What Things A Teacher Can Do To Modify Student Behavior from a Behaviorist Perspective? (*Solomon & Solomon, 1987)
THE BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices. In particular, behavioral psychology theorists and practitioners have observed that by giving or withdrawing certain positive, and/or negative reinforcers after a student’s behavior is emitted, that student’s behavior can be changed or modified.
The chart at the top of the post identifies several ways that teachers can modify a student’s behavior through manipulating the consequences. You can present something positive- (box 1), present something negative-(box 2), withdraw something positive-(box 3), or withdraw something negative-(box 4). The arrows indicate that behavior will either increase (i.e. arrow pointing up), or decrease (e.g. arrow pointing down).
Reminder: All of these teacher interventions occur after a student has demonstrated a behavior.
*Solomon, R. & Solomon, E. (1987). The Handbook for the Fourth R: Relationship Skills. Columbia, MD. National Institute for Relationship Training, Inc .
On the next post we will explain and give concrete examples of the teacher interventions in box number one, the positive reinforcement behavioral strategies.
