Since the beginning of the school year, I have been working with educators across the province of Alberta, building purpose, procedures and processes for individual school behaviour supports and interventions. The work has been focused as well as exciting, and the discussions have been in-depth.
Educators and administrators have expressed the need for a more collaborative approach in terms of determining a structure that answers the question “I have this student in my class who is having difficulty with _______…now what do I do?” I’m not sure if it’s the time of year or the needs of kids but during the workshops I have been facilitating, the common statement I hear is “I think I could have set up the Tier 1 structures in my classroom differently in September. Now what?”
My answer is that, as teachers, we are blessed with the opportunity of a JANUARY DO OVER! Although we are just coming back after a break, I invite you to think about how to make the rest of your school year more positive. Could you review/change/create renewed behaviour expectations and classroom routine structures? Now that you’ve got to know you students, what do they need from you in terms of relationship building? If done with fidelity, these very simple Tier 1 supports will create a stable learning experience for all of your students.
If at this point you are saying to yourself “I think I have a got a good handle on Tier 1 supports in my classroom”, how about re-examining your Tier 2 interventions? Are there kids that need self-regulation support? Are there any students who could benefit from scripting or social stories or a different reinforcement schedule?
Ask yourself the question when getting ready to have your students return back to your classroom after the holiday break – What is at least one January Do Over that I can put in place that will improve my classroom culture and help my new year to be more calm and peaceful?
Author: Barb Pears