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PBIS Journey to Genius
Are you in the process of developing your PBIS Framework? Are you wondering where to start? You are in the right place. Join Dianne Ferrell and Diane Ruff as they share the ups and downs of creating and implementing a top-notch PBIS framework that has empowered their school to achieve Ohio recognition as a PBIS Gold School for 4 years. They will also share current issues in behavior management and how PBIS can help with those ongoing struggles. We would love to hear from you! Email us
@ pbisjourneytogenius@gmail.com
PBIS Journey to Genius
Episode 15 Reflect, Reorganize, Return: The Reflection Room's Role in PBIS Success
Embark on a transformative journey with Dianne Ferrell and me, Diane Ruff, as we pull back the curtain on our pioneering PBIS system. Our special guest, educational aide Nicole Sell, lends her expertise, sharing how a simple idea I proposed during my assistant principal interview led to the creation of the Reflection Room—a sanctuary for emotional and behavioral recalibration. We delve into the nuances of managing behaviors through sensory strategies and how even the most restless student can find solace and a path back to focused learning within the walls of this innovative space.
As we traverse the spectrum of elementary education, from kindergarteners to fifth graders, we uncover the art of tailoring communication to support behavioral growth. Hear firsthand accounts of game-based learning that's shifting the paradigm on student engagement and self-management. Nicole's unexpected journey into the field of education and her commitment to nurturing emotional regulation is nothing short of inspiring. Tune in for an episode filled with triumphs, strategies, and heartwarming successes that illustrate the profound impact of thoughtfully implemented behavioral supports in our school community.
Welcome to PBIS. Journey to Genius. Are you in the process of implementing PBIS? Are you wondering where to start? You are in the right place. We are here to support you. Stay tuned.
Speaker 2:This episode is entitled Reflect, reorganize and Return. So just a little recap. I'm here with my good friend, diane Ruff, and I'm Diane Ferrell and we've worked together for many years in the education system and we have put a lot of effort into our PBIS Good Behavior Intervention and Support System and our school has gotten a lot of awards over the years. But now we're sharing that journey in a podcast. So we're doing weekly podcasts entitled PBIS Our Journey to Genius Diane. What's this week all about?
Speaker 1:So this week we're going to continue to talk about our Tier 1, and one of our components of our Tier 1 is something that we came up with and actually I came up with a long time ago when I actually interviewed for the assistant job.
Speaker 2:I know when you were telling me about this. I didn't even know that.
Speaker 1:Yes, so I was sitting in with a large group of people and the superintendent interviewing for the assistant job and I said what I'd really like to have is a reflection room, a place where, when children need to be removed out of the classroom, that they can come down and reflect and just gather themselves back up. If they're having a meltdown, it gives them a place to just get calm again, go over the expectations and then get back to the classroom and then that way, as the assistant principal and the principal, we can also work with those children. But we don't have several children standing around in the office waiting to be seen. We've got a reflection room. Well, the superintendent really liked that idea. That's awesome. When I got hired, that was one of the things we started was a reflection room. So we want to talk to you today about our reflection room. It is part of our tier one and we have with us our educational aid, miss Nicole South. So welcome Nicole.
Speaker 2:And I will tell you that it takes a special person to do this. So you know it is a person that is there the first line of defense. So Nicole has been a great person to work with over the last couple years and she does a great job in this job, and so we're really going to delve into that and her and what she's been doing. So, Nicole, tell us a little bit about yourself. Why did you want to become an education?
Speaker 3:Well, believe it or not, I did not want to be an education. I actually just kind of needed a job. My youngest was starting school again and I needed some hours that went around his school. So I just signed up for the sublist. I got called right away, got put in the classroom with a one on one challenging student and it all just kind of became began there.
Speaker 2:So your first job was in an educational aid in a second grade classroom, just one on one with a one particular student. That's how you started. How long did you do that? I can't remember.
Speaker 3:I did that for the entire year. It started out as just kind of a filling in to try to help this student and it was working and he was becoming more and more successful. I had a great second grade teacher that was kind of helping me along and it kind of just I got hooked, you did, you got hooked.
