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will imagine a
classroom
that would demonstrate behavioral principles.
I observe a classroom that has a differentiated aspect, in which each
child
is allowed to choose a group and area of interest and their views and
learning modalities are appreciated and used in the classroom
environment.
The teacher greets each child as they arrive. If the child has spent
over 15
minutes en route, either in a bus or a car, the teacher directs them to
the
"dance studio" workshop, where the music is "hopping" and the children
are
free-form dancing or etc.?
The child who has been out in the playground or has walked or ridden a
bike
to school may prefer a few minutes (5 or 10 at the most) to sit and
meditate quietly or to participate in a slow Tai Chi presentation by a
visiting older student or a peer who knows the forms.
This is my idea of an ideal classroom "warmup for learning".
The most important thing to do is for the teacher to "check out" each
child
and see through observation and feedback if they are ready for the
great
adventure in learning that every day ought to offer in a truly
differentiated classroom. There may be 1/2 hour taken up (I am assuming
it
is a lower grade where the student will stay with the same teacher all
day.)
In a higher grade, the limited amount of time for each class may
preclude
this exercise for more than five or ten minutes of the total period.
The
teacher passes out papers with the "learning for the day" spelled out
in
black and white for the students to consult (if they can read) and may
be
announced through a "comic book style" for younger readers.).
If the
student
is allowed to read this information as they "prep" for the day's
learning,
there will be a clear and defined goal set and, hopefully, reached that
day.
I do not use Presentation Punishment nor Removal Punishment, because I
believe the student who misbehaves is a student in need of MORE ATTENTION, not less! However, instead
of
"time out", I prefer "letting the child meditate". This removes the
onus of
punishment, while encouraging the child to take the time out for their
own
benefit.
Each room or school ought to have such a meditation space provided for
quiet
and personal moments. In most private Christian or Catholic
schools, the chapel or nearby church can be used.
The teacher has learned through experience that this simple method
prepares
the child for a more focused learning environment to immediately follow
the
"get ready" time. Behavioral difficulties may be dealt with quickly and
easily when student inclination and choice precede threats and negative
attitudes.
The shaping of behavior is approached as though it is a great adventure
on
the part of both teacher and student. The teacher guides the child to
knowledge without force, encouraging each step of the way and modeling
an
"inner voice" that has no judgment of failure but only the impetus for
increasing knowledge already made attractive by self-motivated
interest.
Then the teacher announces the "Project(s) of the Day." Each student is
allowed to input their ideas in a design process brainstorming session.
Plans may be discussed for a "Cast Party" for each group's successful
project completion, whether it be a play, a documentary, a dance or
musical
production, anything novel, interesting and attractive to the age
group. The
teacher ensures ahead of time, through backward design processes, that
each
Project completion will ensure that the child and their group have
understood and "uncovered" as much information and factual knowledge as
is
required for the standards of their age group, while also ensuring that
student choice and feedback are an integral part of the mix.
The teacher may have spent the first week of the year introducing or
reviewing the principles and steps in the design process and may also
have
them posted (along with standards the child is expected to retain) in
the
classroom (the students can design and implement their own "Learning
boards"
to provide feedback continuously within their group projects, modeled
on
their own input and updated at close of session or class to prepare for
the
next school day.) The self-reinforcement is intrinsic because student
choice
is involved.
The following scenario would be an extrinsic reinforcer in a way,
because
the reward may help the child choose positive behaviors that will
result in
reinforcement.
Five minutes before the end of the hour, the teacher holds a quick,
informal, secret ballot to elect the next day's "project leader" or
"dance
therapist", who will choose the morning music for the beginning PE of
free-form dance or movement. These will be elected based on "best in
class"
for improvement that day in any area the children feel is important, be
it
attitude or behavioral improvement (it is up to them to vote or not vote
or
to choose any conditions of improvement, no matter how small.)
This is a
procedure that gives positive reinforcement with a fixed schedule but
variable input. It can be FR or VR (fixed or variable ratio), dependent
on
student input. It also results in long-term extinction of learned
behavioral
problems, as the student begins to want to participate in activities
they
enjoy.
The cues are built-in , as good behavior of any kind results in
rewards that are novel and self-motivated. It also teaches
discrimination
and generalization, as the growing child begins to see and realize that their opinions are just as valuable
to
the teacher as their own, and begins to make an effort based on this
positive feedback.
This constant feedback reinforces positive and self-initiated
discipline and
helps a child with learned helplessness or poor attitudes of
self-esteem (or
anger at a world that seems crazy to a child who only wants [really!]
to
Love and Be Loved.)
The antecedent stimuli is the vote from the day
before,
an event that precedes the positive reinforcement that is the next
day's
reward for "a job well done"!
When the teacher becomes a partner rather than a leader in the learning
experience, we see benefits all around. Extinction of behavioral
problems
occurs as if by magic when each child feels valued and appreciated
where
they are at and also for the miracles they may become at any moment
they
reach that Sanctuary that occurs whenever someone knows they are loved
unconditionally.
Although this is only an imaginary classroom, it is based on my
observations of 30 years or more about how and why children learn. I
have
been actively working on two separate but related papers:
One on New Sources of Energy
and One on Sources of Creativity. In the systems science matrix I work
with,
these are part of the same process of iniquiry that spans many
disciplines.
My process of inquiry has led me to observe that the how and why of development is more affected
by
novel input on a continuous basis from birth than anyone who has not
shared
the joys of motherhood might imagine!
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