-by Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (#PBIS) is 60 years old, and while famous as a framework for behavior support, we’ll still often find practices that we can safely and briskly grow out of.
We don’t need rewards and prizes to promote positive behavior.
The first of these outgrown practices is the idea that children need to be rewarded to be successful learners and good people. Quite frankly, we already know the opposite to be true.
Children and youth are not living their values out loud because they’re hoping for a bag of chips from a PBIS store, and while it might be possible to ‘train’ a child to ‘perform’ for a ticket, free dress day, or cute pencil, these extrinsic motivators quickly lose their charm. And really, your recognition system should only provide a symbol of our positive regard for students. No store needed. No store recommended.
Instead of spending time, effort, and money on rewards, direct your attention to telling students the truth about the good that they bring to school. Focus on the words you and your team plan to use, and how you’d like to symbolize that conversation in the minds and hearts of your students. Some schools skip the symbol and just use words. Others might use tickets, smiley face squishy balls, or stickers for a folder. However, whatever you do, resist the urge to monetize your recognition symbols by making them something of value after the conversation. Other than maybe take them home to share with their families, students don’t really need to ‘do’ anything with the symbols after they’re given.
PBIS and Applied Behavioral Analysis
The second outgrown practice that we can safely and briskly move beyond is most of ABA, or applied behavioral analysis. Most people first experience ABA as part of a ‘treatment plan’ for autism, and people with autism have already communicated clearly how their own experiences with ABA affect them. ABA shows up in PBIS when schools are trained to focus on strategies to reduce unexpected behaviors rather than consider the unmet needs leading to behaviors. I recommend the opposite: meet needs first, and enjoy the resulting warmer, more inclusive learning space.
Many exceptional colleagues disagree with me, and they’ll phrase the disagreements like this:
Either 1) PBIS and ABA are too rigid to change. There is no hope of evolution or growth, so we should just discard it all; or 2) PBIS and ABA are the only evidence-based approach to behavioral interventions and the only way to implement either is the 60-year-old method.
Neither are true, and we’ve enough research and lived experience to know that we can build systems that work, and even the oldest ideas can (and should, and must) evolve to meet our needs and our students’ needs most of all.
Relationships matter immensely. Rewards? Not so much.
As I reflect on the 60-year legacy of PBIS and the long-standing practices of ABA, it’s clear that evolution and adaptation are essential. By moving past extrinsic rewards and outdated behavior strategies, we create inclusive and supportive learning spaces that truly meet the needs of all students. Emphasize intrinsic motivation, foster genuine connections, and address underlying needs over surface behaviors, and you’ll experience meaningful and sustainable outcomes. Our commitment to evolving these frameworks is not just about discarding old methods but about integrating new insights and compassion into our approaches. This evolution is not only possible but necessary, ensuring that our educational practices honor and empower every student and taking the first steps towards a warmer, more inclusive learning environment for everyone.