Date of Award
1990
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
JoEller Salce Rogers
Committee Member
Bonnie Swanson
Keywords
adult intervention, aggressive behavior reduction, behavior problems, classroom behavior, cooperative activities, developmental needs, discipline problems, early childhood education, first-grade students, interpersonal competence, kindergarten education, modeling, peer interaction, playgroups, positive peer interaction, primary education, prosocial behavior, recess activities, role compliance, self-control, self-management, social adjustment, social behavior, social competence, social development, student behavior, teacher facilitation, videotape feedback, videotaped sessions, video modeling, following directions, cooperative play, behavior intervention strategies, positive behavior reinforcement
Abstract
This practicum report describes methods used to increase prosocial behavior and positive peer interaction among kindergarten and first grade students through participation in a self-motivating playgroup. Five students attend daily play sessions in place of outdoor recess time, in which participation included planning cooperative activities, following them through, and reviewing their involvement.
The solution strategy was designed to include a participating teacher who facilitated play and guided students through pertinent intervention strategies during each videotaped play session. Students were shown their inappropriate behaviors through video playback, which was succeeded by instruction and modeling of appropriate behaviors. After practicing the modeled behaviors, the students viewed their participation from the videotape and discussed their involvement as a review of each session.
The outcomes of practicum implementation cited increases in many socially competent behaviors. Special class teachers reported greater instances of role compliance and non-removal of students. Classroom teachers observed more situations of students following directions and promptly responding to adult interventions. Each student demonstrated significant increases in self-control and self-management, which resulted in a reduction of aggressive behaviors. Through encouragement and guidance of the student in their selected activities, participating teachers found they were able to attend to a variety of their developmental needs of reinforcing pro-social behaviors.