This chapter is dealing with behaviorism and methods to eliminate undesirable behavior in the classroom. It gives advice and multiple classroom examples and shows you the positive and negatives for almost every situation. It talks to teachers about positive and negative reinforcements inside the classroom. Module nine also talks heavenly on positive and negative punishment inside the classroom.
The one thing that I was wondering about is knowing the developmental level of the individual. On the guideline 9.1 on the bottom of page 164 it gives you tips on knowing the developmental level of the students. Younger children may like pencils and candy while older students would prefer time to socialize with others. How would you address the those middle grades where pencils and candy are too childish, but giving them time to socialize with other would get out of hand too quickly due to their lack of maturity?
If you change an environment to something positive then your behavior will reflect the environment,so your behavior would become positive. I could use this in multiple ways as a teacher. The main one would be to create my classroom into a warm welcoming positive environment. Whatever the child's problems are outside the classroom I can change that negative behavior by the giving them a positive behavior right when they walk into the classroom. I would have positive uplifting quotes all around the classroom. A comfortable relaxing reading area in the room so they wont see the classroom as a negative place to be. My attitude must be warm and uplifting everyday I walk in as well. If I give off a negative vibe then they will follow my attitude.
I think some good incentives for middle school students would be to hand out no homework passes for good behaviors over long periods of time. For example, if a student turns in all of his or her homework for two weeks he or she could earn a no homework pass. I also think that candy works at all ages, even in high school some teachers would hand out candy as rewards. It does hold less significance in high school, but candy can still serve the same purpose.
ReplyDeletei would also do all that with my students too. I think it is important to make the kids feel like they are welcome. One thing I think is important is to make sure the students know that you are there to talk to them about whatever they need. I think the students need to feel very comfortable with you in order to open up in the classroom. (Mckinnah Bussey)
ReplyDeleteHere you start to list all the topics that were covered, but that doesn't tell me the big ideas that you drew out of the chapter.... What were some useful pieces of information that you remembered after reflecting on the reading? What information might you pass on if recommending behaviorism to a practicing teacher?
ReplyDeleteYou'd probably have to judge the students to determine what would be appropriate rewards and punishments for them. In class we had an example showing how wearing a gold crown may be very appropriate for a young child but not someone older (it would be a punishment). I'm not sure what you mean by 'out of hand', but you should describe exactly what kind of behavior you mean by that, since it's all relative depending on who is observing. Around 10-12 most children make the shift from appreciating toys to appreciating social time, so I think that could be an effective reinforcer at that age. The reason you may observe undesirable behaviors during this time is because those children still need to practice and explore different methods of interacting with their peers. This is just my opinion, but I'd give them social time as a reward, but also help them shape their social behavior into a form you find desirable.
I think you have a misconception about the term 'positive' as its used in Behaviorism. 'Positive' in behaviorism doesn't mean good, or enjoyable, or welcoming, it ONLY means that as stimulus has been added rather than taken away. The same goes for 'negative' punishment or reinforcement--it only means a stimulus has been taken away. We went over this extensively in class.
I don't quite understand how you are shaping students' behavior in your example. You'll need to break it down further. What behavior, exactly, are you targeting? What stimulus are you adding or taking away, and how is that changing your targeted behavior? You should be describing everything in these sort of behavioristic terms.