Definition: Operant Conditioning (instrumental Conditioning)- a form of learning in which the consequences of behaviour produce changes in the probability that the behaviour will occur.
The Kinds:
Positive Reinforcement : add something to increase positive behaviour
Example: Students bring back their agendas- obtain a sticker. Accumulate 5 stickers earn a prize.
Negative Reinforcement : take something away to increase positive behaviour
Example- Take a sticker away if the student forgets it twice in a row.
Positive Punishment : administration of an unwelcome consequence
Example: Call the students parents- remind them to sign their child's agenda and to ask their children to put it back in their nap sack right away because they have been forgetting it at home. May be have a specific time in their schedule when they do this.
Negative Punishment : removal of a valued item
Example: Have the student miss out on 5 minutes of their free time.
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Goal of Reinforcement-- Increase desired Behaviour
Goal of Punishment-- Decrease undesired Behaviour
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Some examples I have seen teachers implement for classroom management:
Pos. Rein. - "Kindergarten! Great job walking in the hallway quietly with your hand on hip and finger on lip! I think we can go outside 2 minutes earlier then everyone else for recess!"
Neg. Rein. - Everyone practices their sight words and obtains a 85 average take away one bad sight word test.
Pos. Pun. - Homework not done you have to pay a fine with you bunny bucks. (money to buy with from the classroom store)
Neg. Pun. - Sit in desk and read while everyone else has free time.
Operant Approach is said to be effective for short term periods.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
I Will Make A Difference
I wrote this for my Education 250 class but I would like to share with you "Why I would like to become a teacher"
Becoming an educator is the right choice for me because it suits my personality interests. There are many reasons why I chose teaching. One of the reasons was having the ability to positively influence future generations. Also, my brother Jesse had learning disabilities that required special support and I have an interest in this area. Another reason was the stability of the career to help support my family. Becoming a teacher would give me the opportunity and benefits of time with my son while being able to help other children.
To be a successful educator, I believe, students should be praised and encouraged for their accomplishments. The classroom should be filled with positive and welcoming attitudes. Caring and understanding should be encouraged. Freedom for creativity should also be encouraged and not discouraged by the teachers or classmates. But most importantly, I feel, the best teachers take personal time to help struggling students, whom are working hard to succeed in their education. I personally know how important it is to have teachers that genuinely care about finding ways to help students with difficult problems. My younger brother did not have the support that he required for his learning experience. My brother, Jesse, suffers with a learning disability called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and Iren's Syndrome a visual stress syndrome. The teachers he had did not know how to teach him. Instead, he was put on a modified program and my parents were told "he would not graduate with a regular diploma." The modified program was forced upon him, and it eventually made him feel alienated because classmates bullied and teased him for thinking he was "slow." Instead of putting Jesse on a modified program, there could have been simple solutions to provide him with support. I feel modified programs are becoming crutches for the system and should be designed with caution. Printing his work separately on coloured paper would have helped tremendously, but was too much of a hassle for many teachers he had through his educational experience. Also, wearing a baseball hat in the school would have made a difference be keeping the light out of his eyes, unfortunately to a school this was a sign of disrespect. Jesse did come across two good educators that sis take extra time to print assignments separately and help him sound out words, but unfortunately he didn't get the option of having great teachers all the time.
I want to be a teacher that is not scared of losing personal time during lunch break or after school to help someone who really wants to achieve goals in life. I have seen how some teachers, people that students are supposed to look up to, can have negative and emotional effects on children, but I want to be a teacher that does not let challenging students "fall through the cracks." If a syndrome is diagnosed, I want to be able to learn ways to instruct and support individuals. I believe teachers need to continuously learn, including from their students.
I think teaching will be a life long, learning journey. Every child is different and I will have to find ways to teach children according to suit their needs. I have to thank my bother for teaching me to be compassionate, patient and understanding person. He has helped me develop qualities that I believe would be best used in becoming a teacher. Knowing how hard it was for him to struggle through his experiences, I believe, will help me relate to children who are trying to learn.
Becoming an educator is the right choice for me because it suits my personality interests. There are many reasons why I chose teaching. One of the reasons was having the ability to positively influence future generations. Also, my brother Jesse had learning disabilities that required special support and I have an interest in this area. Another reason was the stability of the career to help support my family. Becoming a teacher would give me the opportunity and benefits of time with my son while being able to help other children.
To be a successful educator, I believe, students should be praised and encouraged for their accomplishments. The classroom should be filled with positive and welcoming attitudes. Caring and understanding should be encouraged. Freedom for creativity should also be encouraged and not discouraged by the teachers or classmates. But most importantly, I feel, the best teachers take personal time to help struggling students, whom are working hard to succeed in their education. I personally know how important it is to have teachers that genuinely care about finding ways to help students with difficult problems. My younger brother did not have the support that he required for his learning experience. My brother, Jesse, suffers with a learning disability called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and Iren's Syndrome a visual stress syndrome. The teachers he had did not know how to teach him. Instead, he was put on a modified program and my parents were told "he would not graduate with a regular diploma." The modified program was forced upon him, and it eventually made him feel alienated because classmates bullied and teased him for thinking he was "slow." Instead of putting Jesse on a modified program, there could have been simple solutions to provide him with support. I feel modified programs are becoming crutches for the system and should be designed with caution. Printing his work separately on coloured paper would have helped tremendously, but was too much of a hassle for many teachers he had through his educational experience. Also, wearing a baseball hat in the school would have made a difference be keeping the light out of his eyes, unfortunately to a school this was a sign of disrespect. Jesse did come across two good educators that sis take extra time to print assignments separately and help him sound out words, but unfortunately he didn't get the option of having great teachers all the time.
