This refers to the process of altering patterns of human behavior over the long term by using different motivational techniques. The final goal is to substitute problematic, objectionable, or disagreeable behaviors with more desirable and positive behaviors. It can be used with a grade calculator.
Behavioral modification is a classroom management technique that can be approached from one of four reinforcement/punishment types:
- Positive reinforcement: Here, a student receives extra credit when he/she answers a question thoughtfully or otherwise, behaves appropriately.
- Positive punishment: A good example of what happens here is setting up a meeting between the student and the school principal.
- Negative reinforcement: The negative reinforcement approach results in the misbehaving student’s name being excluded from the list of students who can participate in class sessions by answering questions.
- Negative punishment: This results in a decrement in free time for the misbehaving student.
For successful behavior modification, consistency is the key. Teachers can praise their students for doing their class works on time or answering questions correctly. They can continue praising the students every time they do their chores until it becomes a habit. Then, they can phase out their praise slowly over time.
For effective behavioral modification, positive reinforcement has been discovered to be the most viable approach. Punishments, on the other hand, don’t work as effectively. This is perhaps because instructors are better positioned to provide constructive encouragement to the students, as opposed to only criticizing their actions. You can use it with critical race theory.
When using negative consequences for behavioral modification, it’s important to ensure they’re consistent. If a student only gets sent out of class once every five times he hits someone, the consequences won’t be effective. Instead, he needs to be sent out of class every time he hits someone, thus making him realize what he has done is unwanted behavior.
Behavior modification works best when adults work together as a team. Thus, if teachers, along with parents and other caregivers, use the same techniques, a student’s behavior is likely to change even faster. However, behavior modification should be customized to the specific needs of a group of students.
That’s because the strategies that work well for a group might not work with another group. It’s also important to realize that classrooms are varied, and what worked in one classroom setting may have limited effectiveness in another classroom with a different group of students. As such, teachers should consider their classroom structure and what their students specifically need before choosing the most appropriate model.
Conclusion
If teachers decide to use a behavior modification, a good idea would be to ask open-ended questions to determine how well their students understand the task. Students will respond to the questions differently, with some providing answers eagerly and others opting for silence. As a result, it is common for specific students to dominate the formative assessment period. To combat this, teachers can organize the test so that everyone participates significantly and can be more committed.
Remember, if you have any questions about using a behavior modification, just leave a comment below. I will be sure to answer you question as soon as I can. If you want to send me an email, you can do that also.
