Interesting ideas to help!

Some ideas:)

After looking into using different reinforcement in the classroom and dance studio i decided to take a little explore of the internet and find creative and interesting rewards to use alongside positive reinforcement.

 Love this idea as it's a very visual and colourful object for children to become intrigued in. After successfully using positive reinforcement and the reward was a sticker on a chart like this there is a clear visual indication as to why they received the praise and a prompt to carry out this desired behaviour without being asked. 

This is very similar to the traffic light system that my classroom uses however the visual and use of pegs is a very interesting twist on the simple use of red, amber green stages and

the simplicity of words on each step.

Overtime the desired effect is that the chart becomes a familiar presence in the classroom and that any disruptive behaviour the children instantly know the consequences. 

I also found this blog of a mother who has some excellent ideas, http://meaningfulmama.com/2014/10/15-positive-reinforcement-ideas-kids.html

Thoughts and possibilities for professional artefact....

Hmmmm the possibilities?

Im starting to look at the different options for my professional artefact. I want the artefact to be available to other practitioners like myself who would find my inquiry helpful or interesting, which narrows the options a little. 

I'm floating around with the idea of a website where my findings can be found along with a contents page with different options for my audience. I want to involve excerpts from the litrature I used that i found extremely helpful, with the possibility of including links to step by step examples of using different methods and strategies that I came across whilst carrying out my research.

I want it to be a helpful tool for practitioners where not only my research is presented but an option for an open discussion to form of experiences and examples from different teachers and to share knowledge with one another. 

First look at Positive Reinforcement

The Basics of Verbal Positive Reinforcement

After my first two interviews and finding a new direction in my inquiry I decided to look a little into positive reinforcement. Having worked as a dance teacher and now a teaching assistant in a primary school my experiences have helped me with an small insight to using positive reinforcement. However, I needed to look at the basics and why using this in a teaching environment can help. 

From looking back on my journal and reading through personal experiences whilst in the two different teaching environments I have found examples of when I used effective positive reinforcement. Considering I'm no expert myself the outcome of the method improved the behaviour and atmosphere of the classroom, even if it was just for that lesson. 

" Positive reinforcement has the potential to be one of the most potent strategies teachers can use to motivate students." (L. Canter)

L, Canter talks about verbal reinforcement and how it is the most frequent reinforcement used in classrooms today. He goes on to recognise the two basic different types  of verbal reinforcement which are:  recognition and praise. 

The difference between the two is that, "recognition entails letting students know that you acknowledge they are meeting your expectations in a nonjudgemental manner" (L. Canter)

However, praise on the other hand is different, "Praise if judgemental. Along with acknowledging the students have met your expectations, you add comments indications your approval of their actions" (L. Canter)

Bibliography

L. Canter, 2010. Assertive Discipline: Positive behaviour management for today's calssroom. Solution Tree Press. 

Findings so far...

A different direction perhaps?

Over the last month I have found my research has taken a new direction I didn't think would be emphasised in my inquiry. The interview process was to ask the same questions to one classroom teacher and one dance teacher, but keeping it semi-structered to allow for different topics to arise if necessary. Throughout the two interviews there are moments of in depth discussion about the different methods of discipline used in the two different teaching environments including examples of these.

In the middle of the both interviews, on exactly the same question both teachers brought up positive reinforcement and spoke about how this is a strong technique used to encourage and create a positive atmosphere. They both spoke about the specific language used to help reinforce discipline in the classroom, for example, using phrases such as "I really like the way you accomplished that because we got this outcome" or "Lovely sitting is being shown in this area." Rather than singling out the unruly behaviour to a class full of students, positive reinforcement concentrates on the correct behaviour being used in the classroom and praising such individuals.

Now where should I go?

After speaking with Paula about the findings from my interview she suggested to possibly carry out another two interviews with different teachers to see if there were similar developments in those interviews. In order for me to concentrate on this new direction I felt I needed to gain more data and felt that the extra interviews would produce this outcome. After finding two available practitioners i have completed one and am waiting to start the other this week, and am very excited to see the outcome.

