We were out on the playground for PE. I got out two balls from the ball bin to play soccer. The boys explained to me that these were the wrong balls and that they were basketballs and not soccer balls. I told them to go get soccer balls and to return these.

They did that and came back with two soccer balls. After a couple of minutes, they discovered that the soccer balls were flat and told me that. Freeze frame. What, do I, as a teacher do at this point?  Do I throw up my hands and shrug? Go look for someone to put air in the soccer balls? Try to find some other balls? Mind, we have less than 30 minutes to play. In other words, do I try to fix the problem with limited time and resources? What I did do was to ask the boys “What do you want to do?” They decided they would rather play with the basketball that had enough air in it than to try and play with the soccer balls that were nearly flat. I agreed.

Then the boys talked me into letting them play boys vs. girls and that lasted until the score was 7- 0 (boys vs. girls) and I changed it to one class vs. the other class. (5^th graders!)

According to Dweck, (1975) learned helplessness is the perceived inability to surmount failure. Children (and others) will attribute their failure in many situations to lack of ability.

Students of all ages have been taught forever to depend solely on the teacher for their guidance and instruction. They have ‘learned’ helplessness and that the teacher is the ‘source’ of all information and the ‘cure or solution’ for all problems. To gradually place responsibility into the hands of the students themselves is a new idea and one that often, they are not comfortable with.

My soccer ball problem is a relatively simple situation with few consequences attached to the wrong ‘answer.’ We need to allow the students gradually more and more in their academic and social programs to make choices for themselves so that they are thinking when they make decisions as opposed to operating on habit and routine.

From a behaviorist viewpoint, students have been taught to obey authority and to not question what they are told to do. Given that this training starts at the very beginning of their lives, it is not surprising that the average 11 year old has trouble making simple decisions for himself or herself.

The reward/punishment model that I have already advanced (see Blog #3) gives elementary school children immediate rewards (and punishments) for behavior. The behaviorist model as advanced by B.F. Skinner (1935) originally, shows us, that without doubt, people and animals can be trained (conditioned) by rewards (classic conditioning) to give us desired performance. While it is certainly not fair to ever compare children to Pavlovian dogs, we are all, in truth animals and we respond to many of the same stimuli. Adults would cringe at such a comparison made of them yet, what are paychecks, bonus programs, benefits, contests that adults respond to all the time?

However; dealing with both adults and children, it is also important to realize that there are other intrinsic rewards that people response to just as well. For example, being recognized for good work, academic achievement, good grades, nice hair, a pretty dress, new shoes, etc. People like to be recognized for their intrinsic value and worth.

In conclusion; for the classroom teacher, short term rewards (and punishments) do work and perhaps the best conclusion here is that, they work for the short run. We seek to grow and development better, stronger and more resilient students who are internally motivated and who learn how to reward themselves.

I am volunteering at a library and discussed ‘series’ books with the librarian. Examples of series books are Nancy Drew,  The Hardy Boys, Harry Potter and the like. She told me that her 13 year old daughter is always so eager to get to the next book in her own series, that instead of waiting for it to appear on the shelf of the library, she goes to the local book store and buys the latest book with her own money. This girl has found that reading her own ‘series’ so rewarding that she is willing to spend her money to do so. This cannot be said of many students.

Teaching students to give themselves ‘proper’ rewards for their own good behavior is a worthy task for parents and teachers alike. Part of my class project will be to develop lists of ‘rewarding’ books for pre-teens, especially boys, that will keep them interested in reading.

References:

Diener, C.I. & Dweck, C.S. (1978). An analysis of learned helplessness: Continuous changes in performance, strategy, and achievement cognitions following failure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 36, issue 5, pgs 451-462.

Newman and Newman, (2007). Theories of Human Development, New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc., Inc. ISBN 978-0-8058-4702-4.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

I showed up for class early; it was a 5^th and 6^th grade, combo class. Students lined up outside the door before coming in. Sam was one of the last students to get into line and certainly, the last one to stop talking to friends. Sam, age 12, is the tallest, biggest and the best looking of his class. If he keeps growing, he will outsize me in just a couple of years. Given the dyed hair, the big size and the obvious attitude, I knew I would have my hands full with this one.

I started my class as I usually do; going over the rules of raising your hand, staying in your seat and reading a book when done. Then, I incorporated my new favorite, which is the Happy/Sad board. Students get one Happy point for correct answers, being helpful, passing out papers, asking to use the restroom, etc. They get one Sad point for talking when they should be listening or when they are supposed to be doing their work.

I explained these rules to a very silent class who were trying to decide if I planned to eat them or not. As I began to give points to students for doing lunch count, taking attendance to the office, handing out papers and the like, they started to get the idea and then began ‘working’ for points.

