Tag: pedagogy
How Behaviorism Can Turn Your Classroom Around
I first ran into Behaviorism in child psychology classes I took for my Early Childhood Education credential (ECE). It was developed by a renowned psychologist named John B. Watson and formed into the Theory of Behaviorism by another famous psychologist, B.F. Skinner. The technical definition they provide is:
“…scientific and objective methods of investigation concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors; all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment.”
They used the infamous example of Pavlov’s Dogs. No surprise, with this gobbledegook definition that used dog training as the example, I laughed, rejected it, and forgot it.
Fast forward a decade, to a time I was studying for my teaching credential. One of my classes reviewed education pedagogies such as Purpose-driven Learning, the Socratic Method, Depth of Knowledge, Unschooling, and Behaviorism. Applied to education, Behaviorism focuses on:
“… conditioning student behavior with various types of reinforcements and consequences…”
I still cringe at words like “conditioning” and “consequences”, but in the fullness of the class, I came to understand that whether teachers know it or not, they use Behaviorism as an effective, reliable teaching tool. I’ll get back to that later but first, I want to deconstruct how a theory that started with training dogs is now a cornerstone in education pedagogy.
Note: I have posted about this before. If it sounds familiar, that’s why.
What is Behaviorism in Education?
Behaviorism in the classroom revolves around observable measurable behaviors. This is actions, not thoughts or feelings. Since its introduction to education in the 1950’s, it has become a teacher’s best friend in helping her/him to define classroom behaviors that shape order and enhance learning. It establishes boundaries for students, provides expectations that they can rely on, and offers a reliable way to self-assess student achievement of class goals:
According to Skinner, behavior is a learned response reinforced by the consequences resulting from that behavior. For instance, if students are rewarded for doing extra work, they’re more likely to repeat that behavior.
It accomplishes much of what B.F. Skinner predicted when he suggested it as an effective methodology for revolutionizing an education system that didn’t seem to work anymore. It has become popular in education theory by other names such as PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) and through the use of apps like Too Noisy or Hero K12.
Why use Behaviorism Strategies in Teaching?
The short answer is, for many, Behaviorism works. Because of its clear guidelines and easy-to-understand cause-and-effect relationships, it improves student performance and discourages classroom behavior that interferes with education goals. It manages to quantify responses to notoriously subjective issues (like the student who needs to entertain classmates) and encourages objective and measurable metrics that provide a win-win in the difficult area of student assessment. Students appreciate an even-handed approach which favors no one and everyone at the same time. Teachers appreciate an unbiased framework that is defensible when discussing issues with parents, grade-level team members, and/or administrators. When stringently applied in an objective manner, students get more out of class lessons, get better grades, and classroom behavior is more conducive to everyone’s learning.
So, if you’ve tried other classroom management strategies to no avail, try this one for three months. In many cases, it will be exactly what you need.
How to use it
The application of Behaviorism relies on observable behavior, nothing else. It rewards the positive, punishes the negative, and in that way shapes student actions. It’s unbiased, without opinion, must be consistently enforced, and can’t be influenced by thoughts or emotions. Most teachers already use this strategy and appreciate the results without even knowing that’s what they’re doing. For example, when they thank students for sitting down quickly upon entering class or for starting a warm-up activity without being told to, the teacher is using a behavioral strategy. When homework is assigned with the expectation that students will return to class the next day with it completed, teachers are training student learning behavior. If your school uses positive reinforcement tools like Class Dojo, Empatico, Hero K12, or Sown to Grow, they are acknowledging the effectiveness in education ecosystems of Skinner’s Behaviorism.
There are four types of reinforcement:
- Positive reinforcement concentrates on applauding good behavior
- Negative reinforcement punishes the unacceptable
- Presentation punishment applies a negative outcome in response to a behavior that is not desired
- Removal reinforcement simply eliminates the negative stimuli.
Each of these can be equally effective in helping students achieve their learning goals.
