BIST

What is BIST? BIST is a program, a tool but most importantly it is a philosophy. A philosophy of "Teaching and Protecting". How do you do that? Well you use "Grace and Accountability". Now I am starting to sound like the BIST Consultants! So those of you that have never heard of BIST before are wondering, what on Earth is is woman talking about. BIST stands for Behavior Intervention Support Team. To break it down in real simple terms it is a kind of school behavior management system. Although I cringe when I say that because it is not a behavior management program. Let me take a few steps back and give you some info about BIST, and I say that losely because I am basically going to cut and paste from the main website.

"Educators today are challenged by the ability to reach students who are struggling with behavior and at times in crisis. This tremendous challenge inspired the creation of the BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) model. BIST supports a caring community and a productive academic environment. BIST empowers schools to change students’ lives and behavioral skills by:

• Balance of grace and accountability
• Powerful language to problem solve
• Consistency in expectations

The BIST model utilizes four steps so 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. The fours steps are:

• Early Intervention
• Caring Confrontation
• Protective Planning
• Outlasting

Our team is committed to coaching and supporting schools with the BIST model so that schools can create positive change with and for students. Contact us so we can support you in moving your school forward in these challenging times in education.
 
Behavioral Intervention Support Team (BIST)
BIST, or Behavior Intervention Support Team, is a unique outreach program of Ozanam that provides consultation to teachers in hundreds of schools throughout the Midwest in order to create a positive change toward a safe and productive learning environment.


The Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) grew out of a desire to keep at-risk students in a community school. Our mission is to help teachers, administrators, parents and students learn techniques to effect positive change and create a healthy learning environment for all. We accomplish this through G.R.A.C.E. - Giving Responsibility and Accountability to Children in Education.

Philosophy
As educators, we know that not only is the population of challenging children increasing but the intensity of their acting out is increasing as well. Many of our students are coming from difficult situations in which abuse, drug/alcohol usage, homelessness, and/or lack of supervision are common. A greater number of children are managing these issues in a disruptive manner which interferes with the teacher’s ability to create a safe and productive learning community. Schools need to be more resourceful and create new intervention strategies when dealing with the challenges of today’s students. Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) a unique outreach program of Ozanam, created an intervention model that allows teachers to confront disruptive behavior with grace and accountability. Our common goal is to provide every student with a safe and productive learning environment."

If you want to read more please go to the BIST Website. They have much more information than I can provide.

I guess I should start off with the 3 life skill we all need.
1. I can take good care of myself even if I am mad. Or I can be productive and follow direction even if I am mad or have an overwhelming emotion.
2. I can be ok even if others are mad. Or I can be productive and follow directions even if others are not.
3. I can be productive and follow directions even if I don't want to.

So many students are coming to school now without those skills and it is causing a problem, a ripple effect in their education. As teachers we stop the inappropriate behaviors in "OUR" classrooms but don't give students the tools and skills thy need to be successful in other areas. Teaching them these LIFE SKILLS will help them to know how to behave in any situation.

BIST is for everyone of your students but not all of them will need BIST. I said it is not a behavior management system earlier because if you use it as a punishment and reward system the program loses it's power. It is meant to help the students get the help they need and help the teacher identify the students missing life skill.

I just realized that I can't talk about this program in just 1 post, so I have decided to do a "series" on BIST. I will post again tomorrow with some basics on the BISt continuum. Please leave me feedback so I know if you all are interested or not.

For know I think I have probably made you ask more questions than I gave resources or answers to. Feel free to ask away and I will try to answer as best as possible. I know a few of you have mentioned you do BIST in your schools and will rely on you to either give me some feedback or tell me what I missed. I have been trying to get our a BIST Consultant to write something for my blog, but our schedules have just not worked out. I will keep trying because I know she could do a MUCH better job than me.