The Use of a Student Handbook in Fostering A Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: A Case Study in a Public Junior High School

• Main Author: Quinto, Elaine Grace
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2020
• Subjects: n/a
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/theses-dissertations/351
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Discipline problems have always been an inevitable concern of educators. With a large number of student population and having no standardized discipline program in the public schools, behavior problems seem to be difficult to address. To be able to help lessen discipline problems and correct students’ misbehavior, schools must develop an effective discipline program embedded in a tangible material that will serve as a guide for the students regarding school policies and regulations, thus crafting a student handbook. This study aims to investigate how the school handbook may be used as a tool in fostering a Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (SWPBIS) in a public junior high school in the Philippines. SWPBIS is an evidence-based framework for developing positive behavior that are used in schools to create a positive climate for learning. Positive discipline has always become an efficient approach to schoolwide intervention since it focuses on changing the environment to better meet the needs of all students. A comprehensive and proactive approach is used by school authorities to actively teach and acknowledge expected behavior. This research used case study as a research method. Data for qualitative approach were extracted from the results of the focus group discussions with randomly selected students, teachers, and guidance staff. An interview with the school head is also included. For the quantitative approach, guidance records for S.Y. 2017-2018 and S.Y. 2018-2019 were gathered through a frequency count. This study found out that there were multiple common discipline problems prior to the use of student handbook and there were also common interventions that were used by the school authorities in v disciplining the students. This also investigated on the challenges on the use of student handbook as an intervention tool in the public school as well as its implications. Further, it was found that the student handbook was an effective tool for intervention in lessening discipline problems in the public school. Moreover, positive discipline has also been helpful since it is embedded in the implementation of school’s general policies regarding student discipline. This study will be helpful to the public schools in re-evaluating their discipline practices as well as to consider crafting a student handbook with policies anchored in PBIS and positive discipline.