Operant Conditioning Plan

Operant conditioning can be used in classes quite often. Upon first learning this material, I started to think that this would work very efficiently in elementary schools, but I wasn't quite sure how to apply this to secondary education. However, after the discussion today, I better understand the material.

One way that I could use this in my future classroom, is through the process of contingency contracts. I think that these could be very effective because they can operate with individuality. We talked in class about how it is hard to make sure that your reward/punishment system is really what a student wants. For example, if I am teaching English, and trying to teach how to write an essay, it can be very easy to not understand all the processes. Say a student isn't understanding all the steps, and they are either not doing the work, or just not understanding. Instead of assigning the paper due on a certain date, it would be better for that student to develop a contingency contract.

In the contract, you could have an open and honest conversation with the student to be able to understand what is/isn't motivating them. You could break down the writing process. (First let's do the thesis, then the body paragraphs, then the conclusion) meeting with them through each step. You could use positive reinforcement of verbal praise through each step, and show them where to go next. That way they can develop more internal motivation, as well as having the structure. The negative reinforcement can go along with allowing the student to drop lowest assignment score on a grammar quiz or something, if all the pieces of the paper are completed. I don't think that presentation punishment would be effective in a contingency contract, because I feel like that could destroy the trust you are trying to build with the contract. Finally, removal punishment would also be a negative thing in this situation.