Learning From More Than the Lesson Plan

Reading Chapter 6 made me think of many things that have happened in my own classroom, especially when students' behavior caught me off guard. Behaviorism and social learning are broken down by Slavin (2020) in a way that helped me understand why students do the things they do.

When I learned about operant conditioning, my first big change in how I thought happened. I have always tried to use positive reinforcement, but I had no idea how simple it is to support bad behavior by accident. I quickly address a student's outburst, even if I'm trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. This gives them attention, which is what they might want. Slavin says that attention can still be used to reward behavior even when it is meant to fix it (p. 97). I've been trying to shift my attention more subtly lately and instead pay attention to the students who are doing what I ask them to do. The mood in the room has changed a lot, even though it's only a small change.

The Social Learning Theory by Bandura was another important idea. People have known for a while that students learn best by watching others. But this part made me realize that they watch each other just as much, if not more, than I do. I've started asking students to show the rest of the class how to use strategies, follow routines, or behave in a conversation more consciously. In the weeks leading up to GMAS testing, I had a student show me how she marked a passage. During that time, some students who usually have trouble were paying more attention and asking better questions. That's how group learning works.

Self-control and self-efficacy are also important to Slavin (p. 107). This hit home for me because some of my students come in thinking, "I'm not good at this," and that makes them less likely to participate and more likely to lose confidence. I'm learning that making them feel good about themselves in small ways can change how they see themselves. And now I'm adding more "check-in" times so they can see how far they've come, even if it's just finishing a paragraph or using a new word properly.

Lastly, the idea of vicarious reinforcement (seeing other people get paid) made me think about how I celebrate student success. Students are more likely to do well when they see their peers are getting praise or being noticed. Every Friday, as part of our wrap-up, I use shoutouts and class "wins" to remind everyone that hard work and growth are important.

This part made me remember that behavior is learned and can be changed by how we act, what we support, and what we show others. It's becoming clear to me that managing the classroom and students doing well in school go hand in hand when students feel seen, heard, and supported.

Reference:

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education.