Behavioristic Approaches

1. Behavioristic Approaches Katherine Egan, Sarah Evans, Celine Jacquenod Garcia, Gayle Restivo

2. 8 Methods for Getting Rid of Bad Behavior • Don’t Shoot the Dog! • Chapter 5, Building Classroom Discipline • Chapter 3, Building Classroom Discipline

3. Norma MacRae: Behavioral Approach • Increasing & Decreasing Specific Behaviors • Similar to training a pet • 8 Approaches to respond to problem behavior • Ronald Morrish: Real Discipline • Purely Behavioral Approach doesn’t work • Real Discipline teaches students how to behave appropriately and needed social skills within structure of rules and limits.

4. 1. Shoot the Dog (i) • Get rid of the doer – temporarily or permanently. • Send to the hall • Send to the principal • In School Suspension

5. 1. Shoot the Dog (ii) • Doesn’t teach anything • Can prevent trouble • Drastic • Good option for potentially dangerous situations

6. 2. Punishment (i) • Not very effective • Behavior must be caught early • Punishment must be novel • May teach a lesson • May more likely teach evasion • Morrish: Can teach No Means No

7. 2. Punishment (ii) • Morrish: Never give students a choice when it comes to limits • Enforcement must be consistent, even for minor infractions. • Consequences: • Compensation • Letter Writing • Improvement Plan • Teaching Younger Children

8. Time Out • 5 to 10 Minutes • No Stimulus • No Academic Work • Supervised

9. Positive Reinforcement • Definition: Consequence that brings about the increase of a behavior through the presentation of a stimulus. • A particular stimulus is presented after a behavior and the behavior increases as a result. • E.g. : writing between lines stickers

10. Example: Behavior : Bringing an orange Stimulus/”Rewards”: a kiss

11. Oops!

12. 3. Negative Reinforcement • Definition: Consequence that brings about the increase of a behavior through the removal of a stimulus. • NR will increase a behavior through the removal of a stimulus (usually an unpleasant one.) Individuals want to avoid negative reaction, situation, discomfort… • E.g.: Feelings of worry Assignment-completion behavior

13. Compare/Contrast • Positive Reinforcement: Response increases when a new stimulus (one the learner finds desirable) is presented. • Negative Reinforcement: Response increases when a previously existing stimulus (one the learner finds undesirable) is removed. • Punishment: consequence that decreases the frequency of the response it follows.

16. 4. Extinction • Definition: gradual disappearance of response as a result of repeated lack of reinforcement. • Ext. is used to decrease undesirable behaviors. • The behavior produces no results …. You ignore it! • Behavior may increase for a time before it begins to decrease. Things may get worse before they get better!! • Extinction must be complete with total nonreinforcement

17. E.g.: a student makes funny sounds during class The teacher and students ignore him/her The student will stop making funny sounds.

18. 5. Training an Incompatible Behavior • Identify the negative behavior • Reinforce the opposite and incompatible behavior • Example: • Undesirable behavior: not sitting at desk • Desired behavior: sitting in proper seat • The student cannot do both behaviors at the same time

19. 6. Put the Behavior on Cue • Create cues to associate with desired behaviors • Must be consistent • Examples: • Raising hand to ask or respond to question • Placing fingers to mouth to quiet down • Teacher taps student desk to get their attention

20. 7. Reinforce the Absence (i) • When student is NOT engaged in bad behavior, teacher reinforces by: Turning towards student with pleasant expression and • MAKING EYE CONTACT • SMILING • PRAISING • When student reverts to bad behavior, teacher: • TURNS AWAY • DOES NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT

21. 7. Reinforce the Absence (ii) • Ronald Morrish’s Real Discipline Approach: • Bad behavior is rare in a well-structured classroom with enforced rules and limits. • Students practice correct behavior till it becomes automatic. • Forego praise when students do only what is expected of them • Praise work and behavior only when it deserves special recognition

22. 8. Change Motivation (i) • Don’t Prejudge Student and assume they can't change • Involve Students in changing own behavior: • Ask questions • Discuss behavior with student • Try to prevent negative behavior, making student aware of their own behavior • Brainstorm practical solutions to avoid negative behavior

23. 8. Change Motivation (ii) Ronald Morrish on Motivation: • Initially, not all students are motivated to do well or to behave well in class. • Teacher sets high standards for behavior and for schoolwork, using his authority. • Students comply initially, responding to teacher's authority and attention. • As student matures, he is given more Choice Management, moving towards independence.

24. Jackpot! • Unannounced unexpected reward • Student perceives reward as significant • Given immediately after desirable behavior • Connection between the two clearly delineated • Use sparingly • Especially useful when good behavior has started to decline. (i.e. When attendance begins to decline, when students are distracted, etc.) • Extremely effective: example. Compulsive gamblers who won big early in life

25. Scenarios • Break into Groups • Choose an Approach • Reconvene Class • Share scenario & chosen approach

26. Case 1 • Mr. Washington has a close-knit group of friends in one of his high school vocational education classes. He is concerned about one particular student in this group, a girl named Helen. Helen uses obscene language in class. She is rude and disrespectful to Mr. Washington. She taunts and insults classmates outside her own circle of friends. And she is physically aggressive toward school property—she defaces furniture, kicks equipment, punches walls, and so on. • What would you do? Which methods would you use to get rid of these undesirable behaviors?

27. Case 2 • Tommy, an 11-year-old student, was judged by his teacher to be the most disruptive student in his English classroom. He frequently engages in inappropriate talking and other vocalizations during class. The behavior is troublesome not so much because of its nature, but because of the high rate at which it occurs. Also, Tommy does not do his work. He rarely completes an assignment. Tommy does not put any effort at all. • What would you do? Which methods would you use to get rid of these undesirable behaviors?

28. Case 3 • Joshua, larger and louder than his classmates, always wants to be the center of attention, which he accomplishes through a combination of clowning and intimidation. He makes wise remarks, talks back to the teacher, utters a variety of sound-effects noises, such as automobile crashes and gunshots, makes limitless sarcastic comments and put downs of his classmates. Other students will not stand up to him, apparently fearing his size and verbal aggression. • What would you do? Which methods would you use to get rid of these undesirable behaviors?

29. Atypical & Neurological-Based Behavior (i) • 10% of students exhibit neurological-based behavior (NBB) • Result of atypical cerebral processes • Refers to a number of possible diagnoses

30. Atypical & Neurological-Based Behavior (ii) • Possible diagnoses: • ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) • Bipolar disorder • Anxiety disorders • PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) • ASD (autism spectrum disorder) • Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder • ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) • Specific learning disabilities

31. Atypical & Neurological-Based Behavior (iii) • Indicators: • Behavior difficulties • Language difficulties • Academic difficulties • Students with NBB should be distinguished from those students who are “just having a bad day.” • May not respond to the “typical” behavior modification strategies.