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Post by anon4now on Jul 31, 2008 11:20:24 GMT -5
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Post by charliegirl on Jul 31, 2008 15:59:44 GMT -5
Thank you. I only scanned the beginning but it certainly looks like it will be good.
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Post by jill on Aug 2, 2008 9:24:07 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing.
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Post by lillian on Aug 3, 2008 9:15:37 GMT -5
I want to add that anytime one does a behavior plan, whether it is a teacher at school or a parent at home, included in that plan should be positive behaviors the child already possesses that the teacher or parent wants to see more of. For example, at home, let's say that your child does a great job playing with or watching after a younger sibling. That behavior should be part of the behavior plan, and the child should be rewarded for it.
The reason for this is that it is very difficult to change behaviors. As parents or teachers, we need to take a close look at ourselves and the problem behaviors we possess, and, yes, we have problem behaviors because every human being does. How easy is it for us to change those behaviors? As we're trying to change those behaviors, how discouraged do we become with ourselves? One day we will do well with our behavior changing, and the next day we won't. It's a process. And what keeps us going is knowing that we're not all bad, we do have behaviors that are admirable, and though we should focus on the behaviors that we need to change, we also should pat ourselves on the back for the admirable behaviors we possess. Children are exactly the same.
If a behavior plan is only written to change unwanted behaviors, then even "positive reinforcers" become negative quickly. Yes, the child gets to go to the movies on Friday, if the child picks up after himself Saturday-Friday, but, if the child has a bad day on Monday and refuses to pick up his toys, then the child DOESN'T get to go the movie, does he? Well, that's negative, not positive, isn't it? What reward does that child get for cleaning up after himself on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday? For a child who has major issues cleaning up after himself, doing so for six days out of the week is GREAT!
The above positive reinforcement technique--do this for X amount of days and you will receive a reward when you have--can be extremely negative, yet I have seen it done by parents and teachers over and over again. In fact, I think it's the most common form of positive reinforcement used with children. When I tell teachers and parents not to do this, I tell them to think of themselves.
What negative behaviors do they have? Let's say it's smoking cigarettes. O.K. To try and keep yourself from smoking cigarettes, you decide that you are going to take the money that you spend each day on cigarettes and put the money in a jar. At the end of the week, you can use that money to buy yourself something you want. Good enough. So, on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, you don't smoke, but on Monday you smoke like a freight train, and on Thursday you smoke two cigarettes. What happens to the money? Do you lose all the money for the week because you smoked two days? How kind are you being to yourself, if you do that? You should be dang proud of yourself. You didn't smoke for five days out of the week. Good for you! What do you get for those days?
And, remember, you're an adult. Your attention span and concept of time is much more developed than a child's. A week can seem like an eternity to a child. This is why making a child do a behavior for a period of time in order to receive a reward is rarely positive reinforcement, regardless of what treat the child is going to get, if the child changes his behavior.
If you are going to use positive reinforcement, I strongly suggest that the reinforcement be immediate or on the same day. I also strongly suggest, if long-term behavior is going to be rewarded, that some type of point system is used, so the child receives points for positive behavior the child already possesses, and these points are tallied into the points the child receives for changing negative behaviors, as the child goes through the long and difficult process of changing negative behaviors.
I have effectively used structured positive reinforcements with my son and with my students, so I'm not against setting up a series of positive reinforcements to help change unwanted behaviors, but I think you have to be very careful with them. When treats, beyond a smile and a thank you and positive verbal feedback, are used to change behaviors, a lot of thought needs to go into those treats and how they are going to be given because not giving the treats is negative, not positive, so "positive reinforcements" can quickly become anything but a positive experience for the child.
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Post by charliegirl on Aug 3, 2008 12:43:08 GMT -5
You're so right Lillian!
Someone I know but won't name will even remove the reward that is already earned as a punishment for some other negative behavior. That's mean and dirty too. It doesn't happen as often any more but I still have to get after him about it occasionally.
Once the child has earned the reward, he should get it no matter what. Substitute some other punishment as discipline. To me, taking away the reward they have already earned is like telling an employee they aren't getting their weekly pay check because they didn't eat their spinach at home the night before. One should have no bearing on the outcome of the other.
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Post by anon4now on Aug 4, 2008 9:06:32 GMT -5
I know I have failed at the positive reinforcement game many times (hence the research).
Some key points I try to remember: You want this to be successful. Feeling good about yourself is a natural high that a child will want to continue, but sometimes it's scary because of the high expectations and that can cause them to sabatoge the program.
I have issues with consequences. My son was doing really well (back when he was 5/6) and was earning tickets left and right. Then he did something really bad (sneaking food which is a huge problem b/c of his diabetes) and he lost all his tickets. I know it wasn't fair, and it didn't play by the rules, but I wanted it to be a big consequence. The way I feel is that type of behavior can land him in a hospital/coma/death. If he doesn't know how serious it is, then I have to make sure he does. It was a hard decision, and because I made it, I felt the program was not going to work for us at that particular time.
Like I said before, that's why I'm doing the research, because I do want this to be successful. And I want my son to be able to recognize a "problem" behavior, and redirect himself, or ask for help to redirect himself. I feel I can't change some of the things (without medication) but if he makes a mistake, I want him to handle it better. Those are my goals anyway.
Anon.
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