Behaviorism in the Classroom Instructional Strategies behaviorism guides teachers in two important tasks: Creating productive learning environments, and Utilizing applied behavioral analysis.

Creating productive learning environment Productive learning environment is one that is orderly and focuses on learning. The need for classroom environment that is safe and orderly is one of the most consistent findings in education research.

The following principles can guide teachers in their efforts: Treat students with respect and courtesy so that your classroom and school elicit positive emotions. Create environmental antecedents that produce desired behaviors. Reinforce students’ efforts and increasing competence. Establish clear standards for acceptable behavior. Emphasize positive consequences (reinforcements) for meeting behavioral standards and use punishers only when reinforcers are ineffective.

Steps of Erika’s attempts to create a productive learning environment 1.She attempted to create a safe emotional climate by implementing concepts from classical conditioning Erika warmly greeted her student each morning, so that they may associate their classroom with her behavior (positive emotions). 2. when she moved to the front of the room, the students quickly stopped their chatter and got ready for the day’s work (her movement was environmental antecedent). This antecedent further increases order and saves her energy. 3. Erika praised the students’ increasing competence 4. Erika created a classroom management system with clear standards for behavior, an emphasis on reinforcement, and the use of punishment only when reinforcers no longer worked.

Erika’s cards color for each student White: No infractions Yellow : Warning Purple: Time-out during snack time or recess (break). Green: Half hour of detention after school Blue: Student phone call to parent explaining that this was the fourth infraction for the day Pink: Office referral