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Greenville City Schools
Greenville Elementary School Promotes Positive Behavior with Students
By James Hooper, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Greenville Elementary School, through a grant provided by the Ohio
Department of Education, is teaching positive behavior to all
elementary students through a collection of classroom tools called the
PAX Good Behavior Game. The PAX Good Behavior Game is a preventive
intervention used by teachers and schools to teach self-regulation,
self-management, and self-control in young people.
When teachers are equipped with the strategies to teach these skills to
children - in addition to academics - they create a nurturing
environment that has an impact on young people with astounding lifetime
effects. These effects have a dramatic impact on children, schools, and
communities.
Students learn the word “PAX”, which means peace, to describe the good
behaviors they want to create, and the word “Spleem” (a made-up word)
to describe those behaviors they want to decrease (such as talking
out-of-turn, or disrupting other students).
The different tools that teachers use help children develop control
over their attention, self-regulate their behaviors and cooperate with
other students.
One of the tools is the use of a harmonica to get the student’s
attention that she has instructions for them, or to raise their
awareness that their voices are too loud.
Students are taught proper behavior and receive rewards in the form of
class “games” when they exhibit correct behavior. Playing the PAX Game
is building the “brain muscles” for sustained attention, focus, and
cooperation with others. Often, these games are an opportunity for
teachers and students to be silly and have fun. They are essentially
“brain-breaks” for short periods of time. For example, for younger
students, a one-minute “Dance Party” gets the students moving and
energized for learning. For older students, a short game of Pictionary,
done by the teacher on the chalkboard, gives them the break they need.
Students also can write “Tootle” messages about other classmates. A
tootle is the opposite of a tattle, remarking on a particular good
behavior by a student during the day. A classmate can remark about
another being helpful, having good behavior or sharing. It becomes
contagious because students try to receive a positive message.
Many teachers report they are relieved at not having to buy stickers, trinkets or use candy
as rewards for their classes. The added benefit is that students can
start to use their imagination rather than depending on getting more
“stuff”.
Most of Greenville’s Elementary staff were trained over the summer, and
they implemented the PAX Good Behavior Game at the beginning of the
school year. When asked how the program is progressing, teachers
responded, “When we play Pax games during the day, good behavior
increases and negative behavior decreases,” and “Students become
helpful, positive leaders to ensure their teams do not earn spleems.
They really look forward to playing a game.”
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