Speaker 1:You were a natural, you know, and I think you kind of found your niche. Yes, I was working with you, working with kids, and it's funny because I never thought I wanted to be a teacher. I talked about that in an earlier podcast. That was never on my radar Broadcasting was on my radar. But it's just funny how sometimes we fall into these things and we find out that this is where I'm supposed to be. So I believe that's true for you. This is where you were meant to be.
Speaker 2:So how many years ago was that. You know, because you, okay, you were that for one year. How long have you been in the reflection room? I want to say maybe eight years now. That's amazing. And the reflection room, so to stay in it for someone who that wasn't their lifelong goal to be in education then she had to have some pretty pretty unique experiences, pretty great experiences. So that moves us on to the next, because all of our guests we say why did you get into education? And then what made you stay? So what's your? What's been your? Aha is okay, I'm going to, I'm going to go to work again tomorrow. I'm going to keep coming back. I'm going to keep coming back.
Speaker 3:I think it really happened that first year and second grade this student had some challenging behaviors and a lot of obstacles to overcome and I started seeing him succeed behavior wise and academic wise and I thought, man, I could probably do this.
Speaker 1:I could probably do this for a little while now and you liked seeing the growth, the change.
Speaker 3:Yes, and you know you create these relationships with these kids and you just want to see them succeed, like you are their, their person.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great, I love it. So you know, talk a little bit about let's see your room and you know just the whole reflection room, like kind of what is that?
Speaker 3:The reflection room is a interesting space. It's not, like you would think, some empty study hall room and I have a lot of, I guess, activities around, a lot of.
Speaker 1:Like Fidget kinds of things are calming, yeah, a lot of calming tools.
Speaker 3:Oh gosh, I have reflection forms. I have. They have a beanbag chair alternate seating in there Mood lighting. Oh yeah, the mood lighting, that really made a big difference.
Speaker 2:Yeah, talk about that a little bit when the Custodian put that in for you.
Speaker 3:Oh, the custodian installed the lights where you can change Basically moods, but they're still like white lights, but you change the demean and and I've known and you're able to dim it too, so you don't have to have the bright clinical lights. Sometimes kids just need that moment to relax and reset and I've got the place for them.
Speaker 2:So we do want to know that this is a detention. No, and you play music like that.
Speaker 3:Yes, I've done a lot of research. What kind of music kind of heals and helps calm and reset? There's actually certain music for students on the autism spectrum and Certain music that helps with the anger or anxiety and, believe it or not, I have seen it work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's awesome. So you're like the first responder. And when Diane talked about that, as the principal, you you want the office to be where students go when the behaviors are Extreme. You know that. But sometimes the office becomes when all behaviors go right, and so then that makes the office not quite to be what it should be. So Diane's idea of the reflection room was great, because because if you get this person that can do it, they're like the first responders, unless it's on your t-shirt that it is an office behavior and we talked about that in couple episodes. But whenever you look at this and miss Nicole gets Called to a room, and when you go there, you're the one that kind of decides what's gonna happen, like the severity of the behavior. So let's, let's imagine this you, you've gotten called to a room I'm sure it happened today. You get called to a room and you go there and what do you do when you get to that room?
Speaker 3:Well, a lot of times when I get there, this teacher already has the conduct referral filled out, so I don't have to make a big disruption with the class. I quietly asked the student to step out so we can have a little talk and we just kind of go from there. I mean, every situation is different. Sometimes they just need a quick break, do you?
Speaker 2:just stay in the hallway sometimes, or do you always bring them down to your room?
Speaker 3:No, it sometimes I'll stay in the hallway.
Speaker 2:I mean, I like what happens.
Speaker 3:Yeah, see what happens, See what their demeanor is. You know what was what got you off track here? What are we working on today? Sometimes just the quiet walk all the way down the reflection room kind of gets them started to Reset and think about what's going on, and yes, and I've noticed too.
Speaker 1:A lot of times kids feel like they've been wronged for whatever reason and then that puts them in a little bit of a fit and the teacher will call for you. But you just actually listening to why they feel?
Speaker 3:they just want to be heard. Right, that's one of my first things I do once I get them in the room. Yeah, I just let them lay it out. Whether it's you know about the situation that happened or something that happened on the playground last month, I just kind of let them have their moments.
