Proactive Behavior Management and Decreasing Discipline Issues

Proactive behavior management promotes a culturally competent school culture.  Behavior intervention provides expectations and behavior interventions to avoid discipline issues.  This practice promotes success for students of all ages, backgrounds, and needs.  Proactive behavior management decreases the need for reactive discipline.  Behavior intervention can take place in any classroom or school.

Behavior intervention is a, “model designed to provide support to students and help them look at the problems their behavior is creating for them.” (Jacoby, pg. 11)  Educational staff members provide students with expectations and guidelines through classroom instruction.  Students are rewarded for positive behavior and are encouraged to understand the consequences of negative behavior.  The goal of proactive behavior management is to avoid reactionary discipline measures.

Behavior management trains students to be productive and successful.  “Traditional reactive approaches to discipline are repeatedly failing to improve behaviors of many students, including students from diverse population and with exceptionalities.” (Morrissey, pg. 27)  Culturally responsive presentation of expectations ensures that students know what is required to be successful within the school environment.  Educators focus on prevention of bad behavior to ensure that students spend their time in the classroom.

Behavior intervention decreases the need for reactive discipline.  “Often, at our school, we have new students who are punished before they are aware of expectations.” (E. Padilla, personal communication, March 23, 2013)  Proactive behavior management focuses on providing students with the tools necessary to avoid major disciplinary issues.  Teachers discuss rules and consequences while focusing on positive behavior.  Students are trained to deal with issues at an individual level and assess their own behavior and performance.  Students learn to adapt their personal culture to the school’s expectations and become a member of the school’s learning community.

Proactive behavior management is an excellent tool to ensure cultural competency and student success.  Students are encouraged to be advocates of their own success.  Students focus on the rewards of good behavior and success.  Proactive behavior management decreases the incidence of formal and reactionary discipline and ensures that students are in the classroom meeting their full potential.

 References

Jacoby, R.L. (2008). The Effectiveness of a School-Wide Approach to Discipline at the

Middle School Level. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of

Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri.

Morrissey, K. L., Bohanon, H., & Fenning, P. (2010, May/Jun). Positive Behavior

Support: Teaching and ACknolwedging Expectations. Teaching Exceptional

Children, 42(5), 26.