Hmmm what to do?

Hi guys,

Hope everyone is coping with the first instalment of panic setting in already. I clearly am not :(

After reading through the handbook several times I'm starting to understand the process of the inquiry and it's time to put the plan into action. I'm seeing if anyone has any ideas of what to do for theirs artefact? I haven't a clue to be honest, however I like the option of a PowerPoint presentation, as i like the idea of my work being visual. What do you guys think? Any ideas?


Good luck guys! The time will fly!


Until next time xxx

Critical Reflection

Critical Reflection

Exploring my inquiry and its components provided me with a depth of understanding and enhanced my confidence in carrying it out. At the start of the module, we were asked to develop questions and this came relatively easy to me, as I've always been intrigued by this subject and was keen to investigate the way the two teaching styles work. I blogged my first set of questions and, after a comment from a fellow student, http://natalieamartin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/task-4a-developing-questions-for.html#comment-form and upon reflection with a fellow professional, I realised they were broad and non-specific. Therefore, the data I may receive could be too general to work with. After pin-pointing more specifically, one subject in each question, I felt they were of a better standard. Please see this process through my blogs, http://www.ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/4c-developing-my-questions-has-provided.html
Building up my SIG group from my fellow students has proved most difficult. Over the past few months, my communications have been through professionals outside of the course. The reason is, my professional work has built up as the coursework has increased and my time is managed between the two. However, I was able to contact a fellow student and the SIG group touched base on Facebook as much as possible. On reflection, I feel I must comment more than I am on student blogs, giving them encouragement and feedback, because creating an atmosphere where ideas are shared freely will benefit me as much as others.

Finding the appropriate tools to use in my inquiry took some time because the interview was my only one. Thinking more about the possible outcomes and connotations of this approach, I decided it would be helpful to collect thoughts from more teachers to compare ideas. Firstly, I trial ran the semi-structured interview, http://ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/6a-informal-trial-i-have-carried-out.html. After the trial, I explored other tools http://ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/6b-after-reading-through-reader-6-i.html.

Ethical considerations took a different meaning at this point, because now I was not only considering myself, but the interviewee too. My blog on ethical consideration explains some of the human interests I researched and how I came to realise that ethics are there to help everyone at every level. http://www.ashleighacres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/task-5b-as-dance-teachers-work-is.html

Looking through my process, I have come to understand the useful research sources at my disposal. I've learnt there is much planning and structuring that needs to be done before completing research, as there are others involved. As explained in my proposal, I have drawn up a schedule to enable me to use my time wisely and create a well organised plan. This way I will be able to efficiently collect the necessary data and commit my findings to paper.

5C

After exploring ethics in the last two blogs I have found myself questioning my own ethics in my profession and comparing them to ethical frameworks in different professions.

There are a wide variety of ethics in different working environment. Reader 5 explains in the Greeks view the way they carry out everyday tasks and activities in a ‘good’ way, contributes to an effective society. Just like nowadays, since professions have built up over the years and ethics have become more established, completing your work in a good way is often related to the consideration of ethics.

In the case Study 3, I started to become confused with the quotes included from the professionals. I asked myself, was he thinking about ethics when singling one student out in front of the class? If a complaint was made, who was to be held responsible? The structure of the business seemed a little unusual. no clear set up of managerial roles are made, which can outline a poorly run professional environment, leading to holes in ethical education. It made me realise that ethics and boundaries have to be set in all types of working environments. My inquiry involves interviewing individuals, so my ethical considerations will have to be clear to them as well as myself. I will assure their personal details will be kept confidential and no personal questions will be asked to maintain a comfortable atmosphere.

Reader 5 outlines the three main contexts in which ethics are considered-

·         Personal- Family, Religion.

·         Professional- Code of conduct in the working environment.

·         Organizational- Ethos in the organization, how things are done.

The Professional context is something I can use whilst carrying out my inquiry. After blogging about the types of ethics, my concentration seemed to gravitate more toward the professional codes of conduct, exploring the do’s and dont’s in a working environment. This is the main context I tend to use and put to work in my inquiry.