January 2013 - Isn't all of this PBIS stuff just bribery?
A better way to understand what we are doing at Fuller Street is by focusing instead on the word "acknowledgement". We are asking children to do specific things and when they do we acknowledge them with a ticket. This is no different than thanking a child for clearing the table, paying an allowance, or earning a check from your employer.
An acknowledgement system can help to foster a welcoming and positive climate, focuses staff and student attention on desired behaviors, increases the likelihood that desired behaviors will be increased, and reduces the time spent correcting student misbehavior. Using acknowledgements and a 5:1 ratio of positve to negative feedback fosters a positive building culture by helping create positive interactions and rapport with students. Remember: Every time we interact with children we are teaching!
Finally, consider the research study which predicted whether 700 newlywed couples would stay together or divorce by scoring their positive and negative interactions in one 15-minute conversation between husband and wife. Ten years later, the follow-up revealed that they had predicted divorces with 94% accuracy.
We are excited to be implementing a program with positive reinforcement that brings a great cultural shift to the students and staff we serve.
FEBRUARY 2013 - The Power of Compliments
DO IT NOW by Berton Braley
If with pleasure you are viewing
any work a man is doing,
If you like him or you love him,
tell him now;
Don’t withhold your approbation
till the parson makes oration
And he lies with snowy lilies on his brow;
No matter how you shout it
he won’t really care about it;
He won’t know how many teardrops you have shed;
If you think some praise is due him
now’s the time to slip it to him,
For he cannot read his tombstone when he’s
dead.
More than fame and more than money
is the comment kind and sunny
And the hearty, warm approval of a friend.
For it gives to life a savor,
and it makes you stronger, braver,
And it gives you heart and spirit to the end;
If he earns your praise – bestow it,
if you like him let him know it,
Let the words of true encouragement be said;
Do not wait till life is over
and he’s underneath the clover,
For he cannot read his tombstone when he’s dead
Guide to Giving Compliments (see below)
MARCH 2013
8 tips for how to behave yourself, from sixteenth-century scholar
Erasmus.
One thing is true about happiness: there are very few new truths out there.
The greatest minds in history have turned their attention to the subject, so
while it’s often challenging to put that wisdom into actual practice, it’s
pretty clear what kinds of actions are likely to yield a happier life.
Likewise, “tips lists” have been around for a long time. I get a big kick out
of uncovering tips lists from the past: Sydney Smith’s tips for cheering yourself
up from 1820, Francis Bacon’s tips for how to be happy
from 1625, Lord Chesterfield’s tips for pleasing in
society from 1774.
In De Civilitate Morum Puerilium Libellus:
A Handbook on Good Manners for Children, Erasmus gave seven tips
about how to behave yourself around other people. He wrote this list around 1500
A.D., and his advice has a long shelf life.
According to Erasmus, you should not…
1. gossip
2. tell unkind stories
3. boast
4. indulge in self-display
5. seek to defeat others in argument
6. interrupt people when they tell a story
7. be too inquisitive
This is a great list that all of us can contemplate and try to incorporate in our daily lives as we work to grow and become better!
April 2013
What If My Well Laid Plans Aren't Working?
In the areas of personal and professional development people often make goals and establish plans of action in an attempt to achieve some sort of result. But what happens when those plans get off track?
Think of a New Year's resolution in which a person pledged to make it to the gym 5 times a week.
Week 1: 5 times
Week 2: 5 times
Week 3: 4 times
Week 4: 2 times
Week 5: 2 times
Week 6: What's the point? I've failed.
Most certainly not! One problem may have been unrealistic expectations. Instead of quitting, maybe look more closely at your personal schedule and commitments. Upon review, you notice that your child has two practices each week which essentially eliminate two days, Friday nights are family game nights, and you have a civic committee every Monday. Instead of trying to run yourself ragged and becoming frustrated because of unreasonable expectations, set an attainable goal of 3 nights a week and really protect those times so that you can begin a consistent commitment that is doable relative to your lifestyle.
Now you're following the cyclical process called "Think-Plan-Do-Review". This process allows room for change and contemplation when you notice problems with your plan. Instead of quitting and associating a negative emotion with change, you have a measured and adjustable plan which allows you to feel success...and as we know success breeds success.
As you begin your next personal or professional growth plan, consider incorporating the process of "Think-Plan-Do-Review" into your overall approach. It will pay dividends!
May 2013
What do the BEST companies do differently?
How can we transfer that to our classrooms and relationships with students at school, or at home as parents?
It may seem odd to make this comparison but it isn't as much of a stretch as you may think. As adults we spend a great deal of time at work and those work cultures are very important and unique. Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. In the same way our classrooms and homes also create unique cultures.
Descriptors for the Best Companies to Work For…
Motivate
EmpowerListen
Thank
Develop
Care
Celebrate
Share
It seems very clear that if we translate the attributes listed by employees of the "Best Companies to Work For" into actions in the classroom or at home we are going to be creating a positive environment. Too often we assume that money is the answer, but it really isn't! Look at that list again...those words transcend money and describe an overall culture and way of conducting ourselves. If we can build these actions into our relationships with young people we are going to create a positive culture where kids feel happy and respected.
Thank
Develop
Care
Celebrate
Share