Problem to be Investigated
This study investigates the effects of positive reinforcement on improving student behavior among first grade students. The study will use reinforcement to participants that do not comply with desired behaviors.
Introduction and Overview
There have been few studies conducted on positive reinforcement and student behaviors. This study will examine the effects of positive reinforcement on student behaviors. It is important for educators to gain compliance from students through positive means without negative connotations. The study will include 60 first grade students that will be randomly selected and divided into two groups for this experiment. There will be a control group and an experimental group consisting
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Positive reinforcement is a process that changes how often a behavior occurs. Presenting a motivating item to the person after the positive behavior occurs, the behavior will be more likely to happen in the future. Positive reinforcement adds something that will increase future probability of the behavior. Positive reinforcement can be a desired toy, candy or sensory manipulative. The presentation of the positive reinforcement, makes another event valuable. The positive reinforcement must be systematic and consistent and delivered immediately following the desired behavior. The reinforcement will be delivered continuously at first, and then more intermittently later. The materialist reward will be faded out to a simple verbal reinforcement after the effectiveness has guided the …show more content…
These behaviors are the way that teachers expect their students to engage during instruction. The behaviors can be observed, measured, and repeated. Student behavior needs to be clearly defined with specifically described actions and consequences. Describe what the positive behaviors look like and promote positive reinforcements to continue the appropriate student behaviors. There will be nothing subjective in the definition of a desired behavior. These student behaviors can be observed and shaped in a positive way using the reinforcement.
Effectiveness- In this study, effectiveness will be measured by the students actively participating in a positive way. When the students are given a difficult or challenging task to complete, a reinforcer will be given if the challenging task is
In second grade I was apart of a wild classroom. Their was a lot of chaos from all the young children. My teacher struggled to get everyone on task and to complete our work. After some time my teacher decided to make up a reward system (positive reinforcement). The children in the classroom were able to earn tickets for doing their homework, being respectful, and many other things. We were able to save these tickets and cash them in on fridays for treats, toys, or even sometimes extra recess. The teacher had a separate system for when we misbehaved. There were 3 colors you could earn everyday. If you weren’t on task, out of your seat, or just being disruptive she would change your color from green to yellow. If it happened again you got a red card and lost your tickets you earned for that day. This is a perfect example of positive punishment. It gave each child an opportunity to earn tickets for good behavior, and a warning system with the cards that possibly would lead to losing your earned tickets. Our teacher was using operant conditioning to produce a change in our
Positive reinforcement works by presenting something positive to the person after a desired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior more likely to happen in the future (McAdams, 2009). An example of this could be when a child helps their mother with the dishes and the mothers rewards the child with ice cream. Negative reinforcement, is when a behavior is strengthened by stopping, removing or avoiding a negative outcome or aversive stimulus (McAdams, 2009). An example of this could be when the light goes green at a traffic light, the car in front of a person does not move. The person hates when this happens and from experience knows that honking the car’s horn gets cars that are in front of them to go
Scheuermann, B., & Hall, J. (2012). Positive behavioral supports for the classroom. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. ISBN # 10:0132147831
The case study titled "School Officials from Marshall Metro High School Attempt to Motivate Students & Teachers to Achieve Higher Performance" is about the different ways the school system used to motivate the students to come to school (Kinicki & Williams, 2013, p.405). It is also a good example of how rewards and behavior can affect the outcome of the situation.
If a behavior is desirable, consequences called reinforcers are used to encourage the behavior in the future, via the process of reinforcement. Reinforcement can be positive (presenting reinforcing stimulus) or negative (removing a negative stimulus). However, if a behavior is undesired, a negative consequence can be used to discourage the behavior, through the process of either positive or negative punishment. In positive punishment, a negative consequence is presented after the undesired behavior occurs. When negative punishment it used the idea is the same “to discourage future display of undesired behavior,” but instead of presenting a negative stimulus, a desired stimulus is removed following the behavior.
I believe every student is entitled to a safe learning environment where they can reach their full potential academically and behaviorally. Students will reach their full potential in a positive learning environment. The positive learning environment will be established from the beginning of the year providing a lasting impact on the students academic, and behavior performance throughout the entire year. The positive learning environment will be a classroom setting, which allows students to feel welcomed, safe, and important on daily basis allowing learning to occur to its fullest potential. To ensure my students are in a positive learning environment there must be a behavior management plan clearly explaining the expectations I have for my students. Throughout my behavior management plan I will explain how I plan to implement expectations so students act accordingly. My behavior management plan will be individually tailored to my students allowing me to push them to their fullest potential to by taking into consideration each student’s behavior and personal needs.
There are different ways that a teacher can deal with a student’s undesirable behavior. Some of these strategies are: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment or extinction. The type of r...