Speaker 2:And one of the things that Nicole said that is important. She does have a piece of paper given to her by the teacher with the teacher's story. So now the teacher doesn't have to tell that story in front of the student, in front of other students. She has written that out, she has told what her, what she believes the student has done or repeatedly done or whatever. So now miss Nicole has that. That's really important. So now she can talk to the student in the hallway or bring them down to her room in here they're side of the story, as you say, that needs to be heard and then go from there. What are, what are some techniques you do once you get down there? You said you had fill out paper, sometimes, sometimes reflection form.
Speaker 3:I wasn't even you listened first of all, a lot of times after they have unloaded on you and let you know, you know that they were wronged or this injustice, and you just start kind of peeling back the layers and talk about what the behavior expectations are in that classroom or according to our building wide matrix, and then you talk to them about, well, were you doing what the teacher says? Were you kind of being safe, responsible and respectful? And a lot of times after we go over it, step by step, they kind of come back around like oh yeah, that wasn't right. And then we'll go on and talk about, okay, what could you have done instead? What would be a better choice? What do we do if this happens tomorrow? You know how are you gonna handle it and just kind of talk it out. And sometimes that's all they need.
Speaker 3:But I also have the reflection sheets which kind of ask the same thing. You know, what's your expectation? What did you do to not meet the expectations? What are we gonna do in the future? And, most important, do you need to apologize to anyone? How did this affect your classmates or your teacher? And a lot of times they really do come around. It's the quiet of the room, it's just a one-on-one attention thing and a lot of times it's not repeated.
Speaker 1:So we have the, the T-chart, as Diane referred to it, or the office managed and the staff managed behavior. You know the majors and minors where we've had all that laid out. So when do you you're probably looking at that when do you decide that this is bigger than you and it needs to come to the office?
Speaker 3:or you know like Usually it doesn't take long to decide. You kind of know right away do you need principal backup or is this just a run-of-the-mill, regular behavior that you can handle on your own? So usually by the time I leave the classroom I know whether the principal needs to be involved or not. And you involve the principal, I go ahead and radio them and yep.
Speaker 2:And I will say, working with Nicole, she's very calm, so she. It takes a lot for anybody to rile, ruffle her feathers. So if the principal knows that Ms Nicole is calling her, then it is pretty severe because because she has a lot of experience at deescalating these kiddos and getting their behavior under control and the reflection and everything in the time and the teaching, because that's what she's doing.
Speaker 1:And that's what I appreciate you know about. Pbis is having the majors and minors defined, staff managed, office managed, and when the staff feels like, okay, I've managed this enough, you know, I now need a little bit of support, they reach out to Nicole, who then you decide again is this more of a staff managed behavior of just deescalating, getting them back to class? We record it, we put it in the Swiss, or is this go to the principal? This is the next level and I do like the fact that Nicole really knows how to judge that and you don't let your emotions get in the way of you know of those guidelines. You're a very calm person.
Speaker 2:So if you're out there thinking about doing this yourself and putting a reflection room into place, that's the kind of personality you need in that position, one that is a very calm, doesn't let the child, you know, get them excited themselves, and is able to work as a team. Nicole is also called into team meetings. Whenever we do have PBIS meetings about a student, she will come and share information and what she has done with that student, and that's all really important. So this position has been wonderful in our building and our PBIS, but it does really need that special person in it and Nicole's done a really good job of doing that.
Speaker 1:So while it's a time out place, it's more than just like a punishment. Now, it's not a punishment, I should say it's more of a time out and then a reteach. So how do you juggle? You'll have a kindergartner and then a fifth grade and everybody in between. How do you handle each grade?
Speaker 2:level, because you don't do the same with the fifth grader as a kindergartner.
Speaker 3:I don't do the same, but in a way I do Like, when it comes to, you know, stating the expectations with the fifth graders, you can pretty much let them write it out and without with little help With the kindergartners, I kind of go to let's draw what you were supposed to be doing, you know. And also language you know. You gotta change your language for the kindergartners versus the fifth graders.
Speaker 2:And yeah, and well, I know that you started a little bit. If you know anything about Diane and I, I retired last year so I am not in the school system but still very interested in what's going on there. And Diane has started to expand Nicole's role, which I think is just great, and using it not only as an as needed basis but for those tier two and tier three kiddos that need that teaching tool for whatever behavior they are struggling with. Nicole is starting to become a teaching tool. So just like we use, you know, title I services to help reinforce reading, this is a place to reinforce behavior. So I think you've done a little bit of that so far this year, but working on it more. What can you say about what? Where they've had a scheduled time to come to you and work on a specific behavior? How has that?
