Lesson 13: Responding to Student Behavior

This week we read and learned about the many different types of behavior that we may experience students having in our classroom. We learned how to address these behaviors and how is the best way to respond to certain behaviors.
One thing that I learned in the reading this week that I loved is the concept that the root word of discipline is disciple. This means "a follower of a teacher." This is important to remember as you are the teacher of the classroom and trying to get students to follow your lead.
A few suggestions that we talked about for strategies a teacher could use to promote positive group behavior are..

• Implementing peer-mediated instruction, ex: peer tutoring.
• Cooperative learning 
• Using group contingencies

I enjoyed learning about this section because it focused on catching the children while they were being good and encouraging the positive behavior that we see. Sometimes by encouraging positive behavior that is just as effective as stopping the negative behavior. 

We also talked about possible functions of student behaviors, the chart in the book taught me that there is a function, a goal and an example of the behavior. 

Function: Power/Control

Goal: Control an event or a situation 

Example of Behavior: acts to stay in the situation and keep control: "You can't make me!"

Function: Communication 

Goal: Convey information to another

Example of Behavior: Hits head against the desk when tired of the assignment or activity

Function: Protection/escape

Goal:avoid a task or activity; escape a consequence ; stop or leave a situation

Example of behavior: has tantrum at the start of every math lesson; skips social studies class

For this week I also completed my last simulation activity which was learning disability. This was one of the hardest ones for me to do because I had to activity think to myself, "don't say an L or an N sounding word." The first activity I completed was to ask someone for directions. I did this while I was on campus, I stopped a book store worker and asked them where I might be able to find the bowling alley on campus. They gave me directions and it was hard because they told me to take a left. I wasn't allowed to say the word left so I had to stop and think about how I would repeat back those directions. I instead just used my hand and said, I will go this way? The worker gave me a funny look but then nodded indicating that I was correct. After the first time I was a little embarrassed to ask anyone else for directions doing this activity. I can see how people with a learning disability would find it easier to just stay quiet due to lack of confidence. The next activity I completed was to ask for help at the library. I was actually looking for a children's book for my other class and so I asked the man at the counter to show me the right way. This was once again hard to not say anything with the sound L or N. I didn't even realize that n is in so many words. I accidentally slipped and almost said the letter N, then I quickly stopped mid sentence and re-arranged my thoughts. I think the man helping me was a little confused. This activity certainly made me more aware of how challenging this disability can be for children who are learning or asking for help.