I feel behaviorism still exists in many different ways in many different classrooms. This week's resources allowed me to see different ways than it is used within my own classroom as well. First, I strongly believe that students who put forth effort, will succeed. Although all students will not succeed at the same rate, they will progress from where they began. This also might include accomodations, but I feel success correlates with effort. Within this instructional strategy of reinforcing effort, I do feel that a rubric or model needs to be set so students know the expectations. I do not feel it is fair to tell students they are not trying if they have never had set clear expectations on what that looks like. I like the examples of having students record their effort based on a rubric along with their score that week using a spreadsheet. I feel this is unrealistic for me next year being that I will be teaching Kindergarten. Instead, I feel I can modify this by providing clear expectations for their work as well as examples and non examples. I thought about modeling how to throw a ball by using effort and without using effort to show the clear difference between the two. Then, I would take the situation into the classroom and maybe model it in the block station with building a tower. The reinforcing effort strategy correlates with behaviorism because it is reinforcing positive behaviors of showing effort while showing direct consequences (the grades) of non effort. By providing feedback, teachers are able to redirect the negative behavior and attempt to change it to a positive, reinforced behavior.
Homework and practice has always been discussed at the beginning of each school year. Our principal has clear expectations that any homework is minimal and serves an educational purpose. In second grade I sent homework minimally for skills that needed extra practice. These would be skills that I would also drill and practice within the classroom in a variety of ways. I feel this strategy of homework and practice correlate with behaviorism because students are gaining feedback from these drill and practices. This will help guide their learning and allow the teacher to modify the goal when needed.
The websites that were provided showed me that I probably use behaviorism in my classroom more than I have thought. The websites were exactly what I have my students visit so they can practice needed skills during centers. This is a time when they can independently focus on the task and have fun while practicing in game form.
I look forward to continuing learning more about different behavior theories to see what I really use the most of within my classroom and will it be effective in Kindergarten as opposed to second grade which I have taught for four years.
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Hi Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI think that you could use a very modified rubric with your students, even though they are kindergartner's. Perhaps you could begin the year with smiley faces (happy, straight, sad), or a 1,2,3 system? Being that you are a kindergarten teacher, I assume you know best, so your idea of using throwing or building to model effort is a great idea.
It also seems as though your principal has gotten away from the "old school" idea that kids should have 10 minutes of homework for each grade they are in. While on some nights my students (fifth graders) do have 50 minutes of homework, other nights they have 20 or 70. It just depends on what was accomplished. With that in mind, I agree with our readings from this week that "The purpose of homework should be identified and articulated," and "if homework is assigned, it should be commented upon" (Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, Pitler, 2007). I never used to, and still don't, mind doing homework that benefits my understanding and enjoyment of a concept. However, I remember as a kid doing useless work, and knowing it. This bugged me.
Similar to what you stated, if a kid knows his/her homework is useless, he/she will have a negative connotation with homework and simply will put forth little effort or none at all. On the other hand, if the homework is beneficial, fun, perhaps minimal, I agree that kids will respond positively and develop good homework strategies.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on behaviorism.
Chris Hendricks
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using a smile, straight face, and sad face with an effort rubric. I was thinking I could model and students would rate me on how hard they thought I was trying. Also, I would have them rate my final product such as my throw or my building the same way to show how a smiley in effort most likely will result in a smiley in my work.
Thanks!
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that every student will succeed at their own pace that is why we as teachers have to find their learning styles. When you are teaching smaller children you have to modify and adjust so that it fits your students.