Drill and practice can be a good thing for student learning if it is positively reinforced. Playing games on the computer to enhance student performance is a great way to keep them engaged in learning. I feel it is important for my first grade to understand the connection between effort and success. At the first grade level it is a bit difficult to plot and show the success related to effort because I feel my class is eager to do well because they want attention. Homework for my students is a way to practice the skills taught that day. It is another opportunity to practice their skills for proficiency.
There is a place for behaviorist learning theory in today’s classroom and instructional technology. Skinner’s model of operant conditioning where desired behaviors were rewarded and undesired behaviors were punished describes some of my classroom management strategies. With my class we develop class rules and procedures. When their behavior is unacceptable the consequences occur immediately after the behavior. In Pavlov’s theory, the positive behavior is reinforced with incentives. One incentive that I use for my first grade is a sticker chart. I give them stickers for following school and class rules. When it is filled with about 30 stickers they can trade it for a prize and get a new chart. Giving away our school mammoth tickets is a good way to help my first grade exhibit acceptable behavior and buy prizes. Another successful positive reinforcer is the moving of their name cards on the stop light. They are motivated to move up and down the light because at the end of the day the color they land on is recorded on the behavior communication calendar. This is our parent/family connection. This is only successful if the positive behaviors are consistently rewarded with positive praise and the negative behaviors are given consequences every time.
Drill and practice, remediation, and traditional tutorial programs have a place in today’s classroom. For math we practice addition and subtraction facts. In our computer lab my students play math games with addition and subtraction facts and are rewarded to go to the next level. Sometimes there are the prompts that say “good job”, “you are correct”, and “wonderful”. When they are incorrect they are given a pleasant response and can continue to try until they get the correct response. The students are encouraged to keep trying because they are not stopped or embarrassed about being incorrect. They are always excited about going to the lab for practice. We also collect data on when they master their addition and math facts. We encourage them to show them that as long as they are trying and not giving up they will do better on the next test (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).This has been a great motivator and has given my students some well needed self esteem. I feel my students can also be challenged by going to the next level. They may start in the first grade level and as they progress they will be doing more difficult problems for enrichment.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Posting for Walden University; EDUC 6711 Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology.
Incentives and consequences following behaviors are the easiest and most efficient ways of getting our students to do as we ask. We all do them to some degree. I am just concerned that if we start students in the early grades focusing on rewards and consequences, some may lose the capacity for intrinsically motivating themselves or taking responsibility. My older students seem to want a reward for every thing they do well. They get upset if they do not get a reward. Also, many of them know the consequences but they avoid them by sneaking around or lying. Unfortunately, many students are also jaded by never getting rewards as they grew up and always getting in trouble. I wonder if younger students would build self-esteem and a positive attitude about school if they understand that learning and gaining knowledge is a reward in itself.
ReplyDeleteI know we all have seen the benefits of behaviorism in the classroom. I found the grade you teach interesting. I teach seventh grade. I wonder if there is a certain age group where behaviorism works better? Then again all of us like to be rewarded for good behavior.
ReplyDeleteScott
Students in my seventh grade classes do seem to look for rewards when we are playing a review game and they do get very excited when they win. I also have students that get very excited when they get an "A" or a "B" on a test. I agree that we may be taking away students' abilities to be intrinsically motivated but I also agree that we all like rewards. I think that we need to have a happy medium or balance between the two.
ReplyDeleteKristin,
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I am, pretty much, a huge advocate of using technology in the classroom. I really like using computerized games and programs much like you use with your first grade classroom. I wish with all of this up-and-coming technology, I could get my hands on a computer program that goes beyond just "correct" and "incorrect" responses. If we had a program that analyzes exactly where they student went wrong and then, in turn showed that to the students to correct. The extra reinforcement would be phenomenal for many of our students with a program like this.
I am sure the children love the computer games for math. I think the computer can keep kids' interest longer. It makes any subject more fun and that is great that the program even gives them positive reinforcements. I have my students on the computer each day. There are so many great websites for every subject and grade level.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Scott in that all of us like to be rewarded for things done right, but I would also be interested to know if it gets easier for any particular grade or is it just tweaking what is done and how it's done. I wish I could have my students on computers each day to make certain subjects more fun and to reinforce good behavior and help some students feel more successful.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your classroom rules that say unacceptable behaviors have immediate consequences and postive behaviors are rewarded.
ReplyDelete