Inside Out / ©2015 Disney•Pixar Parents loom large in the development of their children’s personalities. As the Pixar film Inside Out shows it, parents form the biggest “islands” (personality aspects) for their children. As the principle socialization agents for their children, parents have a large array of resources at their disposal to mold their children’s behavior. Show “Have you eaten today? Did you finish your homework on time? Did you do your Smartick exercises when you got home from school?” How can parents reinforce positive behaviors? Here are five ways to reinforce positive behaviors:
Gradually children will behave well independent of reinforcements. Two final thoughts:
The Smartick method offers short practice sessions that are designed to address math concepts, no more than 2 or 3 at a time. Kids get instant feedback from the system and the system adjusts to their learning pace, helping to challenge them and give them the practice they need to learn best. You can start your child on Smartick right away with our free trial. Learn More:
Start your 7-day free trial Whether you’re a preschool, kindergarten, elementary, or middle school teacher, one thing is for certain: you need a classroom behavior management system that works. Learn the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, as well as our favorite reinforcement systems to encourage appropriate behavior in your students below! Positive vs. Negative ReinforcementReinforcement is an effective technique teachers can use to encourage the behaviors they want to see in their students. There are 2 different types of reinforcement: Positive reinforcement involves rewarding a child with something pleasant as a means of reinforcing a particular behavior. For example, if a child does well on a test, a teacher may place a sticker on the graded test along with an encouraging note to reinforce the hard work the child put into studying. Negative reinforcement occurs when something undesirable is removed as a means to reinforce a certain behavior. For example, if a teacher is starting a new lesson and her students are being loud and rowdy, he/she may inform the class that if they are quiet and listen to the lesson without interruption, he/she won’t assign homework that night. Many people confuse negative reinforcement with punishment, but the 2 are very different. With negative reinforcement, something is taken away in an effort to encourage a specific behavior, while punishment involves taking something away to decrease/weaken behavior. How to Use Positive Reinforcement in the ClassroomBoth positive and negative reinforcement are effective ways of strengthening desirable behavior in children when used correctly. Negative reinforcement tends to be effective in the short-term, however research tends to suggest that positive reinforcement is a better long-term strategy for younger children. If you want to know how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, here are 6 things to consider: 1. Be clear and consistent 2. Make sure the reinforcement is immediate 3. Never take rewards away! 4. Choose something that’s motivating 5. Make sure it’s attainable 6. Find ways to positively reinforce every child 9 Classroom Reinforcement Systems that WorkThere are so many ways you can incorporate positive reinforcement into a classroom setting, and you can make them as simple or elaborate as you see fit. As long as the reinforcement is immediate, motivating, and attainable, it will serve as an effective tool in encouraging and guiding your students’ behavior. If you’re trying to figure out how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, here are 9 classroom reinforcement systems to consider. 1. Verbal praise 2. Stickers and written praise 3. Special privileges 4. Send a positive note home 5. Prize box 6. Token economy 7. Behavior punch cards 8. Behavior coupons 9. Brag bracelets If you’re trying to figure out how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, I hope these tips and ideas prove useful to you! Be careful to reinforce desirable behaviors immediately, and ensure the rewards are both motivating and attainable to all of your students. Be clear and consistent, and make sure you find a way to positively reinforce ALL of your students to keep their motivation up! This post contains affiliate links. If you found the tips and ideas in this post helpful in your quest to figure out how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, please share this post on Pinterest! And if you’re looking for more fun ideas you can implement in your classroom, please follow our Kids board where we share all kinds of great ideas we find each day! |