Development of a Behavioural Matrix

Part 1: Final Integration and Representation of the Behavioral Matrix
Grade Level: 4th Grade

Expected Classroom Behaviors
Incentives, Rewards, Reinforcers, Positive Responses

Demonstrating good listening
Praise or compliments

Following directions quickly and the first time
Positive phone calls or notes home

Beginning work promptly
Giving the student an additional responsibility or having him/her run an errand

Working quietly – completing work without disturbing others
Letting the class have five minutes at the end of the class period
as free time

Focusing on and completing work in a timely way
Positive notes to students, in their mailboxes, in their classroom planners

Keeping arms, feet, and body to self
“Love notes” in student folders

Making requests politely or asking for help when needed
Letting the student visit the principal for a special treat or reward

Waiting to be called on to speak
Treasure box

Walking safely
“No Homework” certificate/pass

Staying appropriately in your own space
Tickets for drawings, buying rewards

Using an appropriate tone, volume, and pitch of voice
Treats

Talking with others positively and supportively
Fish coupons – catch ‘em being good

Apologizing appropriately
Gold tickets for lottery

Treating classroom furniture, books, and other materials with respect

Treating others’ personal property with respect

Asking adults for help to solve serious problems or stay safe

Being kind to others

Cooperating with others

Sharing with others

Being aware of your own feelings and the feelings of others

Treating others with dignity and respect

Telling the truth

Being a good leader and a good follower

Responding appropriately to answering a question wrong or getting a bad grade

Intensity I (Annoying) Offenses
Corrective Responses and/or Consequences

Passive off-task behavior (e.g., head on
desk, staring out the window)
Teacher visual, non-verbal, or physical prompt

Not listening/not paying attention
Teacher proximity

Calling/Shouting/blurting out answers
Loss of recess time to make up for lost classroom time

Teasing
Teacher ends activity for the student; makes him/her watch the other students until they have completed their activity

Talking to neighbors/others without permission
Teacher redirect

Talking out of turn
Teacher warning

Distracting Others
Student is moved to another seat in the classroom

Poor attitude/rudeness
Note sent home with parent signature required

Leaving seat without permission
Loss of recess time to make up for lost classroom time

Not being in a designated or specified area
Teacher uses a “Stop & Think” prompt

Intensity II (Disruptive) Offenses
Corrective Responses and/or Consequences

Not following directions/Passive or active
Move the student to another seat in the classroom

Talking to neighbors/others without permission
Loss of extra privileges

Poor attitude/rudeness
Loss of free time (on a graduated scale)

Chronic socializing with peers
Student needs to model the appropriate behavior

Leaving seat without permission
Teacher ends activity for the student; makes him/her watch the other students until they have completed their activity

Talking out of turn
Letter to parent – written by the student

Inappropriate tone or volume of voice
Notes home written by the teacher

Calling/Shouting/blurting out answers
Detention

Teasing
Phone contact with parent

Bullying/Verbally threatening behavior
Parent/teacher conference

Distracting Others
Student needs to model the appropriate behavior

Lying
Parent/student/teacher conference

Cheating
Parent/student/teacher conference

Intensity III (Defiant) Offenses
Corrective Responses and/or Consequences

Not following directions/Significant defiance
Loss of recess time; Parent/student/teacher conference

Bullying/Verbally threatening behavior
Student writes an action/remediation plan

Taunting
Student needs to model the appropriate behavior where the infraction occurred

Physically threatening behavior
Note home written by the administrator and the teacher

Physical aggression/fighting with intent to cause bodily harm
After-school Detention
Parent/student/teacher conference
In-school suspension
Out-of-school suspension

Intensity IV (Severe or Dangerous) Offenses:
Corrective Responses and/or Consequences

Use of Illegal Substances
Out-of-school suspension (multiple days)
Mandated testing/clearance
Counseling (multiple days)

Theft
In-school-suspension
Out-of-school suspension
Parent meeting

Fighting
Out-of-school suspension
Counseling
Re-entry meeting

Vandalism
In-school-suspension
Out-of-school suspension
Repayment for damages

Bullying/Cyber Bulling
In-school-suspension
Out-of-school suspension
Parent meeting
Counseling