Some time ago I was introduced to the concept of self-fulfilling prophecies (Merton, 1948) meaning that what we believe about either ourselves or another person, frequently begin to manifest into actual patterns of behavior. Sam and a couple of other students had desks placed oddly on the edge of other students. This was an apparent effort on the part of the teacher to control ‘outré’ behavior. Sam began to almost immediate chitter-chat with the students at his table. I handed out morning work in math and it appeared that he knew how to do the equations. I called him and another student to the front to show us how the problem was done and to explain their method. After doing that, both students got to write their names on the board and to then get a point.

I deliberately called on Sam on other occasions so that he would have a chance to earn points on the board. Then, when his behavior started to deteriorate into silliness and goofing with other students, I had him march up to the front and erase points off the board. His co-conspirators also got to do the same thing. The important part of this punishment is that it is immediate and clear. There are no parents, counselors, principals involved. The student gets to give himself the reward or punishment right then and there. It is important when using methods such as this that the teacher has ‘with-it-ness,’ meaning that you are alert to what is going on in class; the good and the bad. Students need to be ‘caught’ doing things right as well as when they do things wrong.

At recess, I pulled Sam over to talk to me when the other students had left the room. I told him he could recapture those lost points but he had to stop goofing with the other students. End of lecture; very clear-cut, not very long and demanding no promises. It was going to be in his hands how this thing went.

After recess, I consulted my Happy Board and one by one called the students up to the front and gave them each a sticker from a page of popular Disney characters. Sam had re-earned one point so he got one too. A couple of times Sam attempted to engage me in discussions about ‘why do we have to do this anyway,’ kind of thing and I would not engage with him.

By the end of the day, Sam was working on his packet the way he was supposed to do and actually turned it in before any of the other 6^th graders. One student was attempting to goof with him again and he told the kid to leave him alone because ‘he needed to finish his work.’ Unbelievable! Toward the end of the day, I handed out stickers one more time and Sam got a second sticker. It is important to realize that although the students do like the stickers, it is more the honor of getting called up to the front for good behavior and getting to show off a little in front of their classmates that is really ‘the thing.’

In the Calvete article the author points out that deep schemas of the adolescent individual predict surface-level anxious thoughts and these perpetuate more negative schemas. Maladaptive schemas maintain social anxiety. Negative self-imagery contributes to social phobias. Also, socially anxious individuals seek out negative information to reinforce preconceived notions about themselves because that is what they are comfortable with. The underlying negative self-schemas affect behavior and maintain social anxiety.

Sam is a twelve-year old boy who is dying his hair. This indicates a need to be ‘different’. He chatters incessantly which indicates an ‘other-directedness’ as indicates by Calvete and a constant need for approval from others. He has a hard time making eye contact and is argumentative. He is not autistic and this would suggest a trust problem with significant adults in his life. As teachers, our job is not to psychoanalyze Sam’s behavior constantly, but to figure out simple measures that will get him and keep him on track long enough so that he can utilize the brain he has to achieve, get some good grades and find new ways to feel better about himself. This is not just about learning the material, it is a process in class of getting the students re-organized, on task and moving along so they feel they can accomplish and handle the material and master what is in front of them.

Some may argue against the use of ‘rewards’ to encourage behavior. Research has shown that incentives can be moderately successful when they are well specified and well targeted. (Gneezy, Meier and Rey-Biel, 2011). These students are eleven and twelve years old. Eventually, we hope that they will become more ‘inner directed’ and less ‘reward or outer directed’ but that can still take some time. Regardless, all people enjoy positive recognition for doing well.

In this and in all classroom settings and also in parenting; it is the job of the teacher/parent, to teach the student/children to gradually think for themselves and to become independent in their thoughts and actions and to become capable of taking care of themselves and making proper choices. It is a long process involved in ‘letting go of the reins’ and gradually allowing the students to more and more to take control of their own learning and eventually, their own lives.

References:

Calvete, E, Orie I. and Hankin, B. L. (2013). Early Maladaptive Schemas and Social Anxiety in Adolescents, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 27, pgs 278-288.

Gneezy, Uri, Meier, Stephen and Rey-Biel, Pedro (2011). When and Why Incentives Don’t Work to Modify Behavior, Journal of Economic Perpectives, Vol. 25, #4, pgs 191-210.

Merton, Robert K. (1948). Self-fulfilling Prophecy, The Antioch Review, Vol.  8, (#2-Summer) : pgs 193-210, retrieved Internet 5/4/2014.

Definition of epistemology

1. : the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity

Origin of epistemology

Greek epistēmē knowledge, fromepistanai to understand, know, from epi- + histanai to cause to stand — more at stand (Websters.)
First Known Use: circa 1856

Yesterday, as a sub-teacher, I taught a lesson to first-graders on a book about masks. The book had masks from Korea, Japan, Africa, the American Northwest and Mexico. From the pictures we were able to pick out the blue tile roofs common to Korea, the face of Buddha from Japan, the carved wooden mask of Africa and the eagle from the Native Americans, probably from Washington State. We were able to explore (briefly) geography, culture and nationalities. We talked about totem poles of the NA people and that eagles, bears, fish and mountain lions were all made into images. We discussed Dia De Los Muertos and what that was (Day of the Dead) and what masks students had worn on Halloween.

