FRISCO, Texas — When Lisa Navarra stood before a room of Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) and Special Needs Conference attendees, she didn’t see people who were “just” drivers, trainers, supervisors or directors. She saw leaders. Leaders who manage people, time and safety every day. Those who guide drivers to guide students to be consistent, calm and confident before the first bell even rings.
“Transportation is so much more than transit,” she reminded them durig her Monday morning keynote. “You create the environment that students step into each morning, one that can set the tone for their entire day.”
For Navarra, the journey from special education teacher to school transportation trainer was fueled by purpose, and a realization that behavior management, emotional regulation and growth mindset strategies weren’t just for classrooms. They belonged on school buses, too, she said.
Her message was simple yet transformative: When transportation professionals see themselves as educators and role models, they empower students to feel safe, regulate their emotions and be ready to learn.
She noted the process starts with meeting the kids where they were at.
“But where are we at?” she asked, adding another question to consider is, “What do I need to do to reach this child, to ride safely?”
Supervisors, she noted, need to support and empower drivers to better breakdown the silos between education and transportation.
She said when one sees themself as a professional who is prepared to manage challenges, it gives a sense a validation and thus a sense of purpose. Instead of waiting to see what students are capable of, be proactive in demonstrating and announcing behaviors they want to see on the bus, she advised.
Navarra asked, “Why are we making things so complicated?” She noted the impact of a positive school bus environment, speaking the language educators speak and creating a safe, meaningful environment that kids are ready to learn in.
Sometimes drivers need strategies on how to teach developmentally appropriate behavior, she said, adding that students might not know what safe behavior is. If they don’t explain what safe behavior should look like, she said students will never know how to meet expectations.
For drivers who are stuck in a rut or look at driving as “just a job,” she encouraged attendees to remind them that they are managing the learning environment. Raymond Forsberg, director of transportation at Mesquite Independent School District in Texas, said he tells his school bus drivers they manage people, time and money.
“I remind them how they’re leaders. I compare what they do, to what I do. I tell them how they manage people, time and money,” he said. “Let them know they are part of the ownership. Remind them of how they are leaders. We’re all here for the paycheck. The people drivers manage are the students, for time they have keep to the schedule and the money part is the 150,000 vehicle they’re driving.”
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Additionally, Navarra provided examples and research that illustrates the importance of not praising the ability, but the process and effort that students or even drivers give.
Phrases like “great job” or “you’re so smart” don’t provide the student with context into what type of behavior is correct and needs to be recreated. Instead, she advised, saying phrases like, “You did a great job being safe when you entered the bus and put your seatbelt on.”
Other examples of behavior-specific praise are:
- “I have noticed how you are trying your best to speak quietly today. Thank you.”
- “I admire the way you are trying to keep your feet out of the aisle.”
- “You took a breath when the bus got noisy, and you stayed calm.”
- “You were very thoughtful when you said hello to the new student.”
She underscored the importance of using behavior-specific praise with action and outcome, which can lead to a learning experience. Navarra continued, saying general praise can sound encouraging, but it does not clearly communicate the behaviors we want students to internalize and demonstrate independently.
She provided factors to consider, such as the setting (private or public) and the type of praise (non-behavior specific or specific.)
She provided the following guidelines on how to praise:
- Be sincere
- Be specific
- Praise students on the ‘what’ they can change
- Be mindful when praising easily earned achievements
- Be mindful when praising for doing what they love
- Encourage mastery of skills instead of comparing themselves to others
Bobbi Bican, the transportation account manager for Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, said following the keynote positive feedback and not settling for non-specific phrases like, “Great job” resonated for her.
Instead of settling for non-specific praise, she said she’s going to try and re-phrase her praise by saying, “Great job, sitting down in your seat today, being safe.” She noted that she learned the importance of showing the behavior and building that safe environment.
“I’m so excited to have learned that today,” she said, adding she plans to put some systems in place with her drivers and team to “give them the power.”
