"Praise Progress It's A Moving Target"
The A B C's of Performance
A= Activator
What Gets Performance Going
B= Behavior
The Performance That Occurs
C= Consequences
Your Response to the Performance
4 Kinds of Responses
1. No Response
2. Negative Response
3. Redirection
4. Positive Response
Reflection
1) Please describe a time that you used one of the above 4 responses and the long-term outcome what positive. Why do you feel that this response worked?
2) Please describe a time that you used on of the above 4 responses and did not get the long-term results that you wanted. How would you do it differently next time?
4 comments:
Whale Done Chapter 2:
Currently all three of my children are in college which means at one time all three of my children where in high school. Yes I did survive! During those times I must admit my husband and I would resort to the No Response option. My mother said, “to pick and chose your battles”. Some times it was best to just have no response. The other 99% of the time I have found the redirection and positive response to work best.
I teach waterskiing lessons in the summer and Monday we have a little guy who needs a lot of attention and usually chooses to get that attention by misbehaving. Our first day out on the barge he was up to his usual antics so I put him in charge of the ropes. Each time a skier came in to the dock he could show them how to wind their rope properly and where it needed to go. Then when it was his turn to ski he made it of the barge on his first try and went outside the wake! We gave him the hoots and hollers he deserved. We were thrilled and so was the rest of the class, because he wasn’t annoying them anymore. At the end of class he asked me if he could be in charge of ropes again next week.
I also have had not such a positive experience with a negative response. I was student teaching in a very structured 8th grade classroom with a teacher who liked the direct instruction approach. When it was my turn to take over I tried some hands on activities and one of the boys was being particularly difficult and making poor choices. After redirecting him several times my cooperating teach felt I should give him a detention, which I did. From then on this particular student and I couldn’t make any kind of connection. Now knowing what I know I would have handled it much differently today.
Positive Response:
I love the few days before a test, AKA: Review Days. I have begun to run those days as fun, game-type reviews to help boost the excitement that tends to lack in 8th grade math curriculum. They answer a series of questions on individual dry-erase boards using speed and accuracy to acrue points for their teams. As the review game continues through the hour it gives me a chance to walk around and give some non-verbal feedback to students individually. Something as easy as a smile, a wink, a thumbs-up, or a nod gives kids the confidence and excitement they need and want in order to feel good about themselves. After this kind of review I see relief as they leave the classroom, knowing that when they enter tomorrow to take the summative exam they will be more relaxed and will perform better. They will know upon leaving the review what they need to study/practice prior to the test. Even if math is not their strongest subject, a little fun and competition can boost anyone's energy level, raising the desire to perform from non-existant to the "can-do" attitude.
Negative Response:
RESPECT is my one, and only one, rule in my classroom. It sums up any kind of action/reaction one may have that could possibly be a cause for disciplinary action. A former student of mine was constantly trying to get the attention of his friend from across the room, needless to say in the middle of instruction. Upon his rude disruption of others, I called him out and gave him a warning describing his behavior as "disrespecting the learning environment of others." He continued his actions which elevated from waves and noises to get his friend's attention to throwing objects across the room at him. "Strike Two," and I moved him to the front table, closer to me and the instruction at hand. The third strike put him in the hallway for a one-on-one conference with me to correct his behavior and to come to agreement if he was worthy of returning to the classroom or going to the office. When I finally decided to send him to the office it was a downhill battle from there everyday when he came to class. He was defiant, said I unfairly picked on him, not to mention the curriculum he was now behind on that I had to make up with him during my prep time. Next time I would try the redirection. Put him in charge of writing the notes on the SMARTBoard or giving him a chance to prove he knew how to accurately perform the content being taught for some positive feedback to occur. I was focusing on the negative and not accentuating the positive in this case.
This past week, I having been doing my best to give my children positive responses. My 6yr. old daughter decided to play store iwth her 3yr.old brother. Through out the playtime, I praised my daughter for playing so well. Her eyes lit up with every positive response. The two of them played together for a lengthy amount of time without any squabbles. What a delight to watch!
No Response
I attempted to use the no response technique with my daughter when she would have her daily tantrum at the age of 5. My lack of response only escalated the tantrum. My spirited daughter needed my physical touch to help her relax and control herself.
I learned what may work with one child may not work for another.
I usually review for tests and quizzes with games. Students love them and are eager to show what they know. I use lots of positive feedback, both verbal and non-verbal, to show my approval.
When I was a beginning teacher I had some difficult classes. When one student repeatedly spoke out of turn and refused to sit down, I told him to sit down and behave in front of the class. Of course he didn't, so I sent him out into the hallway, where he proceeded to disrupt other classrooms. Now, if I had this student I would try to redirect his energy and make it positive for the class. Perhaps he could be in charge of participation points or attendance.
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