SCHOOL COUNSELORS’ INVOLVEMENT WITH A SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT INTERVENTION: ADDRESSING STUDENT BEHAVIOR ISSUES IN A PROACTIVE AND POSITIVE MANNER

This week I read an article entitled School Counselors' Involvement with a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Intervention: Addressing Student Behavior Issues in a Proactive and Positive Manner. As the name states, the article focused on a school-wide behavior intervention plan that targets problem behaviors before they become out of hand, costing the student valuable time that should be dedicated to learning in the classroom. School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Intervention is the behavior component of RTI, a "three-tiered systems approach that proactively addresses behavior concerns by teaching behavioral expectations and includes strategic support for students with more severe behavior issues" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 313). The program, currently being used in "more than 18,000 schools," divides students into three groups, universal, targeted, and intensive, with about "80 to 85% students responding positively to the universal tier" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 313-314). The universal tier is made up of five components: 
"defined school-wide behavior expectations, a process for teaching and re-teaching those expectations, an acknowledgement system, a process for preventing and addressing problem behaviors, and a system for collecting and analyzing data" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 313). For the 10 to 15% of students who are unresponsive to these prevention strategies, the program introduces tier two, which includes interventions that are "readily available and require little assessment prior to implementation for students," implemented to "reduce the level of present problem behaviors and to prevent further escalation of problem behaviors" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). Finally, for the 3 to 5% of students who are unresponsive to tier one and two, tier three, or an individualized Behavior intervention Plan, is put into place. 
The article focuses mostly on one example of a tier two intervention, the Check In/Check Out Method, or CICO. CICO "establishes a structured daily routine for identified students in order to reduce and prevent the escalation of problem behaviors," aiming to "increase the opportunities adults have for prompting students to engage in positive behavior, provide behavioral feedback to the student at predictable times throughout the day, develop a meaningful adult-student relationship through positive interaction, and communicate behavioral challenges and successes with families daily" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). Students begin each day by checking in with an adult, receiving their daily behavior report card. The report card "defines behavior expectations and includes a Likert-type scale to evaluate the student's behavior" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). The report card could also include "a visual schedule for students, space for written adult comments, and a reminder of the student's daily behavior goals" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). The student carries their behavior report card with them throughout the day, using it to "allow teachers to provide behavioral feedback in the form of points and/or positive comments at designated time intervals" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). At the end of the day, the student must check out with an adult, where they "graph the results of their day, receive praise (tangible and/or verbal), and obtain a copy of their daily behavior report card to take home" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314). The student must provide a signed copy of the behavior report card at check-in the next morning. The data that is collected from the daily behavior report cards is used to "make decisions about continuing, modifying, or discontinuing the intervention" (Martens & Andreen, 2013, p. 314).
I found this article to be a great example of tiered behavior management as described in our textbook. As McLeskey states, "tiered systems allow educators to address the behavioral needs of all students by addressing universal, inclusive management concerns typical of most students and by using a continuum of individualized planning and interventions for those students who do not readily respond to elements of the universal management system" (McLeskey, Rosenberg, & Westling, 2013, p. 365). The Check In/Check Out intervention is an example of a targeted intervention, a "powerful, focused, school-based effort designed to reduce frequent and intensive problem behaviors" (McLeskey, Rosenberg, & Westling, 2013, p. 365).
I would recommend this article to teachers, general and special education, because of the simplicity yet effectiveness of the CICO intervention. The article also includes graphic overviews of the CICO intervention, printable daily behavior report cards, and home reports. I believe this would be a great behavior management intervention to implement in a classroom, as well as a useful tool for documenting recording a student's behavior while completing a functional behavior analysis. 

Martens, K., & Andreen, K. (2013). SCHOOL COUNSELORS' INVOLVEMENT WITH A SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT INTERVENTION: ADDRESSING STUDENT BEHAVIOR ISSUES IN A PROACTIVE AND POSITIVE MANNER. Professional School Counseling, 16(5), 313-322.

McLeskey, J., Rosenberg, M.S., & Westling, D.L. (2013). Inclusion: Effective Practices for All Students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

The Circle of Courage in Transition Planning

This week I read an article called "The Circle of Courage in Transition Planning" by Deborah Espiner and Diane Guild, two educators in New Zealand, that have implemented and studied a new practice for transition planning, the Circle of Courage. The Circle of Courage combines philosophy and graphic facilitation to create a student-centered transition plan. "The approach is designed to ensure that the young person, the family, and whana (the Maori term for extended family) were at the centre of the planning process and were heard, so the resulting plan would represent their aspirations and goals"(Espiner & Guild, 2011, p.44). The visual and accessible format of the Circle of Courage "engages young people, capitalizes on their learning styles, and creates common understanding" (Espiner & Guild, 2011, p.45). The Circle of Courage is a large circular graphic organizer divided into four equal parts with a smaller circle in the center. Inside the small circle, the student's name is written and picture of them is attached. The four sections of the circle are labeled Belonging, Mastery, Independence, and Generosity. Below is an example of the Circle of Courage:

During the transition planning meeting, a small group, consisting of the student, their family, the teacher, and the school's transition coordinator, work together to fill out the graphic organizer, with words and graphics, by asking the student questions. First, the group works on developing the dream, what would the student and their family like to happen in this area after transitioning? Next, they work on "capturing the now" by determining "what can the young person do at the present time using skills and knowledge to work towards the Dream," and then creating a "plan for action" by asking "what do the support person and the support team need to achieve in journeying towards the Dream" (Espiner & Guild, 2011, p.46). Below are some of the prompts suggested by the authors to help facilitate the creation of the Circle of Courage:

From a case study completed on the transition process of a nineteen year old student named Andrew, Espiner and Guild found that Andrew was "highly engaged" and showed "full involvement" in the process (2011, p. 48). The participants in the meeting, Andrew's teacher, family, and transition coordinator, stated that the Circle of Courage let Andrew "see his dream" (Espiner & Guild, 2011, p.48). At the end of the meeting, pictures of the participants in front of the Circle of Courage are taken as documentation and the student is able to immediately take the Circle home as a visual reminder of their dream and the plan they will be taking to reach it. Below is a picture of Andrew's completed Circle of Courage:

I really enjoyed reading this article and found it related directly to all the readings and activities we have completed throughout this week's module. The Circle of Courage is just another example of a person centered transition plan. The Circle focuses firstly and primarily on the student and their dreams and goals, then their support group, family and staff, see what they can do to help make this dream a reality. As the textbook states, the goal of the strategy is to "involve and empower students in the development and implementation of their IEP, including goal setting, accommodation selection, and program assessment" (Smith, Gartin, & Murdick, 2012, p. 76). While the terminology in the Circle of Courage is not as technical as usually heard in IEP meetings, the four categories are able to retrieve the same important information in a way that the student can understand and that encourages them to "take ownership of their goals" (Smith, Gartin, & Murdick, 2012, p.76). 

I found this article and the Circle of Courage philosophy to be very powerful and positive. I could see this strategy being very successful in schools across the United States because of the student-centered approach and the engaging and visual process. I would definitely recommend this article to other special educators or those involved in the transition process. 

Espiner, D., & Guild, D. (2011). The Circle of Courage in Transition Planning. Reclaiming Children & Youth, 20(2), 44-49.

Smith, T.E.C., Gartin, B., & Murdick, N.L. (2012). Including Adolescents with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.