when the degree of infraction already interferes with the learning and participation of students.

However, once the teacher stops instruction to interact with a misbehaving student, the entire class becomes focused on the misbehavior, thus disengaging from instruction and giving the misbehaving student attention from both peers and the teacher. This dilemma is widely recognized in prior studies and the consensus is that the correction of misbehavior is a complex and challenging process with the need to cover a full range of issues and the need to determine the appropriate corrective strategies to match the misdeed (Barbetta, Norona&Bicard, 2005; Lewis &Sugai 1999).

Traditionally, schools have used reactive punitive strategies such as time out, phone calls home, removal of privileges, and detention in an attempt to deter students from unwanted behaviors. These consequence-based behavior systems have been proven ineffective (Dupper, 2010). Research has proven that a school-wide policy that punishes students for negative behaviors but does not reward positive behaviors can actually increase negative and unwanted behaviors (McLeod, Fisher & Hoover, 2003).

Since it has been proven that consequence type methods, such as detention and removal from class, do not work for eliminating unwanted behaviors, employing new methods that actually do reduce negative, unproductive, and unwanted student behaviors provide an option. This means that schools need to look at the research regarding what does works to reduce unwanted behaviors and begin to use these methods in their buildings. This calls for schools to evidenced-based practice regarding behavior methodologies.

One such practice is to implement a program based on the proven practices of school-wide positive behavior support.