How you already use it
Here are ways you already use it without thinking about it:
- grading papers and then accumulating the grades for a summative report (such as report cards)
- keeping kids in class instead of releasing them to recess to give them time to finish work they didn’t do
- providing treats for right answers
- applying consequences for the use of cellphones in class when they aren’t allowed
- setting classroom rules at the beginning of the school year
- using award systems like Classroom Dojo or Hero K12
- awarding badges for achievements and/or the completion of specific skills, tasks, or units
- timing a test or another classroom activity, expecting students to complete the task within the time parameters
- providing rubrics that spell out expectations for a project
- modeling appropriate behavior as an encouragement for students to do the same
- sharing samples of projects students will be completing as examples of what you expect
- expecting students who are late for class to get notes from parents or a teacher before being admitted to class
- expecting student athletes to maintain a C average (or whatever your school requires) to participate in sports
You can start the application of Behaviorism by applauding good behavior but include evidence to support it as well as making clear your willingness to use logical consequences that don’t embarrass the student if behavior is unacceptable.
Conclusion
Applying Behaviorism to your classes could be one of the easiest changes you make to your classroom management with the greatest chance for success. I’d love to hear your experiences with this pedagogy.
Here’s the list of articles:
Here’s the sign-up link if the image above doesn’t work:
https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm
“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”
Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
What is Constructivism and How Does it Fit Your Class?
Constructivism is a student-centered philosophy that emphasizes hands-on learning and active participation in lessons. Constructivists believe that learning is an active process so the most effective way to learn is through discovery. New information is blended into prior knowledge. Learning is constructed, not acquired, and is based on the fullness of a person’s individual lifetime of learning. It is continuously tested as new ideas are added, either causing long-held beliefs to evolve or be replaced.
Constructivism is not a pedagogy or a theory. It is a mindset — a way of thinking used to guide learners.
Books You’ll Want to Read This Summer
Summer is a great time to reset your personal pedagogy to an education-friendly mindset and catch up on what’s been changing in the ed world while you were teaching eight ten hours a day. My Twitter friends gave me great suggestions, but first:
A comment on the selections: I did get more suggestions than I could possibly list so I avoided books that involved politics or hot-button subjects that teachers are divided on and focused on positive and uplifting reading. Yes, there is a lot wrong with education around the world but I wanted a selection of books that would send me — and you — back to teaching in the fall with a can-do attitude for how to accomplish miracles with your next class of students.
Having said that, here’s a granular list of teacher-approved books to keep you busy this summer:
10 Books for Summer Reading for Educators
Should You Unschool?
The first time I read about Unschooling, I ignored it. Surely, it was a fad that would go away. When I read about it a thousand more times, I dug into it.
Inspired by the teachings of John Holt (1923–1985), this free range branch of homeschooling promotes learning through nonstructured, child-led exploration. There’s no set curriculum or schedule; students learn what interests them with guidance from involved adults. There are no worksheets, tests, or structure to provide evidence of learning or templates for teaching. The children pick what to learn, when, at what pace. The result — according to unschoolers, is a love of learning, tenacity to a task, and independent thought that prepares them for college and career better than traditional methods. In fact, if you look at the list of traits valued in popular education programs such as Habits of Mind and Depth of Knowledge, the reasons why parents unschool their children mirror the traits included in these lists.
What is Unschooling?
According to Dr. Peter Gray of Freedom to Learn:
“Unschooling parents do not … do at home the kinds of things that are done at school. More specifically, they do not establish a curriculum for their children, do not require their children to do particular assignments for the purpose of education, and do not test their children to measure progress. Instead, they allow their children freedom to pursue their own interests and to learn, in their own ways, what they need to know to follow those interests. They may, in various ways, provide an environmental context and environmental support for the child’s learning. In general, unschoolers see life and learning as one.”
If you use Genius Hour in your classroom, you have a sense of how inspiring, motivating, and addicting learning for the love of learning can be. Another popular example of unschooling is Sugata Mitra’s 1999 Hole in the Wall experiment where a computer was placed in a kiosk in an Indian slum. Children were allowed to use it freely. The experiment successfully proved that children could learn to use computers without any formal training. This was extended to be a method called Minimally Invasive Education (MIE) where students were encouraged to learn what interests them without adult direction — much as what is expected from unschooling.
