The best way to teach is to praise positive actions and ignore negative ones.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
The recommendation presents a view that I would
agree is successful most of the time, but one that
I cannot fully support due to the “all or nothing”
impression it gives.
Certainly as an educator I agree fully that the best
way to elicit positive response from students is to
make use of students’ positive energy and then
encourage actions that you would like to see repeated.
It is human nature that we all want to be accepted and
achieve on some level, and when people in authority
provide feedback that we have done something well,
the drive to repeat the action that was praised is
bound to be particularly strong.
This blanket statement would obviously pay dividends
in situations in which a teacher desires to have
students repeat particular behaviors. For example,
if an educator is attempting to teach students
proper classroom etiquette, it would be appropriate
to openly praise a student who raises his or her hand
when wishing to speak or address the class. In such
cases, the teacher may also help shape positive
behaviors by ignoring a student who is trying to
interject without approval from the teacher. In fact,
the decision to ignore students who are exhibiting
inappropriate behaviors of this type could work very
well in this situation, as the stakes are not very high
and the intended outcome can likely be achieved by
such a method. However, it is important to note
here that this tactic would only be effective in such
a “low-stakes” situation, as when a student speaks
without raising her hand first. As we will discuss
below, ignoring a student who hits another student,
or engages in more serious misbehaviors, would not
be effective or prudent.
To expand on this point, it is important for teachers
to be careful when working with the second half of
this statement, only ignoring negative actions that
are not serious. Take for instance a student who is
misbehaving just by chatting with a fellow classmate.
This student might not be presenting much of a
problem and may be simply seeking attention.
Ignoring the student might, in fact, be the best
solution. Now assume the negative action is the
improper administering of chemicals in a science
experiment or the bullying of a fellow student. To
ignore these negative actions would be absurd and
negligent. Now you are allowing a problem to persist,
one that could potentially lead to much bigger and
more dangerous issues. In a more serious situation,
addressing the negative actions quickly and properly
could stop the problem it in its tracks. It is for reasons
like this that I do not advocate the idea that a teacher
can be successful by simply ignoring negative actions.
I do, however, greatly support the idea that the
central focus of teaching should be to build on and
encourage positive actions. However, the author’s
all-encompasing statement leaves too many negative
possibilities for the classroom. Perhaps a better way
to phrase this statement would be to say, “The best
way to teach is to praise positive actions and ignore
negative ones that are not debilitating to class
efficiency or the safety of any individual”.
Thus, in the original statement, there are indeed some
good intentions, and there could be a lot of merit in
adopting its basic principles. Data proves that positive
support can substantially increase motivation and
desire in students and contribute to positive
achievements. In fact, most studies of teaching
efficacy indicate that praising positive actions and
ignoring negative ones can create a more stable and
efficient classroom. It needs to be stressed, however,
that this tool is only effective at certain levels of
misbehavior. As mentioned above, when the behavior
is precipitated by feelings of revenge, power or total
self-worthlessness, this methodology will likely not
work. It is likely to be very successful, however, when
the drive behind the misbehavior is simple attention
seeking. In many of these instances, if the teacher
demonstrates clearly that inappropriate behavior
does not result in the gaining of attention, students
are more likely to seek attention by behaving properly.
Should the student choose this path, then the ignoring
has worked and when the positive behavior is
exhibited, then the teacher can utilize the first part of
the theory and support or praise this behavior. Now
it is much more likely to be repeated. If the student
does not choose this path and instead elects to raise
the actions to a higher level that presents a more
serious issue, then ignorance alone cannot work
and other methods must be employed.
In conclusion, one can appreciate the credo expressed
in this instance, but surely we all can see the potential
error of following it through to the extreme.
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 19, column 47, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...educator is attempting to teach students proper classroom etiquette, it would be ...
^^^
Line 32, column 1, Rule ID: EN_A_VS_AN
Message: Use 'an' instead of 'a' if the following word starts with a vowel sound, e.g. 'an article', 'an hour'
Suggestion: an
...tactic would only be effective in such a 'low-stakes' situation, as wh...
^
Line 41, column 52, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ious. Take for instance a student who is misbehaving just by chatting with a fell...
^^^
Line 42, column 37, Rule ID: FELLOW_CLASSMATE[1]
Message: Use simply 'classmate'.
Suggestion: classmate
...s misbehaving just by chatting with a fellow classmate. This student might not be presenting ...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 63, column 57, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...tatement would be to say, 'The best way to teach is to praise positive actio...
^^^
Line 81, column 56, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ely to be very successful, however, when the drive behind the misbehavior is simp...
^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, first, however, if, may, second, so, then, thus, well, for example, for instance, in conclusion, in fact
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 45.0 19.5258426966 230% => Less to be verbs wanted.
Auxiliary verbs: 30.0 12.4196629213 242% => Less auxiliary verb wanted.
Conjunction : 30.0 14.8657303371 202% => Less conjunction wanted
Relative clauses : 32.0 11.3162921348 283% => Less relative clauses wanted (maybe 'which' is over used).
Pronoun: 63.0 33.0505617978 191% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 92.0 58.6224719101 157% => OK
Nominalization: 19.0 12.9106741573 147% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 4173.0 2235.4752809 187% => OK
No of words: 788.0 442.535393258 178% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.29568527919 5.05705443957 105% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.29823911269 4.55969084622 116% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.94649036052 2.79657885939 105% => OK
Unique words: 346.0 215.323595506 161% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.439086294416 0.4932671777 89% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 1268.1 704.065955056 180% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 15.0 6.24550561798 240% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 10.0 4.99550561798 200% => Less articles wanted as sentence beginning.
Subordination: 10.0 3.10617977528 322% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 7.0 1.77640449438 394% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 18.0 4.38483146067 411% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 32.0 20.2370786517 158% => OK
Sentence length: 24.0 23.0359550562 104% => OK
Sentence length SD: 52.094181162 60.3974514979 86% => OK
Chars per sentence: 130.40625 118.986275619 110% => OK
Words per sentence: 24.625 23.4991977007 105% => OK
Discourse Markers: 3.59375 5.21951772744 69% => OK
Paragraphs: 93.0 4.97078651685 1871% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 6.0 7.80617977528 77% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 17.0 10.2758426966 165% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 14.0 5.13820224719 272% => Less negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 1.0 4.83258426966 21% => More facts, knowledge or examples wanted.
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.199713161555 0.243740707755 82% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0586099682757 0.0831039109588 71% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0549945085308 0.0758088955206 73% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0364912784386 0.150359130593 24% => Maybe some paragraphs are off the topic.
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0517711224345 0.0667264976115 78% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 15.8 14.1392134831 112% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 47.12 48.8420337079 96% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 12.7 12.1743820225 104% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 13.76 12.1639044944 113% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.49 8.38706741573 101% => OK
difficult_words: 183.0 100.480337079 182% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 18.5 11.8971910112 155% => OK
gunning_fog: 11.6 11.2143820225 103% => OK
text_standard: 9.0 11.7820224719 76% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Maximum six paragraphs wanted.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.