Behaviorism

Soltis, J. F., & Philips, D. C. (2009). Perspectives on Learning. Chapter 3, Behaviorism, p. 21-32.

Ullucci, K. (2005). Picking battles, finding joy: Creating community in the "uncontrolled" classroom. Multicultural Education, 12(3), 41-44.

When reading Skinner's behaviorist teaching practices I realized that this is the method most teachers live by. Praising a student for good work, or giving a gold star or some such reward, is very effective. Teachers are well aware of this and I saw it going on all the time when I was working in my classroom for service learning. I think it is an okay thing to do but then again I think sometimes that is the only thing the students are working for is that reward and not the information they are actually learning. If I was a teacher right now I would probably have some kind of reward system because this is how I always have known a classroom to be. Also all of my teachers had reward systems and they told me it is the only way to get the students to do the work. Form a behaviorist perspective I would treat the students like with respect and treat them like I wold treat my own child. If I was a parent I would not want to be sending my child off to a school where the teacher does not even care about them. As a teacher I will care for my students like they are my own and hopefully gain their trust and respect by doing so, which in the long run will help everyone in the class out because we will get along and be able to take care of problems without causing battles.