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.

JUNE

This month's Best Practices is from an award winning school from 2006-2007.

 

BEST CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES

 

School: Mark Twain School

Address: 14501 Avery Road, Rockville, MD 20853
Principal: Frances J. Irvin

Phone: 301-279-4900
E-Mail: Frances_J_Irvin@mcpsmd.org

             

Title of Best Practice: Voices To Empower (V2E) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

 

Primary Character Trait(s) Emphasized: Responsibility for Self, Respect for Self, Respect for Others and Others' Property

 

Objective:

To establish and reinforce a school culture in which students learn and demonstrate self empowerment through recognition of self worth.

 

Students acquire social, communication, and problem-solving skills and strategies. Through mutual respect, students and staff address behaviors through proactive and non-threatening strategies. Students learn to monitor their behaviors in the school setting through personal documentation and self reflection. Students’ positive behaviors are appropriately reinforced to increase the likelihood that pro-social behaviors are increased.

 

Brief Description:

Mark Twain is a separate special education day school serving secondary students throughout the Montgomery County Public Schools. Montgomery County borders Washington D.C. and is comprised of a population that is quite diverse in ethnic, socioeconomic, and ability levels.

Although Mark Twain students are diagnosed as having emotional disabilities and ninety-five percent of all students are or have been involved with the law, they achieve resiliency through developing character to achieve success and become productive members of society.

Two of Mark Twain School’s “Best Practices” addressing teaching and reinforcing elements of character are addressed through Voices2Empowerment ( V2E) and Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies (PBIS).

 

Through the Voices to Empower (V2E) program, students are introduced to life skills and a variety of activities which extend the scope of their personal experiences such as cooking, dancing, music recording, career exploration, travel, martial arts, and community service. Embedded in these activities are social skills and character education instruction along with consistent problem-solving skills.

 

The program is in partnership with the Mental Health Association through the direction of Jennifer Gauthier and Mark Twain staff, Maria Douglas and Ruth Sugars, includes the following programs and activities:

 

1. Through the Kitchen Door Culinary Arts Vocational Training

A twelve-week program provides students culinary arts skills through experience and experimentation. Professional chefs, food preparation workers, and restaurant owners teach the class, model appropriate work-related behaviors, and award certificates at the end of the program.

2. Martial Arts: Through Martial Arts students learn self-discipline, respect for self and others, and are taught to use strategies in a proactive way. The class is taught by a master martial arts expert who volunteers his time to assist students in mastering this art.

3. Soul Food Cooking: Ethnic cooking focuses on respect for various menus and cooking techniques to help students acquire necessary survival skills. Students learn to enjoy healthful options within this cultural cooking method.

4. HIP-HOP DANCE: This program is taught by a professional dance instructor who focuses on the students’ acquisition of skills through disciplined practice.

 

5. HOPLAB MUSIC PRODUCTION: This program is offered both on and off campus for students to explore the music industry and to understand the multiple layers of music production prior to release. The students create a music CD and video.

 

Core values, such as appropriate social behaviors in groups, problem-solving skills, relationship and communication skills are addressed through this V2E programs and activities.

 

Students are encouraged to “give back” through demonstrations of their new skills in community service projects within the school and at home.

 

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Mark Twain School is a whole-school philosophy in which students and staff proactively work to teach, shape, and help reinforce pro-social behaviors representing respect for self, others, and property.

 

Students’ challenging behaviors are met with problem solving, brainstorming, and mediation in order to maximize students’ time in class as opposed to detentions or suspensions. This program is operated under the direction of the Collaborative Action Research Teams and in collaboration with all staff and student members. PBIS is under the direction of staff members, Tracy Boddy, Kim Emswiler, and Rachel Turner.

This philosophy, embraced by the staff and students as well as the state of Maryland, provides opportunities for the development and recognition of students’ respect for self, others, and property. The approach is based on positive strategies and recognition of “being caught doing something good.” Additionally, the program includes the instruction of replacement behaviors for challenging times.

 

The Gotcha program permits students to earn and collect points for behaviors exhibiting good character. They may shop at the school store and become eligible to win additional rewards, as Starbucks, McDonalds, games, and gift certificates.

 

Students can also earn reinforcement opportunities including pancake breakfasts prepared and served by the staff. Physical activities such as basketball, swimming, table tennis, and games are offered. The school store provides opportunities to “spend” points on sports equipment, CDs, cosmetics, healthy snacks, toiletries, and gift items.

 

Staff and students are eternally optimistic that the PBIS program continues to achieve its goals to motivate and entice students toward more pro-social behavioral attributes of good character and academic achievement.

 

Additionally, through these two “Best Practices,” Mark Twain School students exhibit more pro-social behaviors and reduced serious incidents, reduced suspensions, and increased attendance.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Maryland Center for Character Education
29 West Susquehanna Ave., Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21204

Phone: 410-823-4902
Fax: 410-828-9661
E-Mail: MCCEcharacter@aol.com