SHEMESH is pleased to announce that it has recently partnered with an organization called PAX to bring a program called The Good Behavior Game to our local day schools. The PAX Good Behavior Game® is a powerful evidence-based practice, consisting of proven instructional and behavioral health strategies used daily by teachers and students in the classroom. This universal preventive approach not only improves classroom behavior and academics, but also provides a lifetime of benefits for every child by improving self-regulation and co-regulation with peers. Children, their families, teachers, and society benefit for decades as result.
To adapt the program so that it is culturally sensitive, SHEMESH has chosen to call the program PATH, to reflect the saying, “The Torah’s ways are pleasant, and its pathways are peaceful.” Children are taught that in a nutshell, PATH behavior is peaceful, productive, pleasant and healthy. Over 60 teachers and administrators from four schools attended the day long training sessions last May and June. Feedback from those attending reflected a high level of excitement and anticipation for implementing the program in the 2019-2020 school year. In addition, 10 PAX Partners were trained over three days in July. These partners will be conducting observations, meeting with teachers, analyzing data and in general, supporting teachers in the implementation of the program. We are confident that the program will benefit the students in a multitude of ways in addition to giving teachers extra time for instruction, a commodity they dearly value.
For more information about the PAX program check out their website: https://www.goodbehaviorgame.org/
