Safe+Spots

1: Description of Strategy a) The Safe Spot is a small, yet vital area in the classroom, or can be right outside the classroom door. Students may come or be guided to the Safe Spot to relax or regain composure during a difficult time, such as feeling overwhelmed, anxious, upset, annoyed, or if it is too loud and he/she needs to get away. The Safe Spot is filled with items that may help students relax including lotion, stuffed animals, or different sensory materials. The Safe Spot may be housed in the book area or house area. Typically it is located in a quieter spot in the classroom. The Safe Spot is NOT a time out. A safe place provides access to positive reinforcement; a time out removes the child from access to positive reinforcement. [|Safe Spot on Slide 12] [|Example Description]

b) Safe Spots are designed for students of all ages and can be used at any time of the day. Students can run there if it is an emergency or ask permission. They can also be asked to go there by the teacher or another adult as a way to "calm down." Either way it is not a punishment to go. In fact, it is a skill students work on to learn to cope and self manage their behavior and is encouraged. There are many useful items for relaxation the Safe Spot might include, depending on the age of the students and preference. These can include pillows, a bean bag, rocking chair, blankets, books, play dough, stress relief balls, stuffed animals, photo album of friends/family members, and choice board with calming activities.

c) Individuals who use this method are using a part of the BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) model. The model utilizes four steps so that educators have the ability to know when and how to intervene so students can stop acting out. These steps create a consistent, supervised, safe environment in order to teach and protect students. These four steps are early intervention, caring confrontation, protective planning, and outlasting. Teachers and educators using this model are required to attend basic BIST classes to learn how to implement it correctly in the classroom.

d) The use of Safe Spots may be costly, depending on the set up of the area and what materials are used in the area. Safe Spots will require much time to be implemented and for students to become familiar with it. There are also different training sessions teachers and educators can take to learn about the BIST model and the use of Safe Spots, depending on what their specific school or school district requires. A typical yearly schedule includes one initial in-service (3-6 hours), follow-up in-service (9 hours), consultation (35-50 hours varying by building), and phone or e-mail consultations as needed. See also [|Pricing] for more information.

e) After research on Safe Spots and the BIST model, the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks associated with this strategy. However, in some cases, the BIST system can result in substantial time outside of the classroom.

f) There are many benefits associated with this method. The use of this method results in fewer suspensions and expulsions as the students get older. Safe Spots are helpful in handling student anger since they are used as a place to "calm down" and really think about their feelings and take responsibility for their actions or prevent any actions from happening. Safe Spots and the BIST model help to bring about lasting changes in students’ attitudes about themselves and those around them. They acquire the skills to be productive students in the classroom, be in control of their own behavior, and find appropriate solutions to their problems.

g) Settings appropriate for Safe Spots include classrooms, resource rooms, special education rooms, an area right outside the classroom door, and a quiet area in the classroom such as the reading/library area, the housekeeping area, etc.

h) The attitude towards Safe Spots, in particular the BIST system, is positive. The system is well-grounded in behavioral theory and combines strength-based and resiliency principles within the context of the ecological person-in-environment model. This strong theoretical basis with evaluations have demonstrated success in reducing disruptive behaviors in the classroom.

2: Research Study- (based on the BIST program, which includes Safe Spots) Boulden, Walter T. (2010). The Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) Program: Underlying Theories. Reclaiming Children and Youth Journal. 19(1) 17-22.

a) A major study combined the findings from 135 separate meta-analyses and involved 228 variables affecting student achievement. They found that of all the variables, classroom management had the largest effect on student achievement (Wang, Haertel, & Walberg, 1993).

b) Research indicated that teachers' actions in their classrooms had twice the impact on student achievement as school policies concerning curriculum, assessment, staff collegiality, and community involvement (Marzano, 2003). Seminal research of the 1980s (Emmer, 1984; Evertson & Emmer, 1982) points to the importance of establishing rules and procedures for general classroom behavior.

 c) The Dependent Variable is the behavior that is being changed, which is student achievement.  d) The Independent Variable in this research study is the variables affecting student achievement.  e) Research has emphasized the need for classroom management strategies with well-designed and clearly communicated rules and procedures, accompanied by acknowledgment of students' behavior, reinforcement of acceptable behavior, and provision of consequences for unacceptable behavior (Marzano & Marzano, 2003).