I want to be a teacher that is not scared of losing personal time during lunch break or after school to help someone who really wants to achieve goals in life. I have seen how some teachers, people that students are supposed to look up to, can have negative and emotional effects on children, but I want to be a teacher that does not let challenging students "fall through the cracks." If a syndrome is diagnosed, I want to be able to learn ways to instruct and support individuals. I believe teachers need to continuously learn, including from their students.
I think teaching will be a life long, learning journey. Every child is different and I will have to find ways to teach children according to suit their needs. I have to thank my bother for teaching me to be compassionate, patient and understanding person. He has helped me develop qualities that I believe would be best used in becoming a teacher. Knowing how hard it was for him to struggle through his experiences, I believe, will help me relate to children who are trying to learn.
C.H.I.L.D.R.E.N
My Precious Gifts
Children are the future, so we must provide them with the best knowledge
Happy to believe they will continue onto college
Inclusion is important for all of our creatures
Learners at times become the teachers
Dreamers, believers surround the classroom and with creativity, this is how they shine
Rollercoaster emotions fill the classroom but positive understandings will help things become fine
Every child is unique, just like a picture in a frame
Not every one learns the same
Children are the future, so we must provide them with the best knowledge
Happy to believe they will continue onto college
Inclusion is important for all of our creatures
Learners at times become the teachers
Dreamers, believers surround the classroom and with creativity, this is how they shine
Rollercoaster emotions fill the classroom but positive understandings will help things become fine
Every child is unique, just like a picture in a frame
Not every one learns the same
Teaching Metaphor
I see teaching as an amusement park. There will be ups and downs like a rollercoaster, with easy, fast success with some challenges to reach the top. The classroom will be like an amusement park, filled with different people who all have diverse interests. Some individuals will progress fast through lines, while others may need to stand and wait for things to process, but both have similar goals. I will need to be the attraction and the ringmaster for my students. I will need to be their amusement and create exciting new ways to attract them to learn.
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I had to make up this metaphor for my Education 250 class but I believe I should always remember it and it may help me overcome my fears when I am a new teacher.
In our Educational Psychology class the question was "What is the main fear of a first year teacher"
-A student answered "Classroom management."
That is my main fear as well. But the metaphor I have come up with really puts things in perspective for me. I will have to ALWAYS remember that some students are just going to take longer at grasping concepts and I will just have to remember to be patient- all my students will be different- which in turn will make me feel even more grateful when I see everyone light bulb flick on! .... Can't wait!
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I had to make up this metaphor for my Education 250 class but I believe I should always remember it and it may help me overcome my fears when I am a new teacher.
In our Educational Psychology class the question was "What is the main fear of a first year teacher"
-A student answered "Classroom management."
That is my main fear as well. But the metaphor I have come up with really puts things in perspective for me. I will have to ALWAYS remember that some students are just going to take longer at grasping concepts and I will just have to remember to be patient- all my students will be different- which in turn will make me feel even more grateful when I see everyone light bulb flick on! .... Can't wait!
I think I will hang my metaphor near my desk so when I feel like I am losing control over my class I can glance at it and consider the elements of the classroom which could be effecting the learning styles of my students.
Reflect upon the “school environment, emotional support, sociological composition, personal/physical elements.”
Reflect upon the “school environment, emotional support, sociological composition, personal/physical elements.”
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Dysnomia
"Dysnomia is a marked difficulty or impairment in object naming, word retrieval, and short-term auditory memory. It is a learning disability present from birth. Can affect speech, writing, and/or math"
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In the video "How Difficult Can this be?" Dysnomia was mentioned. I was unaware of this disability and as I was listening to the video explain what it is I noticed that I have many symptoms of it. The video was explaining 2 main functions of the brain: Storage and Retrieval.
And when you struggle with Dysnomia you can only do one cognitive thing at a time. Which explains why I have so much trouble taking notes in class and listening to the teacher explain. Usually when I am writing notes I know the teacher is talking but I am not taking the information in. It is almost blocked out. I was always the last one writing exams. I usually am sitting at my desk trying to figure out what the question is asking while I see other students quickly grasping the concepts. Math is extremely difficult for me. A math word problem is devastating I feel like I never fully wrap my brain around the problem. I feel like my biggest fear is failing Math 260 and it will be the only thing holding me back trying to get into the educational profession. I fail it twice and I am kicked out of my desired program... and then what?
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From the video "How hard can this be?
