PBIS Universal Acknowledgement Matrix

HartfordUniversitySchool

September 2009

Type / What / When / Where / What Gives?
High Frequency
Daily Boosts / The teacher invites students to give daily boosts. “I want to boost (name) for (kind deed, strong effort, etc.).” e.g., “Iwant to boost Jaylan for helping our new classmate at lunch;” “Iwant to boost Adriana for being super focused in reading group;” “I want to boost Bob for walking away from a confrontation.” / Teacher Choice:
e.g., Breakfast, Community Time, Dismissal / The Classroom / The boost is its own reward.
High Frequency
Hartford Hurrahs / Each staff member is responsible for giving out up to 20 Hartford Hurrah Cards a week. During the first two months, teachers are not to give Hurrahs out to their own students.
During September: Focus on Hall Behavior / When an appropriate behavior is observed. / Students turn in their Hurrahs (received throughout the building) to the Hurrah container in their (homebase) classroom. / Teacher holds a classroom weekly drawing and allocates small acknowledgement (computer time, first to lunch, etc.) See list of Free or Inexpensive Rewards for ideas. Then turn in all Hurrahs for weekly drawing.
High Frequency, Moving to Intermittent
Focus Behavior
Hawk PrideDrawings / Hallway Focus:
  • After each hall transition -- class rates hallway behavior using Fist-to-Four – rate whole class, not self. Very brief discussion. Teacher arrives at a score.
  • Daily – teacher posts average (4 point scale)
  • Weekly – teacher turns in average
  • Classes with 3 or higher average – every student gets a Hurrah Card to put in class container.
  • Intermittently – principal draws Hurrahs
  • Once the behavior is established school-wide -- teachers can do Fist-to-Four daily instead of after each transition, and drawings will be less frequent.
/ Morning PA / The Office / Coupons for Pizza Hut, etc.
Popcorn
Ice Cream
Movie Passes
Cool Supplies
Privileges
Etc.
Unpredictable
Intermittent
Hawk PrideDrawings / The principal periodically acknowledges individuals (through a drawing of Hartford Hurrahs), groups or classrooms. The principal may highlight a particular behavior and appoint secret observers report affirmative examples of that behavior by individuals or groups. / Random
Morning PA / The Office / As above
Each Mark Period
Academy Awards
Celebration! / An assembly will be held each grading period that parallels Hartford’s traditional AAA awards. This is an opportunity to celebrate students for:
  • Super effort (each staff member – not just teachers -- may recognize two kids)
  • High achievement (each staffer recognizes 2)
  • Acts of remarkable leadership or kindness
  • Good attendance (defined as?)
  • Honor role
  • Biggest gainer
  • Good behavior (0-1 referrals?)
Specifics to be finalized. / Each mark period / Parents, staff, students, and invited guests assemble in the auditorium. / All students share in the pride with a sticker, pencil or other small gift.
Identified students are called to the stage and receive medals, certificates, or trophies.

Reconciling PBIS with Love and Logic

Our goal is to help students do the right thing because it pleases them to do so, not for praise or awards. We want to build an internal sense of control or efficacy. When you recognize student effort…

  • Use descriptive, not evaluative language. If you can incorporate the language of the PBIS matrix, it’s a bonus!
  • I notice you used a lot of expression in your paper. (Not: “I liked your paper,” or “Excellent work.”)
  • I notice you are walking quietly in the hall. That’s really respectful. (Not: “Thanks for walking quietly,” or “Good job walking quietly.”)
  • When you solved that problem on the playground, you used kind words and actions.
  • Emphasize how they must feel about their performance.
  • You turned in your homework every day this week. I bet that feels good.
  • I noticed you tried really hard. How did that make you feel?
  • When a student shows improvement ask them how they did it – with an emphasis on what they did.
  • You went up one reading level. Do you think it was because you tried harder or got better? (Love and Logic says that if you can get a student to affirm either one of these statements 3 times, as opposed to attributing their success to luck or help from someone else, they have begun to believe in their own ability to grow through strong effort.)
  • T: You have come to school on time every day this week. Did you try harder or get better?

S: My mom started getting up on time.

T: I’m sure that’s true, but what did you do to help get yourself here on time?