My name is Emma Bogush and I am in 6th grade. I know I will be leaving (for middle school) but I’m doing this for the good of the kids younger than me. Thank you for letting me speak to you tonight.
I think the reward system that is part of PBIS is terrible. We need to get rid of the ticket and reward systems.
Tickets and rewards are often given to a child who usually behaves badly and suddenly behaves well. It makes the kids who always or mostly behave well feel bad.
When tickets were given out all over school and then you could win prizes, everyone except the kid who won the prize felt terrible.
When rewards and tickets are given out to the whole class it causes problems. It causes problems because when you are very close to getting the prize and one kid does something (even a minor something) the teacher will take away your chance even if all the other kids are behaving. This makes enemies kid to kid and kid to teacher. And it makes you feel bad about yourself because it makes you start to think you did something bad because the teacher took away the prize.
Instead of tickets and rewards, have teachers talk to kids. The classes I have with the least amount of rewards have the best behavior. The teacher gets to know kids and knows their needs. In classes with interaction, choice, and teachers who are ready to help there are less problems. Teachers can also use humor to help kids behave.
Kids behave and help others because it feels good and it helps people. I behave and help others because it feels good and it helps people. Giving rewards for this makes it all confusing.
Please cancel this program. Thank you.
Other voices from the meeting:
Aimee Bogush
Valerie Knight-DiGangi
Paul Bogush
Brian Laubstein
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