Operant conditioning and Functional analysis.

After learning about both operant conditioning and functional analysis, I would have to say that I strongly favor functional analysis.  I think that while operant conditioning works very well to modify behavior, and indeed I strongly believe in praising my students, giving them positive reinforcement, functional analysis originates more from a care for the student whereas operant conditioning seems to be more intent on control.  I believe that students can often strongly sense whether you genuinely care for them or merely teach them because you have been hired to do so.  In my experience, students often value their teachers to the same degree that they feel valued by them, and so operant conditioning, in my opinion, sacrifices the relational aspect of teaching in favor of control. 
     I am currently doing a practicum in a high school English class right now, and, quite honestly, my mentor teacher is so concerned with the why of her student's behavior that she could practically be classified as a humanist teacher.  She has informed me that establishing great relationships with her students is bar none her favorite aspect of her job.  She cares so much for her students, is enthusiastic whenever they learn anything and sacrifices her evenings and lunch hours to help students in person and over e-mail because she really wants to help her students succeed in any way she can.  Many many times, when a student acts up in any way, she will deal with the incident calmly and rationally, then come to me later, explaining how the student is really a good person, and brilliant besides, but that he or she works two jobs outside of school, has a learning disability, or whatever the case may be.  I do not think that there has been a single instance where she did not consider the student's motivations in doing what they do and acting accordingly to these observations.  Anyhow, it quite amazes me, but her classroom has a sense of warm community to it.  However, it is not so much coherence as a group that causes this atmosphere of acceptance as it is each student having a genuinely comfortable and positive individual relationship with their teacher.  Her students, whether they previously enjoyed English or not, often report that they loved her class.  Quite frankly, I view her as an excellent example of the benefits of formal analysis, and I hope to teach in a similar manner someday.
     So, the scenario from class today....  Cody could possibly feel out of control of his life and maybe wishes to assert himself and feel he has a handle on one aspect of it.  After perhaps discussing with Cody what might be going on with him in order to verify if this hunch is indeed accurate, the teacher could then suggest that  he goes to see a counselor when he feels out of control like this, and thus deal with his frustration in a different way.
-Rachel


I found this funny, but wouldn't this be positive punishment
 because he wants the behaviour of robbing to decrease???




Both cartoons were found on Google.



FAT city workshop

I found the F.A.T city workshop video extremely eye-opening.  Often enough, I find that this type of student really is seen as more of a troublemaker, disturbance or even a lazy student in classrooms simply because they cannot cope with the pacing of the classroom.  Thus, I really appreciated the exercizes done with these individuals, and I am really thankful that we were able to see this film.
     I really thought that the ways that Richard D. Lavoy showed the participants what school is like for children with a learning disability were very innovative.  I really marvelled at how quickly they regressed to acting like these children in refusing to volunteer to answer questions, in accusing each other of making mistakes, and in showing confusion and frustration.  I though that the fact that children with learning disabilities become obsessed with finding the mistakes of others so that they can prove that they are not the only fallible individuals was so accurate and insightful.  I have particularly noticed this in my own experiences with these children, as they are often the most  quick to pick up on the slightest inconsistencies, especially in how your treatment of them and other individuals differs.  I suppose that, often enough, they are really simply obsessed with the idea of normalcy and fitting in, and that this behaviour is simply an outflow of the frustration they feel at not being able to fully mesh with their peers.  I guess that, as a teacher, it is then really important to try and see situations from the perspective of the student before reacting to them, because these people often seem to take a great deal of their self-worth from how others see them.  Also, I particularly enjoyed his advice in regards to calliing on children with processing difficulties in the classroom.  The notion of taking these children aside and telling them that you will never call on them unless you are standing directly in front of them really seemed brilliant to me because it takes so much of the stress of not wanting to seem unintelligent out of that student's life, and really helps to let the student know that you are there to help him or her, creating a stronger and more supportive relationship.  In that way, the student can feel validated and can be more free to concentrate on what is being taught.
     Anyhow, as I'm sure you can see from the above comments, I am very thrilled and greatful that we were given the opportunity to watch this workshop.
-Rachel