In this chapter, we learned about Operant Conditioning and basic principles that have come into effect as a result of B. F. Skinner's work. We have studied positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, type I punishment, time out, type II punishment, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization and discrimination.
We learned that both positive and negative reinforcement strengthen behaviors, while the others weaken target behavior. We have also learned that once the desired behavior is established, it can be maintained by using a schedule. The four types of schedules are fixed interval, where the teacher reinforces the behaviors at set period of time, variable interval, where the teachers reinforce behaviors at random periods of time, fixed ratio, where the teacher provided reinforcement after a certain number of problems completed or pages read, or variable ratio, where there is not set pattern of reinforcement after a set number.
We also learned other techniques that will aide in behavior modification, including shaping, contingency contracts and using token economies. Shaping involves reinforcing attempts that progressively get closer to the desired outcome. Contingency contracts involve having the student sign contracts agreeing to complete their homework in order to receive their reward. Token economies are classrooms in which after exemplifying the desired behavior the student is given a coin or piece of paper that has no real value at that point, but can later cash them in to receive a reward of their choice. This is the most flexible of the behavior modification techniques.
*How Do I Benefit?*
I believe that I will benefit from this chapter and the concepts learned from it by being able to better condition my class on desired behaviors. I think that I will definitely use a token economy within my classroom, and plan to use various other methods discussed in this chapter to help me as well.
*Following the Blog*
This week, Kiri talks more about her student David and how he will be moving to classroom where he can better succeed. She talks about the difficulties with him and the fact that he has experienced so many "failures" in her classroom. He needs a fresh new place to start over. She also talks about the other challenges within her classroom and how the children react. After reading her blog, I fell like I am there with her. This week she has had several adults in her classroom. One is the school psychologist that is working with Max, another troubled young boy. Nan, her assistant that works with David and finally her college intern that works with the children that speak only Spanish. She has seen many struggles this week, and to top it off, she has just announced that Nan, her assistant, is getting a new job. She was having a bad week when she went to go pick her kids up from school. She saw a former student there that raved on and on about how great of a teacher she was. She said that it seems to make all the daily struggles worth while.
*This week in the Discussion Boards*
I was actually excited to hear about some of the conditioning techniques that others in the class have experienced in their lives so far. I loved to hear how one of the students tells her son that her hears to do hear "cranky words." She said she tells him that and then ignores anything he says in a whiny or cranky voice. She said it really works for him.
I also enjoyed reading about the conditioning experiences that other students had while in school earlier in life. I think that a lot of them are great. It is hard to imagine that all classrooms that used these techniques were all following the same basic principles of B.F. Skinner.
*Question of the Week*
Looking at both positive (PR) and negative reinforcement (NR), think about how you remember these being used when you were going to school. Write those examples down. How will you use positive and negative reinforcement in your "classroom" when you become a teacher? Give examples of PR and NR as related to your "classroom" in the future - relate these examples to concepts that you can remember.
I can remember PR being used in my school in several instances. One that sticks out the most is in fourth grade. Our teacher, Mrs. Morris was a new teacher. We were her first class. I can remember that everyday after recess, if we had all been "good" earlier in the day, she would read to us. During that time, she would turn the lights off and and we could rest our heads on our desks. We all saw this as a treat, and so we complied with her instructions the rest of the day. By the end of the year, several other teachers were implementing this into their classrooms as well.
A NR that I can remember was in sixth grade. Our teacher had problems with several students in the class falling asleep or talking during the lessons, so she began to ask that at the end of each new science chapter, we would write a two page paper summarizing the text. We only had to do this twice before the other kids stopped acting up in class. She removed the negative reinforcer (the paper) after everyone behaved as expected.
I think that I will use these techniques and others that we have learned about in this chapter. As I mentioned earlier, I think that the token economy is a great idea. Because I plan to teach kindergarten, I think this will be a great way to reinforce the students behaviors positively. I can also take token away from them should they start acting in an undesirable manner.
I also think that I will use a reading time with my students. I think that as a result of a positive and desired behavior, I will allow them to pick out a story book and we will read that at the end of the day. This will be more directed to the class as a whole.
Needless to say, I plan on using several of the techniques taught in this chapter within my own classroom. I think that each technique could impact each behavior from each student in a different way.
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