Classroom Competitions For Compliance

Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports programs encourage competition in order to obtain compliance

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Part two

Please note, this is part two of a multi-part series of articles on the harms of Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports programs. If you missed part one, I recommend starting there. I hope you enjoy!

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The Student / Teacher Game

In their recommended version of the Student/Teacher Game, PBIS advises teaching and practicing expectations for a particular setting or routine, and demonstrating examples. Teachers introduce the rules of the game by explaining which behaviours will earn students or teacher points, and outlining the rewards for winning.

During the game, student and teacher points are tallied on the board. When students follow expectations, the teacher gives the students a point and states the behavior that earned it.

When students show unwanted behaviors, teachers are advised to not remove points, and instead, to consider awarding a teacher point. At the end of the game, the final score is announced. If the students win, they get the reward! If the students do not win, the teacher reteaches and provides encouragement.

Alright, don’t remove points, that doesn’t sound so bad… Instead we point out that we’re giving points to the teacher, which, in effect, is removing points from the students. Want to guess what happens next?