" The greatest gift you can give a child with LD is the gift of time"-- along with patience.
"The Challenge with working with learning disabilities is the challenge of educating kids with non-learning disabilities"
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In the video "How Difficult Can this be?" Dysnomia was mentioned. I was unaware of this disability and as I was listening to the video explain what it is I noticed that I have many symptoms of it. The video was explaining 2 main functions of the brain: Storage and Retrieval.
And when you struggle with Dysnomia you can only do one cognitive thing at a time. Which explains why I have so much trouble taking notes in class and listening to the teacher explain. Usually when I am writing notes I know the teacher is talking but I am not taking the information in. It is almost blocked out. I was always the last one writing exams. I usually am sitting at my desk trying to figure out what the question is asking while I see other students quickly grasping the concepts. Math is extremely difficult for me. A math word problem is devastating I feel like I never fully wrap my brain around the problem. I feel like my biggest fear is failing Math 260 and it will be the only thing holding me back trying to get into the educational profession. I fail it twice and I am kicked out of my desired program... and then what?
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From the video "How hard can this be?
" The greatest gift you can give a child with LD is the gift of time"-- along with patience.
"The Challenge with working with learning disabilities is the challenge of educating kids with non-learning disabilities"
How Hard Can The Be? (The F.A.T City Workshop)
"How Hard Can This Be?" Besides the fact that this video a little old and is considered to be politically incorrect-- if we look at its deep meaning of awareness to children who are said to have a "disability" then it is a very profound video. I would highly recommend this video to be shown to ALL future teachers and perhaps this video and ones like it should be shown to present teachers as well as a reminder to them!!
The guy who was doing the experiment I believe was acting like a pretty "normal" teacher. He was getting frustrated at his students who struggle because of a said "disability", staring to raise his voice when the students who were put in the place of having a disability would not answer his question fast enough. He was showing people how many teachers do not take into consideration that children with a "disability" are still trying to process the question while children who are "mainstreamed" have answered the question and ready to move on to the next activity. Then because most children understood and answered the question the teacher simply then blames the child (victim) with a disability and says "the child just isn't motivated." WRONG! Quoted from the video, “Yet it has little to do with motivation and has a lot to do with perception! You can all see it but you can perceive it… you need to be taught! Kids need direct instruction. Even though you understand every word in the passage, does not mean you understand the passage.” And how do these teachers with no compassion and participants have jobs in this rewarding career?! Does the principal not care about what kind of teachers he has in his school? Does the school board not care... our government?! What are the excuses that they (principal, school board, government) are unaware of this happening? Would it be because the teacher is informed most of the time that there will be someone in their class marking them, so they change their usual routine? (Observed from experience as being a middle/high school student)
Perhaps if our system was more like Finland where teachers have to obtain a Master’s Degree in Education it would weed out the teachers that are in this field for the wrong reasons…
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"No child should be left behind to fall through the cracks"
"If the student isn't learning -- The teacher isn't teaching"
The guy who was doing the experiment I believe was acting like a pretty "normal" teacher. He was getting frustrated at his students who struggle because of a said "disability", staring to raise his voice when the students who were put in the place of having a disability would not answer his question fast enough. He was showing people how many teachers do not take into consideration that children with a "disability" are still trying to process the question while children who are "mainstreamed" have answered the question and ready to move on to the next activity. Then because most children understood and answered the question the teacher simply then blames the child (victim) with a disability and says "the child just isn't motivated." WRONG! Quoted from the video, “Yet it has little to do with motivation and has a lot to do with perception! You can all see it but you can perceive it… you need to be taught! Kids need direct instruction. Even though you understand every word in the passage, does not mean you understand the passage.” And how do these teachers with no compassion and participants have jobs in this rewarding career?! Does the principal not care about what kind of teachers he has in his school? Does the school board not care... our government?! What are the excuses that they (principal, school board, government) are unaware of this happening? Would it be because the teacher is informed most of the time that there will be someone in their class marking them, so they change their usual routine? (Observed from experience as being a middle/high school student)
Perhaps if our system was more like Finland where teachers have to obtain a Master’s Degree in Education it would weed out the teachers that are in this field for the wrong reasons…
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"No child should be left behind to fall through the cracks"
"If the student isn't learning -- The teacher isn't teaching"
Monday, 14 November 2011
Piaget vs. Vygotsky
Piaget-- emphasized young children`s egocentric and non- social speech
Vygotsky-- believe language even at the earliest forms is socially based
I feel like I resonate more with Vygotsky's theory. When children are talking to themselves they are building their own communtiy, it is how the put things in perspective. That could be a determination of an auditory learner. I talk to myself all the time when I am studying-- trying to make sense of concepts. In Piagets view this would be considered immature.
Vygotsky-- believe language even at the earliest forms is socially based
I feel like I resonate more with Vygotsky's theory. When children are talking to themselves they are building their own communtiy, it is how the put things in perspective. That could be a determination of an auditory learner. I talk to myself all the time when I am studying-- trying to make sense of concepts. In Piagets view this would be considered immature.
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