School Discipline

Several staff from the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning specialize in the area of behavioral supports—from school-wide planning and implementation to classroom management to individualized, function-based intervention plans. Our approach is consistent with the evidence base that overwhelmingly supports preventative, proactive and skill-building strategies as foundational to effective behavior management and school discipline.

Our work is most impactful when we have an opportunity to observe typical school/organization routines and talk with educators, staff, and leaders in order to clarify needs and build upon existing practices. With leadership, we create a professional development plan that prioritizes targeted, sustained learning experiences designed around specific educator and school needs. By structuring training across multiple sessions, we create space to explicitly model new strategies, facilitate job-embedded practice, and provide ongoing feedback and coaching. This iterative cycle ensures that professional learning directly translates into transformed classroom/school practice.

We can also provide single session workshops that can spark initial momentum and clarify effective practices.

Kick-starting your School-wide PBIS Implementation

Preventing Power Struggles and Defusing Conflict

De-escalation Strategies

Beyond Classroom Management 101---Classroom Systems of Behavior Support

Improving School Attendance Rates using a 3-Tiered Framework

Individualized Functioned-Based Behavior Support Planning

PBIS Indiana offers training and coaching in the following areas of behavior support, grounded in a Multi-tiered System of Supports (Mtss) framework:

PBIS
Restorative Practices
Classroom Management
Trauma-Informed School Practices
Function based intervention planning and FBAs

Restorative Practices is a values based framework for guiding our interactions with others. It is a mindset as well as a set of practices that provides us with new tools to shift how we relate to one another and respond to conflict. Key to Restorative Practices is the repairing of relationships when harm is done, a process which results in social and emotional learning, meaningful relationships, and positive and supportive school environments, workplaces, and communities.

Classroom Management means different things to different people. We think of Classroom Management as organizing the activities of a large group of students while creating an environment that promotes safety and academic social and behavioral growth. To that end, our work in the area of Classroom Management focuses on building teacher efficacy in the areas of self-regulation, supportive relationships, engaged instruction, routines and procedures, and relationship-based behavioral change strategies.

If you are a classroom teacher and interested in increased self-efficacy with Classroom Management, our Self-Assessment of Classroom Management (SACM) will help you to develop an action plan. You can take the SACM on-line here: SACM Tool

Challenging behavior exhibited by students in the classroom can result in the loss of instruction time, an increase in staff stress levels, and may even result in expulsion. Learning how to view behavior through a "function-based-lens" and how to address skill deficits that may be contributing to challenging behavior, is essential to understanding and successfully addressing behaviors of concern. Function based problem solving is a continuum. In many instances problem behavior can be successfully addressed in the classroom, without the need for an FBA/BIP. We can bring a workshop to your school or school-corporation to assist both General and Special Education Teachers in gaining the skills necessary to develop strategies to support students before behaviors of concern begin to impeded learning. We can also provide training to assist educators in developing an effective FBA/BIP when needed (as defined by IDEA and Article 7), including data collection and progress monitoring. Our professional development can be tailored to meet your individual needs. We can assist administrators in assessing current supports and protocols, in addition to working with certified and/or support staff to develop needed skills in this area.

Center on Education and Lifelong Learning

School Discipline