Speaker 3:gone so far. I think it's an amazing idea and I have had several students who have actually done well with just a 10, 15 minute like booster, like behavior booster type of thing during a certain part of the day and they get that one on one attention.
Speaker 2:I love that behavior booster. I'm going to have to use that. You know, I'm all about rhyming words when I'm doing this, so I'm going to use that. Can I use that? Yeah, so behavior booster, that's what you're doing.
Speaker 3:And I love that and I make the activities fun. So they really don't know it's an intervention, they think they're just getting some extra time out of the classroom and we'll practice their behavior goals. Or if we have a tier two issue and it's repeated behaviors, we'll work on that. Like I had one student who just could not stop talking out, just could not. All you had to do is raise your hand and and then you can talk. And she just could not.
Speaker 3:And after a couple practices we played a bunch of games and she had to raise her hand before answering and at first it was at first it was hard and then all of a sudden I don't get that student anymore for the talking out and that type of thing that is so amazing.
Speaker 2:And you know we all use behavior plans for self-monitoring, but this is teaching the behavior.
Speaker 1:Yes, Teaching the correct behavior and using a game. You know kids, I don't think they play board games as much as when I was growing up, which was a long time ago. We talked about this. They don't. But you know, board games teach you to wait your turn, teach you to wait and listen and not blurt out. So just the fact that you were using a game and she had to raise her hand each time, you were reteaching that behavior.
Speaker 3:Right the same with the following directions, and I'll bring a deck of cards and give them directions and play like little mini games.
Speaker 2:So if you're out there thinking about this whole reteaching idea of behavior, which is big into PBS right now, but you're saying, well, we just don't have time to do that and the guidance counselor doesn't have time to do that, and the principals don't have time to do that and the teacher does not have time to do that, the reflection room might be your place to put that in place. It's only it's like it's little behavior title room. So another another idea to use this. Now the other thing okay, so we're going away from behavior and we're going to go to our sensory kits.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we have, we are lucky to have a star room in here, which, if you know what a star room is, it's a sensory room, but it is built in to students, iep goals and they have set times. So it's not on an as needed basis, but those kiddos sometimes need it just on an ad needs as basis, but they can't go in the star room. So Nicole also, she works with those kinds of kids. So if you have a sensory kid, they just need a minute. What do you do that?
Speaker 2:needs a minute and no star room or right, no star room, no star room.
Speaker 3:Oh well, I have so many things. It just depends on the student. Like what they're. Usually I find what their interest is. Or back to that music I play with the certain tones and megahertz. I think it's called um. I have little labrits that you use your finger with and sometimes some kids really like that.
Speaker 2:Uh, back to the lights, yes oh, I remember you using like a Lego building thing with uh a kiddo the other day whenever I was here and he loved to was a physical leg, like it was on a video thing oh yes, those sensory videos that sometimes they just like to watch that with a little aquarium, and then it all broke down like it was like dominoes yes, remember that yes, that was amazing to me and he loved watching that and that settled him down. Yeah, they don't even know that.
Speaker 3:They didn't even know it themselves down and before you know, you just kind of see like their face kind of relax again and their brow is unfurl and they're, you know, starting to come back to the happy side of school and so there's another use for the reflection room there is yes, so, um, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I know that I'm trying to think what else we want to cover here. I wanted to talk a little bit about the Swiss.
Speaker 2:So you bring that up, diane, because you, you and Nicole, work together with who's going to input what swiss data and how it's going to be used at the pbs meeting, staff meetings yes, so in our building, uh, teachers do not enter into swiss.
Speaker 1:Um, we have them. Give the write-ups to Nicole and the principals can do it. But really, nicole handles all of that for us and she will enter in, whether it is staff managed or office managed. And then, um, you also really like you enjoy data. Oh, this is my favorite part of so. Do you want to talk a little bit about just the data that swiss gives us?
Speaker 3:oh, the swiss data is amazing. It's one of my favorite things, um, if I deal with the students, usually I'm the one that enters it, whether it's a major or minor, but it tells you like what happened when it happened, where it happened, and it kind of gives you like a little timeline. You can kind of see, oh, look at one o'clock, this student is really acting up.
