Educational Administration Artifact Reflection

Artifact Title: Darlington Elementary-Middle School Positive Behavior

Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program
Date of Experience Completed: 2014-2015 School Year
Artifact Description:
My artifact is a copy of the Darlington Elementary-Middle School Positive
Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program. Darlington ElementaryMiddle Schools newly implemented PBIS program includes: school-wide
matrices, classroom matrices, specialized areas matrices, ROSIE buck
recognition incentives, office disciplinary referrals (minors and majors), and
instructions for implementing the PBIS program. Darlington ElementaryMiddle Schools PBIS program aims as positively recognizing expected
student behaviors in order to reduce unexpected student behaviors.
Wisconsin Administrator Standard Alignment:
This Darlington Elementary-Middle School Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports (PBIS) Program best aligns with Wisconsin Administrator
Standard 1.5 which states: The teacher uses an understanding of individual
and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that
encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and
self -motivation.
This Darlington Elementary-Middle School Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports (PBIS) Program best aligns with Standard 1.5 because it
demonstrates understanding of the principles of effective classroom
management and the use of a range of strategies to promote positive
relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom.
Evidence of this is demonstrated on page three of the PBIS artifact. Mrs.
Roses Classroom Behavior Matrix describes ROSIE (Respect, Ownership,
Safety, Integrity, and Excellence) expectations in all areas of the classroom.
This visual, along with other PBIS visuals, is hung up in each classroom as a
classroom management tool. Additional strategies used to promote positive
relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning include handing students
ROSIE bucks as expected behavior acknowledgements. These ROSIE bucks
can then be used at grade level parties, during classroom parties, or for
school-wide drawings. The Darlington Elementary-Middle School PBIS
Program also aligns with Standard 1.5 because it demonstrates responsibility
for establishing a positive climate in the classroom and maintaining such a
climate in the school as a whole. Darlington Elementary-Middle School was
required by the state of Wisconsin to implement a PBIS program by the 20142015 school year. Darlington Elementary-Middle Schools PBIS program has
been successfully implemented school-wide (pre-kindergarten through eighth

grade) this school year. Each staff member and student is responsible for
maintaining a positive climate throughout all school settings. Alignment with
Standard 1.5 is also demonstrated through valuing the roles of students in
promoting each other's learning and recognizing the importance of peer
relationships in establishing a climate for learning. Additionally, this artifact
demonstrates commitment to the continuous development of individual
students abilities and consideration of the different motivational strategies
used to likely encourage this development for each student. During the
2014-2015 school year, Darlington Elementary-Middle Schools PBIS program
has been successful at promoting student involvement in ownership and
correction of unexpected behaviors. Students have supported one another
through the implementation and learning process. Darlington ElementaryMiddle School recognizes individual students abilities, development, and
motivations. Motivations change, which is a reason the PBIS program is a
tiered system. The PBIS program is successful with approximately 85% of
the student population. 10% of the student population require different,
more frequent, and/or more specific incentives. The final 5% of the student
population generally requires a functional behavior assessment and behavior
implementation plan. These student factors have been considered and
discussed by Darlington Elementary-Middle Schools Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports team.
What I learned about administration/teaching/learning from this
experience:
While implementing school wide PBIS, I learned there is much more to
classroom management then clapping your hands to bring the students back
together to pay attention. When I hear classroom management techniques
I think of how am I doing to capture the students attention? How am I going
to organize the desks or groups to optimize learning? How is my classroom
going to look to support a positive learning environment? I have not thought
of it as a place to encourage individual and group motivation, positive social
interaction and create an active engagement in learning and promote
self-motivation. I think fulfilling this standard is a daily process. It is not
something an educator writes in their lesson plans. A great educator should
promote a positive learning environment and encourage individual, small
group, and large group motivation. While implementing PBIS, I learned one
way to encourage individual motivation and in turn build self-motivation
would be to assign the most important task to the student who lacks
motivation. For example, this student is the group leader for the day.
They are in charge of telling the teacher answers, collecting papers in their
group, and monitoring group discussions. All of the tasks assigned to this
student should be ones they can accomplish easily, because the last thing
we want as educators is to promote low self-esteem in students.

It is AMAZING how external motivators can be an incentive. In my

classroom, all I have to do is dangle a treat or a ROSIE buck over the
students heads and they are angels. However, some days managing
behaviors consumes you. I have a variety of students on my caseload
including students with varying degrees of a cognitive disabilities,
emotional/behavioral disorder, specific learning disabilities, other health
impairments, and autism. Not only that, but there are also a variety of
maturity levels! Eight boys and two girls make up my caseload. There are
days that it is difficult to manage classroom behavior when our student
classified with EBD is being disrespectful to the student who has autism and
is argumentative to begin with. Some of the personalities I see are like oil
and water! I find that I have to change the small incentives more often to
keep the students interested in behaving for something new. It usually
works for a few weeks and then it is back to poor behaviors. Some days I
feel like I micromanage behaviors more than I teach! I have learned to
appreciate the small accomplishments. For example, I have had the student
classified with EBD for two and half years. He is a struggle, but I know for a
fact that he is behaving better now than he has in the past three years.
There are days we revert back, but I feel a small sense of accomplishment
when I can get a please or thank you out of him.
What I learned about myself as a prospective administrator as a
result of this artifact:
As a prospective administrator, this Darlington Elementary-Middle School
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program taught me
students are often a product of their environment and what works for most
does not necessarily work for all. The more I work in special education, the
more I realize students are a product of their good AND bad environments;
the latter of which makes me very sad. I experience family drama, lies,
abuse, etc. in my current position. These events at home significantly
impact the student at school. When days are getting difficult, I force myself
to remember where my students come from. There are times I truly feel
their lives are out of control, which greatly affects their education. This is a
perspective I will take with me as I move into a leadership position. I refuse
to pre-judge parents. As the saying goes, you cannot judge a book by its
cover. However, I am also there, first and foremost, for the students. It is
part of my job to give them a safe and appropriate education. Secondly, I
learned even the best programs have holes. As mentioned earlier, PBIS
programs are successful with approximately 85% of the student population,
10% of the student population require different, more frequent, and/or more
specific incentives, and the final 5% of the student population generally
requires a functional behavior assessment and behavior implementation

plan. I currently work with the top 5% of students requiring behavior plans,
which usually also require an IEP. I think my experience with students in all
three tiers of PBIS will benefit me as an administrator. More than likely, the
students visiting my office will be the students in the top 5%. I feel confident
in dealing with these students because of my previous teaching experiences,
patience, and empathy.