| Subject: Re: Reinforcement schedules that don't kill teachers |
Author:
Peter V.
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Date Posted: 16:05:13 01/27/08 Sun
In reply to:
Danielle Murphy
's message, "Re: Reinforcement schedules that don't kill teachers" on 15:06:38 01/20/08 Sun
Yes! I like this a lot. I have somewhat of a "token" system already in that I have a stamp that use to stamp the warmup/"do now" of students who have started on time (within about 30 seconds of the bell). Only I have the token "machine" and at the end of each week, their warmup grade is affected by how many stamps they got during the week. I instituted this because logging down the names of who did/didn't start on time was too time-consuming and students might argue with me later about my records. It also gives them ongoing feedback and reminders when they notice that their warmup sheet doesn't have as many stamps as their neighbor's does.
That said, this is only a grade incentive. Many students, I have learned, do not find grades to be much of an enforcer. It would be very helpful if I used a token system of some sort that allowed students to choose from a menu of reinforcers. This could be just great!
Thanks!
>Although I have never taught before, I do spend a lot
>of time learning about behavior modifications and
>reinforcement strategies that can be used in the
>classroom. Depending on how your classroom is setup,
>and what grade you teach, you may be able to use some
>variation of a token economy to reinforce your
>students to attend class and be on time. Since
>checking roll by hand and keeping up with points has
>become too time consuming and too much to keep up
>with, you could try using a token or 'on-time' pass
>that you give each student as they come in the door
>before the bell rings. At the end of the two-week
>period, students who have ten token or passes can
>exchange it for a homework pass. Tokens or passes
>could make the build-up to the reward more tangible
>and take the time of checking roll away. If you find
>that students are being tardy at the beginning of the
>two week period and essentially blowing their homework
>pass, you may need to rethink the reinforcer. Because
>of the Premack Principle discussed in class, a
>reinforcer will not act as reinforcing if it has no
>value to the student. Effective reinforcers can be
>found by the use of a Reinforcement Menu. Your
>students will know what is reinforcing to them, so ask
>them to list things that they'd like to work towards
>(realistic things that you can actually work with in
>the classroom). Sometimes after an extended period of
>time, reinforcers can start to lose their
>effectiveness. In this case, you can go back to your
>Reinforcement Menu and choose a new reinforcer.
>Rotating reinforcers can help keep them effective.
>Depending on the setup of your classroom environment,
>these suggestions may or may not work, but I hope some
>of these ideas are helpful!
>
>
>
>>Yesterday's class caused me to consider several
>>practical issues in reinforcing excellent work and
>>good behavior. For me, I have found that I often stay
>>very busy as a teacher and while I have come up with
>>several incentive programs for my class (relating to
>>warmups, homework and punctuality), I get hung up on
>>the amount of work involved in doing my part of the
>>deal on a weekly or daily schedule. Also, I have
>>found that my fixed-interval schedules don't work for
>>motivating some students because two weeks is "too
>>long to wait".
>>
>>For example, I put into place a punctuality and
>>attendance incentive saying that any two week period
>>in which a student was present and on time each day
>>for the two weeks, he or she would get a homework pass
>>and some extra credit. I started getting behind,
>>however, because of the work involved in checking my
>>roll by hand to see who should get one and also
>>filling out all of the homework passes and putting the
>>extra credit in my grade program.
>>
>>Also, some students will accidentally be tardy the
>>first day of a two-week fixed-interval for this
>>program, and then they will realize that they have
>>already lost their chance for the homework pass and
>>will not be motivated at all for the rest of the two
>>weeks.
>>
>>Does anyone have ideas relating to any sort of
>>reinforcement system that is working for them? Does
>>anyone have ideas for how I could improve mine?
>>
>>Thanks!
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