Summer Reading on Education
Summer is a great time to reset your personal pedagogy to an education-friendly mindset and catch up on what’s been changing in the ed world while you were teaching eight ten hours a day. My X friends gave me great suggestions, but first:
A comment on the selections: I did get more than I could list so I avoided books with hot-button subjects teachers are divided on and focused on positive and uplifting reading. Yes, there is a lot wrong with education around the world but I wanted a selection of books that would send me — and you — back to teaching in the fall with a can-do attitude for how to accomplish miracles with your next class of students.
Having said that, here’s a granular list of teacher-approved books to keep you busy this summer:
by Todd Whitaker
What are the beliefs and behaviors that set great teachers apart? In this internationally renowned bestseller, Todd Whitaker reveals 19 keys to becoming more effective in the classroom.
This essential third edition features new sections on why it’s about more than relationships, how to focus on a consistent, engaging learning environment, and the importance of choosing the right mode―business, parent, child―to improve your classroom management.
Perfect for educators at any level of experience, for independent reading or for schoolwide book studies, this practical book will leave you feeling inspired and ready to do the things that matter most for the people who matter most―your students.
by Rob Plevin
You’ll discover:
- The simple six-step plan to minimise & deal with classroom behaviour problems
- How to gain trust & respect from tough, hard-to-reach students
- How to put an end to power struggles & confrontation
- How to have students follow your instructions… with no need to repeat yourself
- The crucial importance of consistency (and how to achieve it)
- Quick and easy ways to raise engagement and enjoyment in your lessons
- The ‘Clean Slate’ – a step by step method you can use to ‘start over’ with that particularly difficult group of students who won’t do anything you say.
Books You’ll Want to Read This Summer
Summer is a great time to reset your personal pedagogy to an education-friendly mindset and catch up on what’s been changing in the ed world while you were teaching eight ten hours a day. My Twitter friends gave me great suggestions, but first:
A comment on the selections: I did get more suggestions than I could possibly list so I avoided books that involved politics or hot-button subjects that teachers are divided on and focused on positive and uplifting reading. Yes, there is a lot wrong with education around the world but I wanted a selection of books that would send me — and you — back to teaching in the fall with a can-do attitude for how to accomplish miracles with your next class of students.
Having said that, here’s a granular list of teacher-approved books to keep you busy this summer:
Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times
by Eric C. Sheninger
Digital Leadership defines a strategic mindset and set of behaviors that leverage resources to create a meaningful, transparent, and engaging school culture. It takes into account recent changes such as connectivity, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization of learning to dramatically shift how schools have been run for over a century.
Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns
by Clayton M. Christensen
Selected as one of Business Week’s Best Books on Innovation in 2008, Disrupting Class remains a worthy read. It is filled with fascinating case studies, scientific findings, and insights into how managed innovation can unleash education. Disrupting Class will open your eyes to new possibilities and evolve your thinking. For more detail, read my review, Disrupting Class.
Implementing Mindfulness Practices in Schools
Implementing Mindfulness Practices in Schools
In recent years, mindfulness has gained significant traction, not just in adults’ lives but also in educational settings. Incorporating mindfulness practices in schools has proven beneficial for students’ well-being, emotional regulation, and academic success. Let’s explore why and how mindfulness practices are making their way into classrooms worldwide.
The Need for Mindfulness in Schools
Modern education often heavily emphasises academic achievement, leaving students stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. In such a high-pressure environment, the need for mindfulness practices becomes apparent. These practices help students manage stress, develop emotional resilience, and foster a positive attitude towards learning. Another great way to alleviate some academic stress is outsourcing some of your assignments to trustmypaper.com. This provider will complete your essays with ease, allowing you to allocate some time to mindfulness practices.
Benefits of Mindfulness Practices
1. Improved Concentration
Mindfulness exercises, such as meditation and deep breathing, can enhance students’ ability to focus. These practices train the mind to stay present, reducing distractions and improving concentration levels, ultimately benefiting academic performance.
2. Stress Reduction
One of the primary benefits of mindfulness is stress reduction. Students face various stressors, from exams to social pressures. Mindfulness techniques offer tools to manage stress, promoting a calmer and more conducive learning environment.
3. Emotional Regulation
Mindfulness teaches students how to recognize and manage their emotions effectively. By understanding their feelings and reactions, students can develop healthier relationships with peers and teachers, leading to improved behavior and cooperation.
