Module 3
Module 3 focused on the topics of learning behavior and classroom management, two very practical topics that are important for teachers. Chapter 7 was titled, Behavioral Views of Learning, and went through a lot of the basic phycology for learning including classical conditioning, operant conditioning and applying these philosophy to the classroom. Chapter 13 topics included classroom management, how to create and maintain a good and positive learning environment, how to communicate well with students and how to deal with disciplining students. So chapter 7 was more about the science and philosophies behind behavior and chapter 13 was more about the practical nuts and bolts of how to apply the science of behavior into the practicalities of the classroom.
Reading through chapter 7 there were a few parts that connected to my experiences. At one point in my life I became very interested in dog training, so obviously Pavlov's classical conditioning experiments came to mind. Using the whistles and clickers to stimulate a response from the dog after many conditioning trials, with a food reward and praise after completion of the proper behavior. Nothing that anyone couldn't do, it just took a lot more patience and conditioning trials than most people perform as one tends to get bored, quitting before the dog is trained. But more than classical condition was a more complex animal training philosophy that seemed very similar to operant conditioning. There were more reinforcers used on different schedules so that the dog wouldn't always expect a food treat and still maintain cooperation and effective training. Extinction and studying the antecedents for undesirable dog behavior were also part of the dog training course. I think the connection from the dog training course and this chapter of behavior in educational psychology applied to teaching is understanding how behaviors are tied to reactions and consequences but patience in the repetition of the teaching, and analyzing why students are behaving in a particular manner, in order to correct certain behavior.
Chapter 13 is focused on classroom management. The actual engaged learning time in the classroom is almost half of the time allotted for students in school due to all of the organizational procedures, assemblies and actual managing of students that are necessary when dealing with schools. In order to boost the engaged minutes it becomes essential to run an organized classroom. Clear procedures, classroom rules, teaching routines, the way teachers collect and return homework, housekeeping and the way in which teachers determined student interaction and movement enabled classrooms to be much more efficient in time usage. It was helpful to read examples, or typical rules for elementary and secondary students and how to successfully impose penalties.
The parts of the chapter that I particularly drew my attention was in why and how to teach the students to self-regulate themselves. After reading about this topic on page 530, I actually requested Marshall's book, Discipline Without Stress Punishments or Rewards: How Teachers and Parents Promote Responsibility & Learning from my local library, as this is one of best things that a parent or teacher can teach a child. I grew up with very authoritative parents and I know I really need to build this skill in teaching, and parenting with a much different approach. The other part of the text that struck me was that students cooperate when they know that the teacher cares. Every single time one of my boys gets in trouble at school, they will without fail say that the teacher doesn't care about them at all. I do know that this is most often not the case, but that is the perspective of the troubled, upset child. When the situation is talked through, my boys always felt better after we retraced their steps leading up to them getting in trouble and seeing that the teacher had warned or refocused them first, it shows them that the teacher did care, and consequences occurred when they did not cooperate.
Reading through chapter 7 there were a few parts that connected to my experiences. At one point in my life I became very interested in dog training, so obviously Pavlov's classical conditioning experiments came to mind. Using the whistles and clickers to stimulate a response from the dog after many conditioning trials, with a food reward and praise after completion of the proper behavior. Nothing that anyone couldn't do, it just took a lot more patience and conditioning trials than most people perform as one tends to get bored, quitting before the dog is trained. But more than classical condition was a more complex animal training philosophy that seemed very similar to operant conditioning. There were more reinforcers used on different schedules so that the dog wouldn't always expect a food treat and still maintain cooperation and effective training. Extinction and studying the antecedents for undesirable dog behavior were also part of the dog training course. I think the connection from the dog training course and this chapter of behavior in educational psychology applied to teaching is understanding how behaviors are tied to reactions and consequences but patience in the repetition of the teaching, and analyzing why students are behaving in a particular manner, in order to correct certain behavior.
Chapter 13 is focused on classroom management. The actual engaged learning time in the classroom is almost half of the time allotted for students in school due to all of the organizational procedures, assemblies and actual managing of students that are necessary when dealing with schools. In order to boost the engaged minutes it becomes essential to run an organized classroom. Clear procedures, classroom rules, teaching routines, the way teachers collect and return homework, housekeeping and the way in which teachers determined student interaction and movement enabled classrooms to be much more efficient in time usage. It was helpful to read examples, or typical rules for elementary and secondary students and how to successfully impose penalties.
The parts of the chapter that I particularly drew my attention was in why and how to teach the students to self-regulate themselves. After reading about this topic on page 530, I actually requested Marshall's book, Discipline Without Stress Punishments or Rewards: How Teachers and Parents Promote Responsibility & Learning from my local library, as this is one of best things that a parent or teacher can teach a child. I grew up with very authoritative parents and I know I really need to build this skill in teaching, and parenting with a much different approach. The other part of the text that struck me was that students cooperate when they know that the teacher cares. Every single time one of my boys gets in trouble at school, they will without fail say that the teacher doesn't care about them at all. I do know that this is most often not the case, but that is the perspective of the troubled, upset child. When the situation is talked through, my boys always felt better after we retraced their steps leading up to them getting in trouble and seeing that the teacher had warned or refocused them first, it shows them that the teacher did care, and consequences occurred when they did not cooperate.
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteGreat overview of chapters 7 & 13!
I appreciated your connection of the text to your own experiences. I really appreciated that you were so interested in a topic, you got a book on it. Not only did you consider the development of your future students, but your own children as well. It is very important as adults and educators to jump on educational opportunities as they come into grasp. I often use my own children to connect my personal education and real-life experiences together--this is where true education and real life practice begins.
Thank you for sharing!