Active supervision: empowering teachers and families to support students in varied learning contexts

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Table 1. Active supervision: implementation checklist.

Step	In-Person Education	Virtual Education	Home Settings
1	Identify the activity or transition period that would benefit most from active supervision.	Identify the virtual activity or transition that would benefit most from active supervision.	Identify the setting or activity that would benefit most from active supervision.
2	Ensure that the routine for the target activity is familiar and understood by students. If not, routines and expectations must be established.	Ensure that the routine for the target activity is familiar and understood by students. If not, virtual learning routines and expectations must be established.	Ensure that your child understands the routines and expectations for the setting or activity. If not, routines and expectations must be established.
3	Provide the cue or prompt to begin the activity.	Provide the cue or prompt to begin the activity.	Remind your child to get started with the next part of their day (e.g., transition) or to begin an activity.
4	As the activity unfolds, scan and monitor the area.	As the activity unfolds, scan across the virtual environment (e.g., video call, chat, collaborative document) and continue to monitor their verbal and non-verbal responses (e.g., written words, virtual responses such as thumbs up or down).	As the activity unfolds, look around and monitor your child’s behavior.
5	Signal your awareness of students’ actions through proximity, prompts, and non-verbal communication.	Signal your awareness of students’ actions through virtual non-verbal cues, verbal acknowledgements, chat communications, and provide prompting as needed.	Use proximity (physical closeness), verbal cues, and other non-verbal communication (e.g., smile, wink) to let your child know you are paying attention to what they are doing.
6	Manage infractions and off-task behavior efficiently: privately, in a businesslike way, and with opportunities for positive interactions.	Manage infractions and off-task behavior efficiently, privately, and discretely and with opportunities for positive interactions.	If a problem comes up, talk with your child privately, in a non-emotional way, and give opportunities for positive interactions between you and your child.
7	At appropriate intervals and at the end of the activity or transition, reinforce students’ good behavior with positive comments and gestures.	At appropriate intervals and at the end of the activity or transition, reinforce students’ behaviors meeting the virtual learning environment expectations using positive comments, gestures, and virtual reactions.	At different times throughout the activity, and at the end of the activity, praise your child’s desirable behavior with positive comments and gestures.
8	Provide the students with an opportunity to give feedback.	Provide students with an opportunity to give feedback.	Provide your child with an opportunity to give feedback.

Sources. (A) Lane, K. L., Menzies, H. M, Ennis, R. P., & Oakes, W. P. (2015). Supporting behavior for school success: A step-by-step guide to key strategies. Guilford Press. (B) Allen, G. E., Lane, K. S., Austin, K. S., Pérez-Clark, P., Lane, K. L., Oakes, W. P., & Menzies, H. M. (2020, August). Active supervision: A step-by-step guide for virtual learning environments. Ci3T Strategic Leadership Team. www.ci3t.org. (C) Lane, K. L., Oakes, W. P., & Allen, G. E. (2020, March). Using active supervision at home: A step-by-step guide for families. Ci3T Strategic Leadership Team. www.ci3t.org.

Figure 1. Additional active supervision resources. Note. ¹Available to download at ci3t.org/pl. ²Available to download at ci3t.org/covid. ^aResources are also available in Spanish.

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Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-tiered (Ci3T) Models of Prevention What is Ci3T? Ci3T is an integrated tiered system of supports addressing academic, behavioral (positive behavior interventions and supports [PBIS]), and social and emotional well-being learning domains. Ci3T is a district or schoolwide system with a continuum of evidence-based practices, programs, and strategies for all students at Tier 1, some students at Tier 2 and a few students at Tier 3. The continuum provides a structure for making data-informed decisions to meet students’ identified needs at the earliest signs of concern. School Ci3T Leadership Teams use multiple sources of student data, such as, academic and behavior screening, office discipline referrals, attendance, nurse visits; as well as programmatic data, such as treatment integrity, stakeholders’ views to drive all decision-making efforts. In addition to using multiple sources of data to inform instruction for students, Ci3T also features data-informed professional learning for adults. Ci3T is a broadening of traditional Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), developed in the late 1990s to address social and emotional well-being. See Lane, Oakes, & Menzies (2023).

Lane, K. L., Oakes, W. P., Allen, G. E. (2020). Using active supervision at home: A step-by-step guide for families. Ci3T Strategic Leadership Team. www.ci3t.org

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Lane, K. L., Oakes, W. P., & Menzies, H. M. (2023). Using low-intensity strategies to support engagement: Practical applications in remote learning environments for teachers and families. Preventing School Failure, 67(2), 79–82.

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