Chapters 7 and 11 Behavior views of Learning Blog #3

I believe chapters seven and eleven have been yet the most essential and learning discussions. Working as a SECA in a classroom,  I see it in various classes, how creating and maintaining an efficient classroom environment for students can be difficult. With the number of distractions and behavioral issues teachers encounter daily, it becomes imperative to try to prevent them. Here Bandura’s Challenges to behavioral are explained to become a critic, caution, and have an ethical consideration for educators. 

In chapter 7 focuses on the four Behavioral learning process: Contiguity, classical, conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. Some theories say that the role of environmental stimuli in learning and focus on behavior (p 262).  Additionally, after they analyze the behavior learning process, the psychologist's looked at different behavior assessments. 

Reinforcing with teacher attention, really spoke to me. Here they talk about how psychologists advise the teacher to "accentuate the positive-" praise students for good behavior while ignoring misbehavior (273). I have been using the praise-and-ignore approach for the past three years. When the teachers allow me to read or teach the students a lesson. I use this approach. For the most part, it has worked, but on some occasions, it didn't.  Just this year, we had a transfer student; he liked to get out of his chair and talk over the teacher. I kept ignoring him talking loud and getting up from his seat, but I would continuously give him eye contact. As I continue reading the story and engaging the class, I praise them for their excellent answers. I even came to say that I always knew it; they were one of the smartest classrooms. This particular student sat down and said: "I'm smart." I responded, "Yes, you are, and right now, you showed me by making the right decision." He then became engaged in the subject and had outstanding answers. I guess I was using too much that, one day it didn't work for me anymore.

Woolfolk talks about how we shouldn't use this to solve all of the classroom management problems. This particular student as months passed he became louder in the classroom where he was getting up and talking to other students while they were engaged in the lesson.  Although most of the students ignore him, one other child didn't. So this became a little of a bigger problem. Here I use the Premack principle or how it's known to some the "Grandma's rule." I said if you finish the worksheet cause and effects, you may use the computer at the end of the day. Here the Premack Principle was used, a preferred activity can be a productive reinforcer for less-preferred activity. It seems that I have used this principle, on many occasions. The psychologists do remind us to be aware of overusing it because it can be dangerous as well. Students may want to learn to make the teacher happy and have their approval than learning for their own sake. I  believe though it helps more to be positive and sincere recognition, it makes the students get a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when they are praised. 

Furthermore, I will keep Brophy's Guidelines: Applying operant conditioning-Using Praise Appropriately.   If a pleasant classroom environment is set up, I believe students can learn effectively without feeling restricted. Although students can be unpredictable, and not all strategies are proven to work, the efforts made towards creating this environment are what produce a difference. To have a well-managed classroom, it is essential. To be an effective teacher, we can learn from the behavior views and be aware of the social cognitive perspectives of learning and motivation.