Discussion:
Using Operant Conditioning in the Classroom
Scenario: You are the teacher of John, a 13-year-old boy who transferred this year into the seventh grade at your school, a fairly traditional middle school. John is getting into a lot of trouble. He is not turning in much homework and often seems unprepared for tests. He is frequently off-task in the classroom, particularly during math and literature instruction. During these off-task moments, he is rarely disruptive, but very obviously disengaged--reading comics or playing with paper clips or rubber bands. He hardly ever participates in class discussions or small group work, and responds with irritation or apathy to your corrections or classmates' comments, which are becoming increasingly negative. He doesn't seem to have many friends, in class or out. You have tried talking with him about his behavior, but he just says, "Leave me alone!" You are going to be meeting with your team and John's parents to try to figure out how to help John.
Question: Describe one strategy a behaviorist theorist would suggest to remedy this learning problem?