This exploratory study expands the literature on teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand, in terms of how teachers deliver praise and reprimand. Sixty-six middle and high school teachers' delivery of praise and reprimand to individual, small groups, and large groups during a 20-min observation were examined. Teachers delivered significantly…

The authors evaluated whether an incentive raffle increased teachers' use of written praise and appropriate student behavior. Participants included 93 staff members and 755 students at an elementary school in Central Illinois. School staff received didactic instruction for the importance of using praise, and praise notes were measured on a weekly…

Many studies have demonstrated that when teachers are trained to increase their use of praise, student misbehavior improves; however, few studies have examined teachers' natural use of praise and no study has examined the relation between teachers' natural use of praise and classroom behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine…

Many studies have demonstrated that when teachers are trained to increase their use of praise, student misbehavior improves; however, few studies have examined teachers' natural use of praise and no study has examined the relation between teachers' natural use of praise and classroom behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine…

Schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) are an increasingly popular framework for school improvement practices, but many high schools are still lagging behind their elementary counterparts. High school leadership teams can struggle with merging the SWPBIS framework with current operations, and there are limited examples of…

Scaling of evidence-based practices in education has received extensive discussion but little empirical evaluation. We present here a descriptive summary of the experience from seven states with a history of implementing and scaling School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) over the past decade. Each state has been…

This article describes a program called "Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports" (PBIS), a nationwide effort to develop school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. The John Powers Center is the Illinois…

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act made major changes to the education of children with disabilities who exhibit challenging behavior. The law emphasized the use of positive behavior supports (PBS) and functional behavioral assessments (FBA) as a strategy to address challenging behavior. Since…

Positive behavior interventions and Supports (PBIS) programs are being introduced in school districts throughout Illinois and the rest of the United States, resulting in decreased behavioral incidents and increased academic achievement. Programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing benefit from implementation of this type of…

A survey was conducted of teachers' classroom management practices in the United States and Greece. The United States sample consisted of 149 teachers in Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Greek sample consisted of 97 teachers in Athens and the surrounding area. The survey asked questions regarding teachers' use of…

Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…