Course: Classroom dynamics
required reading:
Scott, T.M., Anderson, C.M., & Alter, P. (Eds.) (2012). Managing classroom behavior
using positive behavior supports. Essex, England: Pearson. ISBN 13: 978-1-292-04148-3
Link: boek_Managing Classroom Behavior Using Positive Behavior Supports Pearson New
International Edition (Scott Anderson Alter).pdf
(note: can take a while to download, you may receive a notification because it came from an
unknown website)
1
,- Exam 1: wil consist of definitions and recognizing them in a described scenario.
- recommendend to keep slides open as well as this summary for quick search and easy access
to definitions.
(note: exam will be very easy when all lectures have been attended, without lecture cotext, it
might be more difficult. Highly recommend to just attend and sit through them, it will take a
very small amount of effort)
A. importance of classroom dynamics:
Why are classroom dynamics important?
- Students’ sense of belonging* (gevoel van verbondenheid) in school:
- Important for school success and well-being (Also referred to as school connectedness)
- Greater sense of belonging / feeling of connectedness:
- Higher academic performance
- Higher instrinsic motivation
- Greater sense of well-being (lower rates of depression)
- More positive attitudes toward school
- Lower risk of dropping out of school
= relation: bidirectional
positive student teacher relationships important for student to feel connectedness
SEB students: unique challenges, why do they not feel connected?
- Not able to access natural reinforcers in environment because of their behavioral
challenges
- Receive little if any praise during school; feedback is primarily negative – little positive
interactions with teachers
(Part II: Wubbels et al. (2022): Teachers have difficulty connecting with children who
have externalizing behavior problems
- Have little intrinsic motivation for school, because of their history of social /
behavioral and academic failure
- challenges often both behavioral and academic:
- behavior impedes learning, learning diffucilties contribute to unwanted behavior
B. problem-solving model for academic and behavioral challenges
How to address the need of childres with behavioral challenges?
-> problem solving model
= solve the problem, instead of labelling the problem
1. Define in operational definition
2. Potential interventions
3. Collect data to find out effectiveness (weekly monitoring)
4. Evaluation of interventions – maybe modify if needed
5. Conduct functional analysis
6. Again: evaluation of interventions
(fade out: token systems are not natural behavior, so important to fade out and become
intrinsically motivated)
2
, -> Multi-tierd systems of support (MTSS)
- some in tier 2: targeted group interventions
- these children usually in tier 3: intensive, individual interventions (assessment based)
C. functional approach to behavior challenges
= Developing behavioral interventions by:
- focusing on events outside of the student
- that reliably precede and follow the behavior
- and make behavior more or less likely to occur
Assumptions of a functional approach
- Behavior is learned
- via interaction between student and environment
- Behavior is lawful
- environment affects behavior in predictable ways
- Behavior can be changed
- instructional programs can be developed to change behavior
- for children with greatest needs: individualized interventions
Important to remember: these children have little or no access to natural reinforcers, get little
praise during school and have little intrinsic motivation. -> why they need a different
approach
goal: help children with behavioral diffucilties gain control over behavior so they access the
natural reinforcers, self-regulate, develop intrinsic motivation
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