Entry 20 - Operant Conditioning

MAR 8 EDPY 

Operant Conditioning- is an extremely powerful framework for managing the behavior of people. However it does have limitations...Are they learning how to respect each other and treat strangers in community with respect? Main theorist for concept is B.F SKINNER. "You get more bees with honey than vinegar" Praise, reward and recognition works far better then yelling, criticism  etc.

 Question. How have you seen classroom management done in your journey? Marbles/check marks/tickets/ When I was in the elementary grades I was subjected to many different varieties of classroom management. My grade 5 teacher had this section of the board that was chalked off and made into a chart. It was called ICMM (I Can Manage Myself). Every time a student did something unappropriated (rolling of the eyes was my major downfall) they got a mark on the chart. When the last column was filled the student would have to pull their desk to right up against the chalkboard and remain there for the rest of the day. Below is a chart I constructed that resembles the original. I always disliked this chart when I was younger and getting in trouble but as I have grown I think that it is a good idea and plan to use something along these lines in my teaching career.

Okay so back to operant conditioning....Some important concepts: to distinguish between them two important questions. 1. What is the direction of the behavior change? If upwards we are talking about reinforcement- more polite.. if downwards - punishment - less bullying etc. 2. Is teacher adding or removing something ...add praise add yelling add home letter or phone call....positive...if removing privilege...negative...removing computer time etc Positive reinforcement-Most effective results...adding something to increase behavior. Negative reinforcement-(strangest)- want to condiment an increase in a behavior by removing something. Target behavior is student time spent on studies....tell students anyone who sitting at a term average in june of 85% doesn't have to write to the final exam. Positive punishment- decrease some behavior so add something. Negative punishment - decrease a behaviors but does so through taking something away. Generalization- when a behavior is conditioned in one context the learning can be moved to another context Extinction - stop rewarding any behavior so it becomes evident that even If the student wants negative attention it won't be had. Behavior decrease. Behavior increase Adding something. Positive punishment. Positive reinforcement Taking away some thing Negative punishment. Negative reinforcement