Positive Reinforcement in The Canadian School System

            Schools are moving away from using unintended positive reinforces like attention or chance for escape and moving towards positively reinforcing a students’ good behaviour such as classroom etiquette and homework completion. There are many ways this can be achieved; after school programs where students can go to receive positive reinforcement for completing assignments or remaining in school all day, programs for parents where they are shown the negative impacts of reinforcing a child’s negative behaviour like skipping school, and programs for teachers where they can learn what reinforcers should be used, like token economy or praise verses one that should put aside like detentions or suspensions. Positive behaviour support is a step in changing how schools look at punishment and rewards because it not only evaluates issues within the school but in the community and home as well. While it is still facing difficulties, this change from blaming the child for bad behaviour to examining the causes has greatly improved the education system’s effectiveness at eliminating negative behaviours. While many schools continue to employ unintended positive reinforcement for bad behaviours there are a multitude of programs emerging that will ensure a brighter, more positive, future for students everywhere.