About PB4L
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) improves the behaviour and wellbeing of children and young people.
PB4L is for children and adults in all areas of education. Its frameworks and programmes are for individuals, groups, all learning environments, teachers, parents and whānau, and school communities. The PB4L suite offers tools for supporting positive behaviours for learning, in all environments.
Providing a physically and emotionally safe place for all ākonga and staff is a primary objective for School Boards within the National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP), under the Education and Training Act 2020. PB4L initiatives are valuable in helping ākonga feel like they belong in our schools and kura and demand for these initiatives from the sector and communities continues to grow.
The suite also contributes strongly to the tiers of support within the Learning Support Delivery Model (LSDM), enabling ākonga, whānau, education settings and communities to receive proactive, flexible support.
The suite also supports the priorities in Ka Hikitia | Ka Hāpaitia, Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020 – 2030, the Government’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and Learning Support Action Plan (LSAP) 2019 – 2025.
The Ministry has invested in improvements to the PB4L suite with input from advisory group representatives from the education sector, iwi and communities. These initiatives are being strengthened to embed a kaupapa Māori approach and better address the barriers to wellbeing experienced by Māori in the education system.
The principles behind PB4L
PB4L represents a major shift in managing behaviour by students in our education system. Positive behaviour is a prerequisite to improving the engagement and achievement of our children and young people. Positive behaviour can be learnt. Using a proactive approach, the environments around children can be changed to support positive behaviour.
PB4L uses evidence-based programmes and frameworks that we know can work. They provide opportunities to support and sustainable changes in behaviour. There are no quick fixes, however, as behaviour change takes time.
The difference PB4L will make
- Children and young people will be more engaged and will achieve.
- Educators will keep more children and young people at school and will feel confident and supported in addressing behaviour issues.
- Parents and whānau will have the confidence and strategies to build positive relationships with their children.
- School leaders and boards will monitor and improve approaches to build a positive culture and increase the engagement of their students.
Schools will build respectful partnerships with local Iwi and community groups to work together to create improved wellbeing, learning and behavioural outcomes for young people.
PB4L brochure
The PB4L suite includes a number of evidence-based initiatives that can be implemented alone or in combination. These initiatives can support learners at a whole-school level, or they can be targeted for the needs of specific learners at a group or individual level.
Download the PB4L brochure to find out more.
The PB4L suite
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| PB4L School-Wide is a, whole-school approach to help schools develop their own social culture that supports learning and positive behaviour. The PB4L-SW framework is evidence based. It provides us with a process for considering both learning and behaviour across the whole school, for groups, and for individual students. The PB4L School-wide Tier 1 and 2 manuals, which are suitable for mainstream and Māori medium primary, intermediate and secondary schools, are available under 'Support Material' on the PB4L TKI website. |
| PB4L Restorative Practice supports schools to build positive, respectful relationships across the whole school community. It also provides schools with a set of tools to manage behaviour when things go wrong, using a relational approach. The PB4L Restorative Practice Kete books which are suitable for mainstream and Māori medium primary, intermediate and secondary schools are available under 'Support Material' on the PB4L TKI website. |
Kaupapa Māori
| The PB4L suite can culturally enhance existing programmes. It will contribute to the New Zealand evidence base by supporting and evaluating programmes developed by Māori for Māori. Two Kaupapa Māori initiatives within the PB4L suite are: Te Mana Tikitiki uses tikanga and te reo Māori to build resilience, self-esteem and confidence to uplift the mana of young Māori learners and improve learning and achievement. Huakina Mai was developed by the University of Canterbury in partnership with local iwi – Ngāi Tahu, and the Ministry. The initiative promotes whānau, schools and iwi working together to build a positive school-wide culture based on a Kaupapa Māori worldview. |
Incredible Years
Programmes for both the parents and teachers of children aged 3-8. They help reduce challenging behaviour and increase children’s social and self-control skills.
| Giving teachers strategies to turn behaviour around and create more positive learning environments for students aged 3-8 years. |
| Helping parents build positive relationships with their children and develop strategies to manage problem behaviour. It is for parents of children aged 3-8 years. |
| Programmes for caregivers, whānau and teachers of children on the autism spectrum aged 2-5. By supporting the skills and confidence of the key adults in the lives of children on the autism spectrum, they aim to promote children’s:
The Incredible Years Autism programme (for caregivers and whānau). A 14-16 session, group-based programme for caregivers and whānau of children on the autism spectrum aged 2-5. The Incredible Years Helping Children with Autism programme (for teachers). A 6 session, group-based programme for teachers and early childhood educators of children on the autism spectrum aged 2-5. |
| Check & Connect is a two-year mentoring programme for students in Years 8-10 at risk of disengaging from school. |