Speaker 3:What's going on at one o'clock sometimes it's math and and you can just kind of go off of the swiss data and help these kids, predict these kids and figure out how to.
Speaker 2:I will say as a school counselor before Nicole would always give us the printouts right so that was super nice because that was so.
Speaker 2:If she would see a student during the day Diane might not know it because it didn't come to her, I wouldn't know it as the school counselor but Nicole would print off the printouts, put them in our mailboxes and then now there's communication like we knew. So now nor we wouldn't do anything with that if, if Nicole had settled it. But now, if you start seeing that that same student coming to her over and over again, then you might need to students on everyone's radar, yeah then you need to talk to Nicole, say, hey, is this something that guidance counselor needs to get involved in that?
Speaker 2:you know the principal need. Do we need to have a meeting on them? You know?
Speaker 1:so it's that communication piece that was so wonderful well, and getting back to what you were saying, like if it's math time, you know that tells us so much, because then we can talk to the teacher about maybe, what can we do a little bit different. Can we do some front loading, because we know that it's going to set the child off. So we we need to pay attention to the data all the time, and I appreciate the fact that you're watching that, because you bring it to our attention when you start to really see something skyrocket, whether it be you know they're coming down here all the time or they're spiking at one o'clock.
Speaker 3:Yeah right, that's the great thing about swiss is it's the individual student. It can show me what you've been doing since kindergarten and you know where your problem places are some kids it's just the playground, because it's super fun out there, and they just want to be rough and tough and I mean, it's just, it's an amazing system.
Speaker 2:I'm not successful without you're the one that prints out those reports for diam, for staff meetings and for monthly PBIS meetings too yes, and I love watching the numbers go down in behaviors, because we've been seeing that recently we have a big drop in the numbers compared to like the fault the previous years.
Speaker 3:That's. Another thing about swiss is you can compare it to your previous years. You can pretty much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that that is so important, so to have someone that's like a data nerd like. Nicole, and then one that will help take the the responsibility off the principles to enter, you know, because that can watch the data and watch the data and give it to them. Well, I guess the last thing we're talking about today is, if you saw a school that wanted to start, that they listened to our podcast and they go. I want to do this. What would be the first thing you would say to them, like a tip or oh.
Speaker 3:The first thing you have to have your systems in place. I was fortunate enough that we had all the systems in place. I just kind of had to plug and go, just follow the PBIS, follow the school matrix. And secondly, which is probably just as important as the systems, is finding the right person, because it's it's not an easy job.
Speaker 1:and you have to wear on you. Yeah, you know. So you're right. Yes, Finding the right person. And then you know the school having that tier one system in place, with the majors and minors defined.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and absolutely those majors and minors have to be defined, because I remember, even when we started the reflection room and then we started the, they were like well, are we never allowed to call the reflection? When do we call the reflection room? When are we?
Speaker 1:allowed to call the reflection room. That's true. We started the reflection room before we had our procedures in place. Yes, do you remember that? Oh, yes.
Speaker 2:And then when they were like, oh, now we're never going to be allowed to call the reflection room and we were like, no, but here are the behaviors that make that call necessary and here are they not. So, having that in place and the fact that you know.
Speaker 1:Nicole said the procedures were already in place. So our teachers had been practicing with the children all the time the expectations, how you behave in the cafeteria, walking down the hallway, all of those things. So by the time you got into that role we had worked out all those bugs and so then it made it much easier. But if you're starting a reflection room, you really want to have your children trained first.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and all those procedures set already and your office manage all that it. Those would be the big things you want to get started. But I will tell you, a reflection room is amazing, amazing if it's done correctly. And me as the guidance counselor, it was amazing for me, and I know Diana's principal, it was amazing for her. Well, I think that's all we have today for this week's episode. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, we've been so blessed to have you today, and this is our reflect, reorganize and return episode. I'm Diane Farrell.
Speaker 1:And I'm Diane Ruff. Thank you so much for listening today. Please email us with any questions at PBIS journey to genius at gmailcom, and also we are on Facebook and Instagram, so just look for journey PBIS, journey to genius and you will find us there. We'd love to see your comments. Thank you for listening.
