Happy holidays
The APBSA steering committee wishes all our readers a peaceful and enjoyable end of the year.
As we wind down the year, here are some recommendations for holiday reading, viewing or listening from members of the APBSA Steering Committee. We’ll be back in 2026 with more strategies, tips, and research insights to support effective PBIS implementation in schools.
Katrina Cummins, Project Lead – Strategy and Systems, Brisbane Catholic Education
My recommended reading is McIntosh and Goodman Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. Blending RTI and PBIS. This book offers a clear guide for designing and implementing MTSS that can strengthen academic, behavioural , and social-emotional outcomes for all students. I like this book because it is grounded in research and provides strategies for building equitable systems.
Martine Wakeham, Regional School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support coach, South-West Victoria region
Reading: ‘Defusing Disruptive Behaviour in the Classroom’ (Geoff Colvin) and ‘Teaching Behaviour’ (Terry Scott). I am finding both these books really useful guides for teaching staff in schools, unpacking small skills and approaches that really help them.
Viewing: Highly recommend ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’ – Netflix – a very intriguing, whimsical, funny and heartening look at the impact of trauma on 3 different people. It’s Korean, so you need to read the subtitles. But it is so worth it!
Listening: Audiobooks are my favourite but also ABC Radio National’s “If You’re Listening” and “Not Stupid”, as more thoughtful reflections on current affairs, but with humour also.
Adam Feinberg, APBSA Co-Chair
My holiday reading recommendation is The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier . It’s a great read for anyone looking to improve their coaching skills.
Mark Wakefield, Education Officer, Student Behaviour Support, Brisbane Catholic Education
Watch ‘Steve’ on Netflix. Set in the mid 90’s it’s the story of the head teacher of a residential reform school for boys and follows Steve trying to navigate the complexities of these students, staff and a film crew. It very much reminded me of my days working in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and the type of students we all have had to deal with. Not a true story but it is true in its telling of what these places could be like and the staff who worked there. Great cast and the actors playing the students were all spot on. You may need a hanky.
I’m not much of a reader and so don’t have any good books to recommend but I would recommend saving the date for the Queensland PBL conference next year. Its already in my diary.
Lorna Hepburn, The Behaviour Coach
My recommended PBIS reading is Horner and Sugai School-wide PBIS: An example of Applied Behaviour Analysis implemented at a scale of social importance. It’s a great summary of the origins and key features of PBIS that I go back to time and again!
For holiday reading try Sarah Clutton’s ‘The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains’. I thought it was an insightful and fun read.