Character Education is "the deliberate effort by schools, families, and communities to help young people understand, care about, and act upon core ethical values." Character as it relates to character education is most often used to refer to how "good" a person is - in other words, a person who exhibits personal qualities which fit with those considered desirable by a society might be considered to have good character and developing such personal qualities is often then seen as a purpose of education.
One of the nine (9) positive student attributes identified in the Appleton Area School District is that the AASD will provide learning experiences that will develop students who are cooperative and able to effectively function in a diverse environment. In order to reinforce the development of this attribute, the AASD continues to make concerted efforts to ensure that all students are provided with academic and effective educational strands that support preparing our students for their futures.
The six (6) traits of character education:
- Responsibility
- Trustworthiness
- Respect
- Fairness
- Caring
- Citizenship
Utilizing the above traits, students in the AASD are provided with multiple avenues and opportunities to receive instruction in character education at each site including those sites that are additionally implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as their framework for character education. It also is the framework used to provide a safe, positive, consistent and predictable learning environment for all students, staff, and families.
Currently, all of our neighborhood schools implement PBIS. The AASD is beyond proud of what our elementary, middle, high school and charter school’s staff and administration have accomplished since the PBIS framework was introduced in 2008.
The Wisconsin RtI (Response to Intervention) Center recognizes schools as a School of Distinction for their work accomplished through the implementation of PBIS at the universal level (tier 1) and for reading and mathematics for all levels of support; universal, selected, intensive.
What is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)?
PBIS is a systemic approach to proactive, school-wide discipline based on a RtI model. PBIS applies evidence-based programs, practices, and strategies for all students to increase academic performance, improve safety, decrease problem behavior, and establish a positive school culture.
The PBIS model has been successfully implemented in thousands of schools in over 40 states, resulting in dramatic reductions in disciplinary interventions and increases in academic achievement. Data-based decision making is a hallmark of PBIS, allowing successes to be easily shared with all relevant stakeholders.
Critical Elements of PBIS are:
- Careful acknowledgement, consideration, and achievement of outcomes that are valued by significant stakeholders
- Adoption and sustained utilization of research-validated practices and curricula that maximize achievement of student and teacher outcomes
- Application of data-based decision-making at many levels with multiple individuals across contexts (regular education vs. special education and home vs. school) and with multiple outcomes
- Development of systems that are needed to ensure consideration of valued outcomes, research-validated practices, and data-based decision–making
What Does School-Wide PBIS Emphasize?
- DATA for decision-making
- OUTCOMES that are measured, supported, and evaluated by data
- PRACTICES with evidence that these outcomes are achievable
- SYSTEMS that efficiently and effectively support the implementation of these practices
What Outcomes are Associated with Implementation of PBIS?
- Less reactive, aversive, dangerous, and exclusionary
- More engaging, responsive, preventive, and productive
- Address classroom management and disciplinary issues
- Improve supports for students whose behaviors require more specialized assistance
- Most importantly, maximize academic engagement and achievement for all students
What is the Continuum of School-Wide PBIS?
Three-tiered prevention logic requires that all students receive support at the universal level. If the behavior of some students is not responsive, more intensive behavioral supports are needed, in the form of a group contingency called secondary tier, or a highly individualized plan recognized as the intensive or tertiary tier.
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