TOOLBOX™ Pedagogy
Systemic Support
PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) helps schools describe the "Why" and the "What" regarding student's Social and Emotional needs. TOOLBOX provides the "How" — 12 strategies and practices that support the inner growth of students, their self-management, as well as relationship skills to manage the complexity of human nature.
Restorative Practices are enhanced when the common language of TOOLBOX is known and utilized within any restorative conversation or conference. Students explore what Tools they could have used, what Tools they can use right now, and what Tools are needed to "make things right."
Restorative Practices are enhanced when the common language of TOOLBOX is known and utilized within any restorative conversation or conference. Students explore what Tools they could have used, what Tools they can use right now, and what Tools are needed to "make things right."
MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Supports)
Multi-Tier Support is inherently part of TOOLBOX. Every level of child support is enhanced through learning and practicing the skills and strategies of the 12 Tools.
TOOLBOX is a systemic support and a universal practice through all contexts of a school's behavioral interventions. In the classroom, playground, lunch, after-school, and office discipline, the inquiry-based approach of TOOLBOX supports students in finding their own solutions.
The TOOLBOX guide, Circle of Friends, is a Tier II-targeted curriculum for leading small groups based on the 12 Tools.
TOOLBOX is a systemic support and a universal practice through all contexts of a school's behavioral interventions. In the classroom, playground, lunch, after-school, and office discipline, the inquiry-based approach of TOOLBOX supports students in finding their own solutions.
The TOOLBOX guide, Circle of Friends, is a Tier II-targeted curriculum for leading small groups based on the 12 Tools.
TOOLBOX — Academic Integration
How the 12 Tools support academic learning:
- ACADEMIC READINESS: Students' "learning readiness" comes through use of all of the Tools of TOOLBOX. Practicing the self-regulation skills and strategies become key transitions into academic subjects (e.g., when returning from the playground, use the Garbage Can Tool to leave things outside of class, the Breathing Tool to calm down, and the Quiet/Safe Place Tool to access a positive emotional anchor.)
- TEST-TAKING: Students use a combination of the Breathing Tool and Quiet/Safe Place Tool for assessment readiness. Research shows that these functions help children to access memory and higher-order thinking, which increases test scores. Use of the Breathing Tool with the Quiet Safe Place Tool is being used in schools before and during test-taking to make a significant difference for anxious test-takers.
- SPELLING: When accessing the Quiet/Safe Place (QSP) Tool, we naturally “see” images of our Quiet/Safe Place in the minds-eye, which builds the muscles of imagination. Teachers use the QSP as a preparation to practice spelling. Great spellers use imagination (inner visualization) to “see” the letters of a word in their mind (poor spellers try to sound out words).
- LITERATURE: TOOLBOX teachers help children explore characters in stories to determine if they used any of the 12 Tools. They then explore together the significance of how using (or not using) Tools impacted the character of the story in a positive or negative way. How might the story have changed if a character had learned/used TOOLBOX?
- SOCIAL STUDIES: Exploring historical or current event figures is a natural place to explore the impact of TOOLBOX in society. How did historical (or current events) figures using (or not using) their Tools impact history in a positive or negative way? How might history have changed if an individual had used any of the 12 Tools?
- SCIENCE: The physiological impact of these Tools (e.g. the Breathing Tool) can be taught overtly so that children can understand the importance of these Tools on well-being, and stress/anxiety reduction.
