Reinforcement Strategies Paper

Several of the students in my classroom have disruptive, out of control behaviors. One of the paraeducators in my classroom is new to being a paraeducator and has struggled to provide positive replacement behaviors for the student she is primarily responsible for. She is constantly overwhelmed and becoming frustrated with the student, which is making the situation worse. My teacher asked to provide instruction on this for this particular paraeducator.

Ms. Foster feels that one of the main problems in teaching the children in her classroom is that there are emotionally and behaviorally disturbed (EBD) students who disrupt the entire class. In addition, they often have problems staying on task. She advocates the use of self-management techniques in the classroom. Self-management techniques teach students to modify their

CS III b: Times have changed. I can remember when coporal punishment was an acceptable means of re-direction and discipline. Today, with more education, educators and providers have better ways of communicating and developing stronger characters in children. A completely different means of fostering growth and discipline have evolved. Proven lesson methods through psychologists have opened doors for marked and proven progress. Understanding my students backgrounds through home visits, parent meeting, and one-to-one time with my children help me and my fellow educators develop a "whole" view of a childs image and make-up. Re-direction, strong fun-tasks, and constant guidance is the initial start to helping children with challenged

Operant conditioning is the effects punishment and reinforcement have on behavior; “the law of effect, which states that behaviors associated with good consequences (satisfiers) are more likely to occur again in the future, whereas behaviors associated with bad consequences (annoyers) are less likely to occur again” (Durwin 162). This is a necessary component used by many psychologists and educators to provide the best positive outcome in a child’s behavior. When analyzing the “Billy Scenario,” it is obvious that the teacher, Ms. Allen, tried different techniques of punishment to decrease the students’ misbehavior, but was unsuccessful; leading to an increase in the frequency of response or more disruptive behavior.

It is essential that students receive realistic and immediate feedback that enhances self-efficacy. It is imperative that I return student work in a timely fashion so they can reflect on their work because “students’ achievements are enhanced by providing them with information about their current level of performance followed by specific learning tasks aimed at mastering the material” (Jones & Jones, p. 285). I will be able to correct faulty thinking by my students when I return their work in a timely fashion which will prevent future mistakes over the same topic. It is vital to the success of my students that they experience a safe, well-organized learning environment in my classroom. It is a necessity that students feel safe and comfortable in the classroom so I can challenge them to reach their goals in a

Many teachers are faced with the difficult task of managing their student’s behavior. Even if we

The article “No! I will not! Understanding and responding to student defiance” is published by Andrea Smith and Elizabeth Bondy, 4-th grade teacher and a University of Florida College of Education professor respectively, in Childhood education magazine. It contains a thorough analysis of the defiance issue as well as a manual, regulating the conduct of a teacher, who pursues a goal of effective students’ behavior management.

My classroom management philosophy is rooted in B.F. Skinner’s Behavior Modification theory. I believe that negative and positive reinforcements are a key aspect in classroom management. Providing reinforcement increases the probability that a desired behavior will occur, while undesired behaviors will stop because they are not being reinforced (Manning and Bucher 47). Students who are demonstrating unacceptable behaviors may even begin to change their behavior in hopes of gaining approval through reinforcement (Manning and Bucher 47). In particular, I advocate for this theory because it also serves as another way to continuously reiterate classroom expectations. Through daily dialogue in the classroom, students will be able to understand which behaviors are supported, acceptable, and encouraged and which behaviors are ignored, unacceptable, and discouraged. Continuously putting this into practice will foster a supportive classroom climate with clear expectations. Throughout my field experiences in Horry County, I have seen this strategy used with success. I believe that once I have established relationships with my students this will be the most effective course of action for modifying their misbehaviors.

The goal of this program is to 1. Change a student’s behavior, 2. Change the behavior of the teacher, 3. Or a combinations of both. The behavior modification approaches are directed toward helping a teacher manage the behaviors in the children in the classroom.

“ Students do become behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively involved in the learning activities their teachers provide (e.g., write an essay, solve a math problem), and their extent of effort, enjoyment, and strategic thinking does predict important outcomes, such as achievement. But students also do more than this. Students also, more or less, proactively contribute into the flow of instruction they receive as they attempt not only to learn but also to create a more motivationally supportive learning environment for themselves ( Bandura,

The purpose of Response to Intervention is early detection and identification of learning concerns of students and the development of an individualized plan that addresses the appropriate prescription for resolving the students’ academic or behavioral issue. In our twenty-first century learning communities, students are required to participate and are engaged in educational activities that may challenge their ability to grasp the concept in manners conducive to their learning styles. Schools are challenged to examine their methods of instruction to meet the needs of all children making them successful in all areas of academic content. “A quality school is a place where students learn to think and apply knowledge to new situations, where students are involved in and excited about their learning, where students make individual gains in process and knowledge, where adults know they care about individual students,

Initial thoughts: Ms. Rollison needs to understand that students behave differently which will require a different way to approach their behavior. In most cases, when a student is acting out it is due to something stressful they are experiencing. A young student does not communicate their wants and needs well, this causes them to express their emotion is not the best manner. When children need are not met they will misbehave more frequently. Therefore, Ms. Rollison will need to understand and have patience with the student because there is always a reason behind why the student is misbehaving.

Effective differentiated instruction reflects where the students currently are in their educational stage and not where a teacher wishes them to be. This step is important; placing students either too high or too low in the instruction can be adverse to the teacher’s goal of helping all students. Developing lesson strategies for students that are too demanding may have a negative effect on performance and reinforce negative emotions concerning learning. Likewise, developing lesson strategies that do not challenge students to perform at their best can also have a negative effect. Some students that are not engaged by a teacher's instruction are left adrift waiting for new or more stimulating material. Engaging students in the learning strategy is the key ingredient in producing active learners.

For students in a self-contained classroom, cueing and behavior modification are frequently used components of behaviorism. Cueing is using a method other than a verbal reminder as a way to encourage appropriate behavior, or discourage inappropriate behavior (Standridge, 2002). Behavior modification, as outlined in Foundations of Workforce Education, is used “to elicit better classroom performance from reluctant students” (Brewer, Campbell, & Petty, 2000, p.17). Behavior modification involves several components, such as determining what is desired, creating specifics within the environment, identifying appropriate rewards, reinforcing behavior patterns,

Negative reinforcement and forms of punishments like reprimands and social isolation can help alter behavior, but should be used with caution. Teachers can reinforce desirable student behavior through attention, recognition, praise and other reinforcers. An article entitled "Food For Thought: Teacher Nonverbal Immediacy, Student Learning, and Curvilinearity" touched on immediacy behaviors as a type of reinforcer.