Emerging Idea: Positive Phone Calls Home 

Melissa Elliott

We welcome you to proceed with using this idea. However, this idea has shown promise but needs additional testing before it can be considered a research-based change idea.

Do you want to be a part of a movement to improve outcomes for students anywhere by testing this idea and contributing to the field? Are you willing to test this idea and collect data? We are here for you.

Email thailey@schoolsthatlead.org for a simple data collection tool. Once you have successfully completed testing and submitted your data, you will have the opportunity to receive a token of appreciation from us here at Schools That Lead (Some restrictions apply).

This is a chance to improve outcomes for your students and to accelerate improvement overall!

Some Students at my school have minor disciplinary incidents per week as well as office referrals for more serious infractions.  It is my theory that these students have had so many negative disciplinary incidents, they do not see the point of changing their behaviors. Their perception is that they are expected to be a disciplinary problem. I predict that if I make positive communications to their home these students will strive to show positive expected behaviors instead of negative behaviors.  I predict these students will not have office referrals and the number of minor incidents will decrease.

The Process

1. I used Educator’s Handbook to identify a small group of students (seven) who seemed to be struggling with in-school behaviors as defined by minor incidents and office referrals. 
2. I made positive phone calls home each week for these students.  I asked teachers to provide an example of something positive to call about for each student. 
3. I used the following script:

The Call Script:

Hi _______________.  I wanted to make a positive call today about __________________.  His/Her teachers have mentioned that they have noticed positive behaviors lately, for example…  Please take a moment to brag on your child this afternoon and let them know we are proud of them!

• Measurement

  Record the current number of behavior incidents. Record the date of the positive communication outreach and any notes about the interaction. Record the change in the number of behavior incidents over time. Use the data collection tool for measurement Positive Phone Calls Home Measurement