Teachers Learn to Use PAX Good Behavior Game

Parents may soon be hearing their children talk about 'PAX' and 'Spleems' as teachers in all three of Manchester's elementary schools implement the PAX Good Behavior Game.  The game is a highly-recognized and proven prevention and protection tool that classroom teachers can use to improve the lifetime outcomes of each child in his or her classroom.  It teaches students how to work toward valued goals, and how to cooperate with one another to reach those goals.  It teaches children self-regulation, self-control and self-management.

Small groups of teachers from each grade level at each elementary school recently attended a workshop presented by Mike Muempfer of the PAXIS Institute. He explained how the program works and also the benefits as proven by several studies.  First year benefits include more time for teaching and learning with less disruptions, better attendance, fewer referrals, less vandalism,and better academics.  Long-term benefits include reduced substance abuse, less violent and criminal behavior, less depression, and higher graduation and college entry rates.  These results happen after using the game for just one year in the lower grades.

The game itself, in a nutshell, involves teams competing to create more 'PAX' (Peace, Productivity, Health and Happiness) and less 'Spleems' (disturbances and disruptions).  Rather than material rewards like candy, they 'win' simple activity rewards called Granny's Wacky Prizes, which could be a 10-second giggle fest or a 30-second dancing jig or some other silly, fun activity.

Vice Principal Nikki Mazur arranged the program after discovering that grant funding was available for it from the Ocean County Department of Juvenile Justice.  The grant paid for the workshop and teacher kits to implement the game. 

Richard Seitz, Program Coordinator for the Juvenile Justice department, told teachers that after realizing that substance abuse rates have remained at a steady pace for decades despite all of the programs they have implemented, he went to the internet to find a program that might actually make a difference and found PAX.  "This program can reduce substance abuse, smoking and alcohol addiction without even mentioning it," he said.

Mrs. Mazur said that the teachers who attended the workshop would turnkey the program to other teachers at their buildings.