Basic Info: Cool Tools establish procedures for teaching expected behavior throughout the school. Since behavioral skills are learned, it is necessary to teach expected behaviors to fluency as we would academic skills. The purpose of Cool Tools are to teach students behavioral expectations and share how these fit into the PBIS systems and practices.

Using the PBIS framework, staff teach and model behaviors and procedures. Students practice these behaviors and are reinforced with universal acknowledgement system (paws).

What are Cool tools? Cool Tools are...

• Research-based procedures for teaching the behaviors
• Examples and non-examples taken from classroom and non-classroom settings and situations
• Modeling and role-playing to teach new skills and provide students with practice opportunities
• Feedback, acknowledgement, and reinforcement to ensure students display the expected/taught behaviors
• Taught initially at kickoff, followed by boosters at regular intervals and/or as needed

STEPS FOR TEACHING A COOL TOOL:

1. Review Cool Tool. If you are unfamiliar with the procedures, clarify with a PBIS team member or other staff.
2. Teach in Authentic Physical Setting where students are expected to follow the specific expectations.
3. Review Universal Expectations, and connect to the specific area.
4. Follow Steps of Cool Tool: Purpose/Expectation, Introduction, Teaching/Modeling, Student Practice, Acknowledgement, Debrief

IMPORTANT: Cool Tools are most successful when students have clear universal expectations, predictable acknowledgment, and consistent reinforcement (both positive and error correction). It is critical to establish these procedures and behaviors at the beginning of the school year, following school breaks, and during other identified booster time periods.