Touching briefly on the subjects brings the study of geography and culture into the classroom and adds an element of inclusion for students who come from those cultures. Although none  knew where totem poles came from, many of them knew all about costumes for Dia De Los Muertos. Students like to feel included in classroom activities and that their personal backgrounds count and matter. Also, that these cultures have value and merit and therefore, they have value and merit.

Relective practice is “A moving beyond the acquisition of new knowledge and understanding, into questioning [of] existing assumptions, values, and perspectives (Cranton 1996, p. 76). Four elements are central to critical reflection: assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism (Brookfield 1988, p. 325). (Imel, 1998.) Reflective practice is central to my style of teaching. 

Diversity training that I have received over the years has given me a greater understanding and perspective on the vast array of cultures and nationalities that come together in this state in particular and this nation. It is not just enough to teach students that we live in California, and Oregon is north of us and Washington State is north of that. What does that mean and why is it significant? It is important to teach students more than just a bunch of facts. In order to develop a comprehensive schema and understanding of the world, students need to learn connectivity between the things that surround them.

Reflective practice in all classes should consider whether students are engaged in the material, interested in what they are learning and whether or not they are demonstrating increasing and developing command of facts and skills.

Educators have become familiar with the concept of reflective practice through Donald Schon’s (1983, 1988) writings about reflective practitioners. Schon’s work has an historical foundation in a tradition of learning supported by Dewey, Lewin, and Piaget, each of whom advocated that learning is dependent upon the integration of experience with reflection and of theory with practice.  (Osterman 1990). (Imel,1992.)

However, Osterman (1990) maintains that an important part of reflective practice is developing the ability to articulate that tacit knowledge. The competent practitioner must be able to 1) describe the event 2) analyze the event) theorize about it and 4) take action. And, again and again, the practitioner (teacher) has to ask himself or herself the question “Is this working with this class?”

I was once a long-term sub for Job Corps in Sacramento. They had an expensive and complicated Reading 180 program. The class had an abundance of computers and tons of level reading books that should have been interesting to the students. The teacher had been extensively trained for the program. However; some smart psychologist decided the students lost interest easily, so a timer would ring every 15 minutes. Then, students had to get up and move to another work station. Great in theory and horrible in practice. Students hated the program, probably because they hated being herded around like cattle. The teacher nearly lost control of that class because of the negative emotional reaction from her students.

My personal epistemology would be that developing the whole mind schema is important for students in terms of how well they ultimately do on college entrance exams and also, for them to develop a well-rounded interest and curiosity in their world. Time and time again, I find students have more tucked up their sleeves than I would have thought. But, that information does not come out if I do all the talking. I once had a nine year old boy tell the class that the dinosaurs died because an asteroid hit the planet. He stole my line! Students need to become gradually more responsible in class for constructing their own learning and developing their own instruments for teaching others. Whether that be papers, Power Points or drama skits; students need to demonstrate their acquisition and command of knowledge their own way.

“Learning is the change in performance that results from experience and interaction with the world.” Students need to demonstrate what they learn. Standardized tests are one way to demonstrate learning, but they are not the only way and teachers need to develop tools in the classroom to assist their students in their ability to demonstrate their own learning. (Driscoll, 2005.)

Dweck talks about the mindset where students interpret their performance as a ‘setback’ or a ‘failure.’ Student who learn to evaluate their efforts as setbacks rather than abject failures are more likely to exercise persistence in the face of challenge. Students who ‘catastrophize’ every small thing into being a ‘big thing’ are more likely to give up and throw in the towel at the least little bump in the road. (Dweck, 2006.)

No large successes in school or any other endeavor will ever be accomplished without setbacks and it is our jobs as teachers to give students the permission to ‘reframe’ their reference points for self-evaluation and give themselves permission to ‘fail’ so that they will eventually succeed.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Introduction to theories of learning and instruction. In Psychology of     learning for instruction (3^rd ed., pp. 1-15). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success (pp. 3-11). New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Imel, S. (1992).  Reflective Practice in Adult Education.(Eric Digest No. 122. ED346319). Columbus, OH: ERIC. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov.hmlproxy.lib.

Imel, S. (1998). Transformative learning in adulthood. (ERIC Digest No. 200 ED423426). Columbus, OH: ERIC. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov.hmlproxy.lib.

Merriam-Webster: Dictionary and Thesaurus. Retrieved Internet: www.merriam-webster.com.