An analysis of how instructional strategies correlate with the principles of behaviorist learning theories. I do believe that through reinforcing effort in the classroom, teachers are delivering positive reinforcement instead of negative reinforcement that steers student behavior in the right path. Through a stimulus-response method, teachers are encouraging behavior that investigates the mental and psychological processes of the students we teach.
Behaviors are learned habits and understanding how these habits are formed will better prepare teachers in the classroom when delivering curriculum to students. Through positive reinforcement efforts such as smiling back at students, contacting parents about good work, talking with other teachers about student success, etc. student behavior is stimulated and punishment is not typically necessary at this point. However, if teachers do not respond to student success or use negative reinforcement, student behavior might be unacceptable which could force teachers to use punishment to decrease the frequency of student behavior.
Using reinforcing efforts to promote positive student behavior can be successful for any teacher as long as the teacher understands how to use this method correctly. Teachers might want to consider contracts for students in the classroom. Violation of the student contract would lead to consequences and if students are made aware of the contract and consequences in advance, most students will behave in a positive, friendly manner.
Some instructional strategies that teachers can use that support behaviorist learning theory are reinforcing efforts and homework and practice. Reinforcing effort can be achieved by giving students rubrics in advance of a group project or student task to identify what effort and achievement look like. The rubric can be generated specifically for each task and can be quickly created in excel or publisher. Rubrics are a good tool to use that allows students to see the correlation between their grade and the effort they put into their work. Homework and practice is good for reinforcing what was learned in the classroom. Using the Microsoft Office Suite is a good technology tool to use for homework and practice. Not only can students generate typed notes from their hand written notes, which helps retain information as they type it, they can also research and generate graphs and other features through the office suite. Using multimedia software and online educational games in correlation with homework and practice will most likely engage students more positively with reinforcing what they have learned. They are using applications that they are comfortable with and typically gives immediate feedback to the student.
Of course, not all students learn the same way and teachers all teach differently. Using the technology made available in an appropriate, positive manner to educate our students will help shape positive behavior from our students. Hopefully, today's students will take advantage of what they have made available to them and put it to good use and continue to explore and develop their learning throughout their lives.
Hi Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing--many thoughtful points.
One that really resonated with me is recognizing those instances where students are on target--behaving the way we hope--and contacting parents about this. Many parents think they will only hear from a teacher when there is something negative to report--but a phone call to report the positive can make such a difference in motivation--and in building solid, positive school/home relationships.
Yes-rubrics can be very powerful tools. A well crafted rubric gives students the guidance they need for self-directed work--and gives them responsibility and ownership over their achievement. Rather than submitting work and wondering what they will get for a grade--they have a pretty good idea prior to submitting what they will earn. That is, a rubric changes the focus of "getting" a grade (as if by luck) to "earning" a grade (because of effort.)
Susan
"Hopefully, today's students will take advantage of what they have made available to them and put it to good use and continue to explore and develop their learning throughout their lives."
ReplyDeleteTeachers have been doing their best to educate and prepare the minds of students for all of these years, and all of a sudden what we think is good is not good enough anymore. Why? Because we are not in charge of how students learn anymore. The computer, the internet, the cellphone, and the Ipod is telling us how to teach our students.
Because of the stranglehold that technology has on our students today, we no longer have the freedom to choose how to "best" educate our students. Due to excessive amount of technology they are getting their hands on, it is becoming the only way that you can bring out any interest in our students.
So what do we do now? We break away from our norms of teaching, take this class, receive this masters, and completely change our approach to benefit the students. We may be uncomfortable with incorporating technology at first, but we get used to it and ultimately may appreciate its uses. We do this ALL for them, and now it is their turn to appreciate what we are doing for them.
We are changing our ways to help them succeed. This is why I highlighted your quote. I hope students appreciate (and take advantage of) not only of the technology provided to them, but appreciate what the teachers are doing in order to allow them to use this technology. The same technology that controls their daily lives. They want technology provided to them throughout their day, we are giving it to them, and now the ball is in their court to make the most of it.
- Mike Meoni
Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading about reinforcing effect, I was thinking how strange it was that as teachers we still have to teach students that the more effort they put in the better the results. However, there are many times in my high school math classes that I am reminded that the students do need to be reminded that the more they try the more they will succeed. This pasted Friday, I gave a test on linear equations to my algebra I students. While we are going over the chapter, the class fills in their notetaking guide, which is full of examples, definitions and mathematical rules. Since I believe that it important for the students to know how to use mathematical formulas then have them memorized, I allow them to use the guides on the tests. As I watched the students take the test, I noticed that some of them were getting frustrated because they were having problems completing the test. Also, the ones that were having trouble were the same ones that did not fill in their notetaking guide during the lessons and did not have the guide with them as they were taking the test. I think this Tuesday will be a good day to start comparing the two, how much you take notes and homework completion to how well you thought you did on the test.