Managing Bus Behavior

Introduction

Elementary students often behave in a disruptive manner on the school bus. Misbehavior is especially difficult to manage in this environment because the driver must focus his or her attention on the road and stay on schedule. However, we believe that students can learn to act responsibly through a system of training and reinforcment. In cooperation with school administrators, our staff has monitored school bus behavior at Sabal Palm Elementary and developed reasonable interevntions to deal with short and long term problems. These interventions have included:

  • Structuring bus loading procedures
  • Assigned seating on the bus
  • Instituting a system of incentives (rewards) to increase desired behavior
  • Simplifying bus drivers' paperwork for reporting student behavior
  • Increasing bus driver morale (e.g. shirts)
  • Increasing student self-control: quiet/inside vs. loud/outside voice

We interviewed several local schools to find out how they structured student behavior in the cafeteria and on the school bus. Based on what we learned, we came up with a list of "essentials" for managing students in these often unstructured environments.

SUMMARY OF BUS INTERVENTIONS

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Specific procedures and routines were instituted, and the school was serious about enforcing them consistently.
  • Kids sat in a specific space, depending on which bus they rode. All kids boarded the bus together in single file line. Busses were clearly marked (either by color or number). Assigned waiting spots were clearly marked and kids sat in that spot (no standing, no moving to another bus waiting spot-this is key!!).
  • Assigned seats were used.
  • Bus monitors and bus drivers were well trained, active, and consistent.
  • A system of consequence was utilized (few rewards were utilized; most schools rely on consequences).

CLASSROOM TEACHERS

  • Teachers walked students to bus pick-up location & took responsibility for getting kids settled in proper place for his/her bus.
  • Teach and review proper procedure for (1) Walking to bus pick-up, (2) Sitting in designated area for one’s particular bus.

BUS PICK-UP AREA MONITORS

  • Insure that kids are in assigned waiting spot and sitting down.
  • Circulate, attend and continually cue children regarding appropriate behavior.
  • Place disruptive children in a near-by "time out" area until their bus arrives.
  • Make note (paper trail) of disruptive students.
  • Announce boarding time for each bus.

BUS DRIVERS

  • Enforce the rules of appropriate behavior.
  • Has clipboard with assigned seat & name of each child. Calls out the seat number and/or name of disruptive child one time (warning). A second disruptive incident (that same day) results in a disciplinary referral. Writes referral for misbehavior… given to Asst. Principal.
  • Must be willing to "pull over & stop" if behavior becomes too rowdy. Can’t ignore it.

REWARDS/CONSEQUENCES

  • First offense-Referral to vice principal. Child writes a report on proper bus behavior, what their misbehavior was, how misbehaviors can result in accidents, etc (young children draw reports) (VP reports that this is VERY effective). Parent notification (parent must sign and return referral form) Parent understands that two referrals result in loss of bus privileges for a certain number of days.
  • 2nd offense - suspension from riding bus.
  • Daily evaluation of "total" bus behavior for each bus could be done by driver (Smiley, Neutral, Frowney Face). At the end of the week, a Best Behaved Bus" award could be given with recognition and perhaps a reward (note: most schools don’t use rewards, only referral system).