Week Two- Positive Reinforcement

  This week the focus was on reinforcement of behavior, both positive and negative.  I found this topic very interesting.  I currently work with Pre-K students, and have learned these past three years that more often than not my actions and words are what effect their behavior the most.  It is the way I say things and my response to situations that will dictate a child's response to me.  When a child is being disruptive, I have to make a conscious decision to diffuse the situation, rather than build it up.  Children in a Pre-K classroom are still in the Pre-operational stage according to Piaget's theory.  This means that they gather and understand knowledge and behavior directly from what they see and experience in the environment.  If I positively reinforce a child's behavior by giving into what they want, or not re-directing them correctly, I am not only encouraging that specific child but the rest of the class to continue with such behavior.
  Specifically, the discussion prompt focused on office referrals, and their role in reinforcement of behavior.  In my opinion, unless the student is physically injuring himself or others their behavior should be dealt with within the classroom.  A teacher needs to display to their students that their authority in the classroom is not to be taken lightly.  The student should also have a relationship built up with the teacher, so that when conflict arises a solution can be reached peacefully.  As I mentioned in my post, in order to change a behavior I believe it is necessary to get to the root of the behavior.  There is a reason when students act up in class.  Making a student leave the room does not help the teacher acknowledge the root of the behavior.  Instead of removing students from the classroom, the teacher should find a way to diffuse the situation, calm the student down, and then redirect the behavior.  Using preventative instead of reactive measures to avoid disruptive behavior would also be beneficial.  If a teacher realizes a student is always acting out in math, talk to the student before the subject is taught, ensure they have the support they need to complete the work, and provide open communication for the student if they need to ask for help.
  Reinforcement of behavior can happen in multiple ways.  Just like it is possible to reinforce bad behavior, it is possible and necessary to reinforce good behavior as well.  In teaching younger children I find positive reinforcement necessary for every point of the day.  In the Slavin text it states the following, "In other words, if praise or self-reinforcement or feedback on progress will work, don’t use certificates. If certificates will work, don’t use small toys. If small toys will work, don’t use food. One way to find out what reinforcers to use is to ask the students themselves, who are more likely to work for a reinforcer they have selected (Cote, Thompson, Hanley, & McKerchar, 2007)" (Slavin, 2015).  I completely agree with this line of thinking.  It is sometimes easy to depend on candy to get a four year old to do whatever you would like.  However, every educator should make developing intrinsic motivation a goal.  It is important to vary the type of praise and motivation given to students that way they do not tire of it or depend on it to perform.

References

Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. New Jersey: Pearson.