This Month's Best Practice
Each Month the Maryland Center for Character Education (MCCE) picks one of the Best Practices from a Character Education award winning school to share with you.
JANUARY
This month's Best Practices is from an award winning school from 2006-2007.
BEST CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES
School: Cedar Chapel Special School
Address: 510 Coulbourne Lane, Snow Hill, MD 21863
Principal: Rae Record
Phone: 410-632-5230
E-Mail: rnrecord@mail.worchester.k12.md.us
Title of Best Practice: PAW Program
Primary Character Trait(s) Emphasized: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible
Objective:
CCSS students will maintain a safe and caring environment by following CCSS's school-wide rules: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible.
Brief Description:
Although CCSS has consistently addressed behavior and character development for all students through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process, CCSS began a school-wide, systematic approach to character development through the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program. After attending a PBIS conference during the summer of 2006, the team also visited another school much like CCSS (Forbush School, Towson, MD) in order to observe how the program could be implemented for students with moderate and severe disabilities. The team then modified the PBIS System to meet student needs, which included three school-wide rules, a corresponding Teaching Matrix, a primary Reward System (PAWS), a global Reward System (PAW Print Bulletin Board) and a PBIS Brochure. The newly designed PAW Program was presented to the Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) where it met initial approval. Then the plan was presented to the entire staff for final approval. During the opening of the 2006-2007 school year, staff agreed to implement the PAW Program as follows:
As students are “caught” following the school-wide rules:
- Students are reinforced for their positive behavior with a CCSS PAW Reward as well as a verbal recognition for their hard work. (Staff also uses a Teaching Matrix to explain and visually describe the positive behavior.)
- PAWS are collected and names are drawn weekly.
- The weekly PAW winner receives a prize and their photo posted on the “PAW PRINTS” bulletin board. The more students earn, the more opportunities they have to win.
- Staff will continually teach and model the behaviors on the Teaching Matrix in order to facilitate school-wide participation in PBIS.
Because CCSS prepares students with moderate and severe disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 to be included in regular schools, gainfully employed and self-sufficient in the home and community it was imperative for staff to agree to a standardized Teaching Matrix. Creating a program that incorporated a universal design (using words and pictures, making the concepts visual and concrete) and would be accessible to ALL students was very important to the staff and remained consistent with the CCSS Mission.
As students began receiving PAWS for positive reinforcement, staff noticed an increase in positive behaviors. Nearly 100% of CCSS teachers immediately recognized the power of the PAW. Students were motivated to do their very best just to receive acknowledgement for following the rules and a simple piece of paper stating their success. As staff continues to positively praise and motivate students, the program continues to evolve. Students that struggle to understand the concepts of the Teaching Matrix are provided with individual systems that are customized with corresponding motivators.
Students following the school-wide rules are obviously demonstrating positive character traits. However, when staff begins to observe students truly internalizing the meaning of each rule, students are building character far beyond initial expectations. Teachers are reporting that students are now recognizing when others are following the rules and are making staff aware of the need for a PAW. One teacher has implemented a writing center where individual students may write their own PAWS for their classmates as well as friends and staff throughout the school. These students are not only recognizing the criteria for a reward but are also learning how to articulate their ideas in a meaningful format. Other teachers are reporting that students are going above and beyond to be good citizens whether they receive a PAW or not. Although students are elated to add a PAW to their pile, they are also finding reward in the simple deed of being respectful by being a good friend or helping a classmate.
Teachers and staff have created various social stories and activities to help students learn each aspect of the Teaching Matrix and therefore build character. The PBIS Team plans to meet during a summer work session to gather and organize the social stories and activities into a Resource Box corresponding to the Teaching Matrix. The team hopes to help staff by making numerous resources available as teaching tools and/or examples to modify. Although teachers are motivated by student success, making the implementation process for positive behavior lessons easier, will in the opinion of the PBIS Team, facilitate the momentum and longevity of the PAW Program.
The Maryland Center for Character Education
29 West Susquehanna Ave., Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21204Phone: 410-823-4902
Fax: 410-828-9661
E-Mail: MCCEcharacter@aol.com