4. Enhanced Self-Awareness
Through mindfulness, students gain a better understanding of themselves. This self-awareness helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses, facilitating personal growth and self-improvement.
5. Increased Empathy
Mindfulness practices encourage empathy and compassion. Students learn to appreciate the feelings and experiences of others, leading to more respectful and inclusive interactions in the classroom. (more…)
Understanding Behavioral Learning Theory & Its Applications In The Classroom
The Ask a Tech Teacher team has written a great article on behavioral learning in the classroom. You’ll find out:
- What it is
- Keys to unpacking it
- Why it matters in education
- Examples in the classroom
- Techniques for applying it
- Challenges
Behavioral Learning Theory & Its Applications In Class
If you’re an educator or a parent, equipping yourself with knowledge of behavioral learning theory can transform your classroom dynamics and alter how you perceive the process of learning itself. If the entire concept is alien to you at the moment, hold tight as we talk you through the main aspects, and how they can hold relevance in modern teaching environments.
Introduction to Behavioral Learning Theory
Behavioral learning theory can sound complex, but it’s actually quite straightforward. It stipulates that all behaviors are learnt through interactions with the environment.
While biology may play a part, this theory focuses on acquired behavior and how your responses can change over time.
Conditioning is at the center of this theory, and it posits that humans learn by developing associations between their actions and the consequences they experience in real-time.
Books You’ll Want to Read This Summer
Summer is a great time to reset your personal pedagogy to an education-friendly mindset and catch up on what’s been changing in the ed world while you were teaching eight ten hours a day. My Twitter friends gave me great suggestions, but first:
A comment on the selections: I did get more suggestions than I could possibly list so I avoided books that involved politics or hot-button subjects that teachers are divided on and focused on positive and uplifting reading. Yes, there is a lot wrong with education around the world but I wanted a selection of books that would send me — and you — back to teaching in the fall with a can-do attitude for how to accomplish miracles with your next class of students.
Having said that, here’s a granular list of teacher-approved books to keep you busy this summer:
Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times
by Eric C. Sheninger
Digital Leadership defines a strategic mindset and set of behaviors that leverage resources to create a meaningful, transparent, and engaging school culture. It takes into account recent changes such as connectivity, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization of learning to dramatically shift how schools have been run for over a century.
Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns
by Clayton M. Christensen
Selected as one of Business Week’s Best Books on Innovation in 2008, Disrupting Class remains a worthy read. It is filled with fascinating case studies, scientific findings, and insights into how managed innovation can unleash education. Disrupting Class will open your eyes to new possibilities and evolve your thinking. For more detail, read my review, Disrupting Class.
What is a Growth Mindset?
It’s no secret many parents are frustrated with public schools. Are kids learning to think or just to pass tests? Are they spending classroom time wisely or just doing what’s always been done? Are we developing lifelong learners or kids who can’t wait to graduate?
If this describes you, you’re not alone in your concerns, but there’s hope. Consider a pedagogy that transcends rote memorization and the stock drills often found in today’s classrooms, expects critical thinking that teaches how to learn anything — not just school subjects. It’s called a “Growth Mindset”. In an Edsurge article by Rupa Gupta, former Redesign Administrator at Burnett Middle School in San Jose, Calif., she summarized the issue like this:
“In a recent national survey, 97 percent of teachers agreed that all students can and should have a growth mindset, and that same number said fostering a growth mindset is an important part of a teacher’s job. Yet only 50 percent said they have adequate solutions and strategies to shift mindset.”
So nearly everyone agrees this type of cerebral approach is important to real learning but few know how to make it happen.
What is Growth Mindset?
Let me back up a moment and define “Growth Mindset” more clearly. Most people believe basic human qualities like intelligence and talent are fixed traits: nature supersedes nurture. Kids are born with the characteristics that will mold their future. They are good at math or they aren’t. They can throw a football well or not. As kids grow, they figure out what they can and can’t do and adjust learning and life as needed to these truths. They come to believe that understanding and adapting to this process equates to success.
In a Growth Mindset, people believe ability can be developed through dedication and hard work. The cerebral and physical traits they were born with are just the starting point. Students are responsible for setting the patterns and strategies that allow them to succeed, by evaluating what they can do at any given point and making a plan for learning everything else.