*Summit Public Schools; https://www.summit.k12.nj.us/schools/lcj-summit-middle-school/resources
Part 2: Summary of the Development of the Behavioral Matrix
Reaction To Behavioral Matrix
I feel that a behavioral matrix might be one of the most beneficial things a classroom teacher and school could have. One of the biggest reasons for this assertion is that a behavioral matrix is an easy way to become consistent in behavior management. It has been my experience that students and parents want to see that our responses to misbehavior are similar from student to student, regardless of any outside factors (such as race or gender), and a behavior matrix provides an easy way for teachers and/or administrators to accomplish this. “One core feature” of a behavior matrix is “the identification of social expectations and behavior indicators across all school settings” (Cheney, Lynass, Richman, Shue-Fei, 2012). Having an outlined approach to dealing with common mis-behaviors across a school setting allows for the emotion and any arguments to be taken out of the decision-making process: parents, students, and school staff alike are all aware of the expected behaviors within school, as well as the consequences that result from deviating from these expectations.
What I also enjoy about a behavior matrix is the idea that the entire school staff can be involved, to some degree, in developing the corrective responses and consequences (in addition to outlining the troubling behaviors that should specifically be addressed). One of the biggest complaints I have observed from teachers within my own school is the approach taken with discipline. Teachers have felt that administrators are not very forthcoming with how they deal with various situations, and have not seen a consistent approach when it comes to behavior management. Teachers want their opinions to be heard and valued, and incorporating a behavioral matrix into a school’s approach to behavior management gives a voice to school staff other than the administration.
Benefits of Behavioral Matrix
I brought up two key benefits of a behavior matrix (creating consistency in behavior management, and providing a voice to school staff when it comes to corrective responses and consequences). To further expound upon the latter of these two, Susan Sayers writes that “a quality learning environment…will occur when each person is acknowledged, included and valued” (Sayers, 1978, p.6). This concept applies directly to the behavior management aspect of a quality learning environment. There are many different opinions and approaches to dealing with behaviors that are detrimental to the learning environment. A behavioral matrix, however, allows for all of these ideas and approaches to be heard and used to form a united, school-wide approach. I think that with this, too, would come more of a willingness and desire across teachers and staff members to utilize and stick to the behavioral matrix.
Another benefit comes from the idea that a school could have multiple matrices to accommodate the different grade levels present in the building. For example, in the middle school that I teach in I could certainly see the value in having two matrices – one for the sixth-grade students and another for the seventh and eighth-grade students. In theory, these matrices would be fairly similar in structure and approach but would cover the behaviors that are more prevalent in the lower grades as opposed to the higher grades within the building. With a wider range of behaviors accounted for in multiple matrices, teachers have a better chance of being able to have a resource to appropriately and immediately address behavior problems. This is key, in my opinion; highlights this concept when she writes “Although disruptive behaviors can sometimes be prevented with proper planning, in many situations, teachers need to respond immediately to students’ behavior problems in order to maintain safety and order” (Lockard, Wei-Chen, 2007, p.21).
Behavioral Matrix: Strength and Consistency
I believe that a behavioral matrix fits right into the theory behind a PBSS. A PBSS was developed “as a proactive approach for improving the academic and behavioral outcomes for students by targeting the school’s organizational and social cultures” (Wienen, Reijnders, 2018).
The one word that comes to mind when considering a behavioral matrix is proactive; corrective responses to misbehaviors are predetermined, and being able to reference the matrix to determine the applicable consequence allows for teachers and administrators to take more time to focus on talking with the student about the misbehavior (as opposed to spending extra time trying to figure out what response to the misbehavior would fit best). The implementation of a behavior matrix across a grade level or entire school building also lends itself to the idea of consistency. When a whole school building subscribes to the same set of expected behaviors (behavioral standards applicable to all students), as well as a set of outcomes or consequences that are tied to misbehaviors, students will develop a clear understanding of how they should be conducting themselves. It further helps to eliminate any excuse from students, including one of not understanding the expectations ahead of time. Rather, the concept of a behavioral matrix furthers one of the key features of a PBSS: that everyone within the school setting knows what is considered appropriate behavior because a PBSS is grounded on the idea that students can better adhere to behavioral expectations if they know that those expectations are. “A behavior matrix is so easy to understand that it can provide even substitute “teachers and parents with a condensed and comparative look at how specific intervention types apply most effectively to specific behavior problems” (Lockard, Wei-Chen, 2007, p.23). Ultimately, the matrix directly contributes to the main goal which is to provide the best learning environment possible for students within a classroom or school building.
References

Lynass, L., Tsai, S., Richman, T. D., & Cheney, D. (2011). Social Expectations and Behavioral Indicators in School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions,14(3), 153-161. doi:10.1177/1098300711412076
Sayers, S. (1978). Leadership Styles: A Behavioral Matrix(pp. 1-26, Rep.). Portland, Oregon: Northwest Regional Educational Lab. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED208593)
Summit Public Schools’ Student Code of Conduct. (2018/2019). Retrieved from https://www.summit.k12.nj.us/uploaded/SHS_FILES/Code_of_Conduct_18-19.pdf
Wei-Chen, H., & Lockard, J. (2007). Using an advance organizer guided behavior matrix to support teachers’ problem solving in classroom behavior management. Journal of Special Education Technology, 22(1), 21-36. Retrieved from https://go.openathens.net/redirector/ace.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/228444192?accountid=31683
Wienen, A. W., Reijnders, I., Aggelen, M. H., Bos, E. H., Batstra, L., & Jonge, P. D. (2018). The relative impact of school-wide positive behavior support on teachers’ perceptions of student behavior across schools, teachers, and students. Psychology in the Schools,56(2), 232-241. doi:10.1002/pits.22209