... behaviors. It is important not focus on the past so I will encourage the student to bring their homework with them in the future. I will instead focus on the positive goals that I have set with the student. This will encourage future positive behavior.
First of all, I was highly interested in the concept and various factors that together make up positive reinforcement. I had a premise that I could do some experimental work on the three children for whom I baby-sit during the week after school. They leave school full of energy and it is my job to get them to complete a series of tasks before the end of the evening. I imagined that some positive reinforcement might get them on their way to handling their responsibilities in a timelier manner. My first step was to come up with a specific instrumental response that would produce reinforcement. This took no time at all because by far the most painfully difficult thing for me to do is get the children to sit down and do their homework. I then spoke specifically to each child and asked them what they would rather choose as an after school activity. They named video games, television, and going to play with other neighborhood children. I had expected these types of answers from the children and made them into the positive reinforcers that would be contingent on the children’s performance of the instrumental response; namely completing their homework. I explained to the children that if they behaved and finished their homework, then directly following they could spend an hour doing an activity of their choice.
One of the greatest resources was George’s communication journal. Rather than speaking out or distracting the class, he would use his journal to write something down and was able to reflect on his at an appropriate time. George is highly motivated by positive reinforcement. I found that by allowing him to “choose” his reward was extremely effective. He was able to process that by doing his work and following the rules, he would be rewarded. Though George still has behavioral gains to make, this behavioral plan provides him with the ability to achieve academic and behavioral
Various learning theories are nested within my lessons, particularly in Drama and Dance subjects where both theoretical and practical aspects are embedded within one lesson. Firstly, Pavlov, Skinner and Thorndyke’s Behaviourist theory will be discussed (Fairclough 2008). Thorndyke’s experiment on animals (Avis et al, 2010) to encourage ‘learned’ behaviour was through a process of trial and error, rewarding animas with food if they were successful in their task. This taught them to purposefully behaviour in a certain way towards reaching successful goals and effectively being rewarded. Learners are systematically rewarded for aspiring behaviour using the Creating Futures policy within school. Learners receive a creating futures report each term which identifies whether they are outstanding, motivated, coasting or unacceptable in each of their subjects through an attitude matrix. At the end of this report they receive a score, for example, 2.92; above 3 is the score that is high recognised and rewarded with high quality trips, non-uniform days and school discos. This seems to be a successful strategy to encourage ‘learned’ behaviours within school. Learners in lesson often ask what attitude they are working at and how can they achieve that all important outstanding attitude in order to receive a reward. Reinforcement is used through positive language, explaining each lesson what a motivated and outstanding learner looks like; verbal praise and feedback on work and attitudes is given continuously within a lesson. Subsequently behaviourism has received opposing attention for being un-humane and un-ethical. Avis et al, (2010) stated behaviourism is morally deficient in that human beings are treated a...
How to Use Positive Reinforcement to Address Child Behavior Problems - Ways to Effectively Promote Good Behavior By Amy Morin
.... I feel that in most cases, once a student has been punished through negative reinforcement for doing wrong, the student will attempt to correct such behavior in the future to avoid punishment. In addition, positive reinforcement should be given for those students who are the majority and behave, as well as for the students who are occasional troublemakers because positive reinforcement helps show what is correct behavior in response to bad behavior.
The reward system is a beneficial behavioral modification teaching method, which promotes more positive behaviors in the classroom (Charles & Barr, 2014). Many teachers generally use the reward method of praise within their classrooms for a variety of reasons. The first advantage of using praise within the classroom is because it encourages students do repeat positive behaviors in the classroom. Many children are simply looking for attention and enjoy it, which makes it a great technique to use in the classroom (Charles & Barr, 2014). Another advantage for this reward type is that due to the encouragement, the students are able to perform at a better rate; students excel academically. A final advantage to using praise is that it is easily implemented into the classroom and requires little to no preparation. This makes the reward method a great addition for teachers as well as students because students get instant feedback without
The main instance that I use behaviorism in my classroom is through positive reinforcement. I praise, praise, praise my students all day. Students who are such young learners receive much motivation when they hear praise and specific praise at that. It allows them to be eager to please their teacher and provides a sense of self-accomplishment. In my classroom, I also use a treasure chest, reward coupons and PBIS reward money as major components of positive reinforcement. At the beginning of the year, I teach my students my classroom expectations and that I expect the best from them. This includes all of their daily work, including journal writing, morning work, etc. My students know what my desired outcome is. Student’s behavioral efforts are measured and collected on a weekly basis through a behavior chart. Their assignments are measured on accuracy and completeness in order to help them recognize the importance of their effort in finishing an assignment. I utilize a rubric on many of my assignments in order to help them achieve their best. Their meeting certain standards on their weekly behavior chart allows them to receive