Behaviourism Is Not Inclusion

PBIS Is Just ABA With Different Letters

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PBIS

P.B.I.S. stands for Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports, and was the foundation for Manitoba Education’s 2011 policy document, Towards Inclusion: Supporting Positive Behaviour in Manitoba Classrooms.

That’s not a typo, the document intended as a guide for creating inclusive schools and classrooms has its roots in behaviourism. The year isn’t a typo either, the document was developed in 2011, eleven years ago. It hasn’t been updated since and it really shows.

In fact, well before 2011, child development and education experts such as Alfie Kohn, Ross Greene, Stuart Shanker, Dan Siegel— and many others — have been trying to educate people on the fallout of only addressing behaviours on their surface, rather than looking deeper to the root causes.

“Stop doing things that interfere with moral growth, things like punishments and rewards, which are rooted in — and underscore a child’s preoccupation with — self-interest.”
— Alfie Kohn

That particular quote was from Unconditional Parenting, a book that was published in 2005.

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First, the good

Before I rip apart PBIS, I do want to highlight the positive aspects of this programming, and of Manitoba education’s PBIS handbook.

• The teacher–student relationship is extremely important and takes time and trust to build.

• Non-contingent reinforcement is an essential component of the teacher–student relationship (this is a really ugly way of saying that children need and deserve unconditional positive regard, and that is what is essential to any adult-child relationship).

• Recognize the strengths and skills that each individual brings to the classroom.

• Communicate with parents about what is going well and the positive things the student shows an interest in.

• A well-designed classroom considers the individual needs of students and fosters a sense of security.

• When students are able to move around the room naturally and purposefully, they feel less anxious, more alert, and, in some cases, more relaxed.

• Students who can move around during class are better able to learn.

• Students need choices as well as varying instructional and assessment methods.

• Students are more likely to concentrate and make an effort when their schoolwork is personally meaningful and engaging.

• Some students who do not meet expectations have not yet learned the skills they need.

There. That’s it, the only strong, evidence-based, child-centred sentences in the entire 100-page document would fit easily on a single page.

“Relationships can heal, but relationships can also harm when we exert our positions of power to control children.” — Alex Shervin Venet

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