Positive Reinforcement

M4.U5.A1

Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

Positive Reinforcement

There are 9 Action Steps that come from chapter 7 in “The Art and Science of Teaching” that a teacher can take to incorporate positive reinforcement. The steps are broken down into two categories; those that are following the rules and those that are not following the rules. I will talk about these nine action steps and when I have used these steps in my own classes.

Positive reinforcement for those that ARE following the rules.

Step 1: Use Simple Verbal and Nonverbal Acknowledgment

Verbal

• Simply saying good job and encouraging the good behavior
• The teacher can also choose to single one student out or commend the whole class.
• if the teacher knows that a student is not particularly fond of public acknowledgment the teacher can walk by and speak to the student in a tone that is not audible to the students sitting nearby. This way the student isn’t embarrassed in front of the whole class.
• this can go for positive or negative behavior

Nonverbal

• Nonverbal acknowledgment can also be a great tool this can be done by;
• smiling, thumbs up, nodding, a wink or even an OK sign.

*** I do these all the time. I am constantly saying good job and encouraging my students. Kids here in South Korea love high fives so I try and give out as many high fives as possible! ***

Step 2: Use Tangible Recognition When Appropriate

• The teacher can use a points system and then at the end of the day or week the student(s) can be awarded a prize.
• With high school or middle school, the teacher can do something like a phone call home, email or a written note to be given to the parents.
• I also thought of the teacher possibly awarding a few points extra credit if the students accumulate a certain amount of points.

*** Most of my classes have some sort of points based system in them. When I am working with grade 1 and 2 often times their team reward is to line up first at the end of the class. I know when I was in middle and high school I loved when a teacher assigned extra credit, so that could be a great encouragement for higher level grades. ***

Step 3: Involve the Home in Recognition of Positive Student Behavior

• This step is very similar to step 2 for the students in high school and middle school however for elementary school children you can send home a note, email or phone call home to the parents.
• This does not have to be extravagant but just something to highlight the student’s good behavior.

Positive reinforcement for those that ARE NOT following the rules.

Step 4: Be With-It - (withitness)

In this chapter they break down withitness into four different sections; being proactive, occupying the entire room, noticing potential problems, and using a series of graduated actions.

• Being Proactive
• The teacher should try and notice or know what is happening outside of the classroom:
• Students in an argument in the hall...
• The previous day certain students got into a fight…
• Occupying the Entire Room
• The teacher moves throughout all areas of the room
• This does not mean that one area cannot be utilized more for teaching - the teacher should just always be aware of what is happening in all areas of the class.
• Noticing Potential Problems
• Be aware of your students normal behavior so that way you are able to notice when they are not acting within their normal behavior.
• Prior to class, several students are huddled together talking intensely.
• One or more students have not been engaged in a class activity for an extended period of time.
• Students sitting in one area keep looking at each other and smiling.
• Members of the class keep looking at a specific location and smiling.
• Students giggle or smile whenever the teacher looks at or walks near a particular part of the room.
• When the teacher’s back is turned toward the class, whispering or giggling can be heard, or unusual noises can be heard from a particular part of the room.
• Using a Series of Graduated Actions
• Once the teacher realizes what issue is causing a disruption in the class, they can then act in a manner that puts an end to the behavior problem that it caused.
• Looking at the suspected students.
• Moving in the direction of students.
• Stopping the class and confronting the behavior.

*** Surprises me about Korean teachers. not moving students and not anticipating future misbehavior. This happened as recently as last week. Two students were randomly put in a group together and when they are together they cause a lot of disruption. I noticed this right away and mentioned it to my co-teacher, they hesitated and then went ahead and followed my suggestion. Many of the students misbehavior goes unnoticed by the Korean teachers that I work with. Students hitting other students isn’t really as serious in Korean elementary schools. I will notice students slapping the back of the head of the student in front of them all the time, and the Korean teachers continue on without noticing. So, when it is time for me to teach I will often separate the students even before they have a chance to fool around in class with the other students that are sitting near them. ***

Step 5: Use Direct-Cost Consequences

Direct-cost consequences are applied once a negative behavior has progressed beyond a point where it can be addressed by withitness.

• For an elementary school that could be a small office just outside the assistant principal’s office as the time-out room. This room is constantly monitored by a teacher or administrator.
• For middle and high this could be Saturday school and detention

*** In the school that I work at, once a situation is a little above a simple in-class discipline, they will take their students to either the head teacher or the VP. In Korean schools, there is a tier ranking for teachers. From top to bottom; principal, vice principal, head teacher, lead teacher for the grade, then the normal homeroom teacher. ***

Step 6: Use Group Contingency

• This can be when the teacher decides to hold the whole class back for the misbehavior for one or a number of students.
• This idea is that all the students are in this together.
• This can also be used in the same way for positive behavior.

*** I have not implemented this very often in my class, however my co-teacher does this fairly frequently. In Korean society is very much “we are one.” So if the teacher is going to hold a student after they will hold the whole class back. When I hold students after class i tend to try and give them one on one so that i am not embarrassing them in front of the whole class. I do not hold students after class only when they are disrupting or misbehaving, more often than not i actually hold kids after to give them praise and commend them on their work or behavior. I did this last week actually in my summer camp. I asked for three students to stay after and since I was teaching at a camp these students are not used to my style. So, when I asked the students to stay after they were very scared and very nervous but this time it was only to give them praise.***

Step 7: Use Home Contingency

• Home Contingency is when the student, teacher and parents meet to discuss the child’s behavior.
• This allows the student to explain themselves and also to help come up with a plan to remedy their misbehavior.

*** This is very difficult for a foreigner in Korea to do but I see the benefits for this action. If the teacher and parents are able to communicate more effectively I see how this step is a great action plan to use with children that need extra help in and out of the classroom. ***

Step 8: Have a Strategy for High-Intensity Situations

• A high-intensity situation is when a student’s behavior becomes too extreme and begins to threaten the other students or teacher. There are a few steps to take when a child behaves this way.
• Recognize That the Student Is Out of Control
• Step Back and Calm Yourself
• Taking a few steps back can indicate that you do not mean to bring any physical harm to the student.
• Listen Actively to the Student and Plan Action
• If the student still has not calmed down then the teacher will plan on how to get the student or the other students out of the classroom.
• When the Student Is Calm, Repeat Simple Verbal Request
• Ask the student to step out into the hall with the teacher.

*** This very important. Some time or another a student (or students) will behave in manor that is much more difficult to manage. In these high-intensity times the teacher MUST stay calm and think clearly. As humans we will have a tendency to want to react, but as teachers we must ALWAYS breathe deeply, remain clear headed, and react appropriately. We must not be caught of guard and ill prepared for any given situation. The times when teachers are not prepared for how to handle a situation that is when teachers overreact or mishandle a situation. ***

Step 9: Design an Overall Plan for Disciplinary Problems

• Teachers should design a plan that addresses multiple different behavior problems and how to handle them.

Here is a flowchart that a teacher can use to address multiple different behavior problems.