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Twenty-five local elementary teachers from Springfield and Clark County schools participated in a full-day seminar Wednesday to learn how to implement a culturally responsive, effective practice called the PAX Good Behavior Game.
National trainer and teacher educator Dr. Jason Fruth, from Wright State University, led the sought-after seminar.
Dawn Henseler White from WellSpring invited Fruth and is leading the local launch of this school-based initiative. White will provide coaching support for teachers who carry out these strategies as a part of their daily activities this fall.
“They come to us as kids and our job is to help them learn how to become good students,” Fruth said to the teachers.
He introduced the PAX game as a research-based way to engage and teach young people to work together. It incorporates a system of nine strategies that builds brain health and self-control in children.
“As early childhood educators, we are prepared to create three miracles with our children at school … how to read, write and do math,” Furth said. “PAX GBG creates a fourth miracle, which is the ability to pay attention, self-regulate or self-manage, and cooperate with others.”
These miracles hard-wire the brain for a healthier future with greater school success and a reduced need for special services due to problem behavior. Over 30 years of research has proven a multitude of immediate and long-term preventive benefits.
In the short term, research shows that PAX game classrooms show 60-90 minutes of additional instruction time, 75 percent fewer disruptions, 60 percent fewer discipline referrals, and a 20-30 percent drop in identification for special education services.
Long-term outcomes are also impressive, showing that by age 21, PAX game students show a 50 percent reduction in drug dependence, 68 percent less tobacco use and 35 percent less criminal activity.
White has been pleased with the level of interest in the PAX game over the past school year, when she began her position. She is recruiting teachers for the next training in August.
“I’m already training a co-worker, Jack Legg, to help with implementation because we will be working with at least 50 classrooms in the fall,” she said.
These new teachers join several early PAX game adopters from Lincoln Elementary in the Springfield Promise Neighborhood.
Funding for the PAX game is provided by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties. For more information about the PAX game, see www.goodbehaviorgame.org and www.wrightofer.com.
(Mayer is Director of Prevention & Community Engagement for the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties)
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