Few would argue that a major task confronting our schools is to induce individuals to behave responsibly and to demonstrate a degree of self control. Traditional methods adopted to achieve this aim emphasized pressure from without, the use of rewards and punishments which attempted to make students behave in certain ways.

According to Balson (1992), the most powerful technique which is available to teachers to induce responsible social behavior in their students is the use of behavioral consequences. The rational of this approach is that all behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences, and that individuals will not continue to behave in ways which distress or harm nobody but themselves. There are two types of behavioral consequences: natural and logical.

Natural behavior consequences represent the routine effects of reality or the natural flow of events without interference from parents or teachers. The technique of applying natural consequences of behavior; the student acts or does not act properly and the teacher permits the student to receive natural consequences of the behavior Teachers do not scold, threaten, argue, or preach, but simply express their regrets.

There are, unfortunately, few natural consequences available within classrooms, while some which are, would involve an unacceptable element of physical danger. However, the application of logical consequences are guided and arranged by the teacher, the group, or another adult, and are designed to let the reality of the social order impress the child, rather than the authority of the teacher. Many teachers find it difficult to distinguish between punishment and behavioral consequences. There are a number of important distinctions between the two, examples are:

Punishment	Behavioral Consequences
Teachers are responsible for student behavior	Students are responsible for their own behavior
Concerned with past and always retaliatory.	Concerned with the present and not retaliatory.
An arbitory connection between the behavior and its consequences.	A logical connection between the behavior and its consequences.
Based on superior-inferior relationship between teachers and students.	Based on concept of equality and worth between teachers and students.
Always personalized and involves moral judgment.	Impersonal and involves no moral judgments.
No alternative or choice of behaviors is given by the teacher.	Students always have the right to decide between several behaviors
Voice, relationship, and atmosphere reflect anger and resentment	Voice, relationship, and atmosphere are friendly when consequences are invoked.
Expresses the power of a personal authority.	Expresses the reality of the social order or the situation.
Implies that teachers know what is best for students.	Implies that students are capable of managing their own lives.

To clarify the differences between punishment and behavioral consequences, read the following incidents and indicate whether the teacher used logical consequences (LC), natural consequences (NC), or punishment(P).

Instructions:

Simply click on your choice from the options provided, your score and answers will be provided at the end of the quiz.

Teachers need to constantly remind themselves that they are the targets of disturbing classroom behavior, and that their reactions tend to sustain and strengthen undesirable behavior. Before teachers can begin to assist individual children, they must stop giving undue attention, fighting, retaliating, or accepting student’s displays of inability. That is the first step in any corrective program.

Students who constantly disrupt, invite attention, rebel, or violate order, are discouraged individuals who feel that they cannot find a place in the class through constructive and cooperative behaviors, and consequently turn to more destructive and inadequate behaviors in their attempt to find a sense of significance.

There are a number of processes designed to help pupils to develop more adequate ways of behaving, but before these approaches can be used, teachers must stop responding to unacceptable behaviors As a first step, teachers should train themselves to go against their first impulse and, consequently, break the detrimental cycle whereby a student acts and a teacher reacts.

A two part interactive Teacher Teaser may be found below. Part one looks at matching a behavior with the form of power goal. Part two focuses on how a teacher might feel about a student’s misbehavior.

Instructions:

Simply click on your choice from the options provided.

Please go to Behavioral Goals to view the test

Perceptions about the underlying cause of behavioral problems are mostly based on false assumptions. “She comes from a one parent family”, or “His parents are not well off” assumes that a particular behavioral problem may be attributed to a socio-economic or family background. This may be far from the truth.

This quiz contains some examples where false assumptions may be made.

Instructions:

Simply click on your choice from the options provided.

Please go to False Assumptions to view the test

 

The words and actions of teachers can act as encouragement when the focus is on the learner and the process of learning, or they can act as praise when the focus of teacher attention is on the product or outcome of learning. The distinction between praise and encouragement is important. Students can’t receive praise if they have not learned, but they can get encouragement to help them learn.

Many teachers believe that praising students will stimulate them to behave appropriately and this is often true if students can accomplish the task required. When praise is reserved only for difficult tasks or given too freely, it loses its effect. It may be interpreted by students as manipulation and be seen by them as meaning that they have measured up to another’s arbitrary standards.

Encouragement always involves the student and their efforts to learn, whereas the focus of praise should always be student behavior.

Typical statements of praise and their encouragement equivalents are:

Praise	Encouragement
‘I am please that you topped the history test.’	‘I see that you enjoy studying history.’
‘Ten out of ten, good girl!’	‘You must really enjoy maths!’
‘You were the best violinist at the concert!’	‘You have really practiced hard on the violin this year.’
‘You are the best monitor we have, Sandra!’	‘ I appreciate your help in the classroom Sandra.’
‘You have the neatest writing in the class.’	‘Looks as though you are really enjoying your writing.’
I am so proud of your artwork.	‘It is nice to see that you enjoy art.’

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An interactive quiz may be found below. The first part focuses on identifying whether a statement is either praise or encouragement. The second on principles that best describes the use of praise.

Instructions:

You need to answer 10 questions focusing on Praise versus Encouragement statements. Simply click on your choice from the options provided, your score and answers will be provided at the end of the quiz.

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Please go to Praise Versus Encouragement to view the test