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The reinforcer that appears occasionally in my life is Social. I appreciate thanks and encouragement from others, but they often leave me feeling embarrassed. I am never sure how to reply when I am given a compliment, especially for things that I feel I have not mastered, so I tend to apologize for all that I did not do or feel that I did not do well.

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The prospect of free food drives me! If there's complimentary food involved, I'm willing to take on challenging tasks, assist with moving, assist others with their taxes, socialize after work, or attend dull events. While this is a powerful incentive for others to persuade me to do something, it's not very effective when I try to motivate myself.

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Most of the time, I find food to motivate me to attend gatherings. I like to be home, but if there is an event I need to attend, I am more likely to talk myself into going if I know there will be free food. This reinforcer keeps me social when I would rather turn into an after-school hermit. When I host an event, I try to include food because I believe it motivates everyone. In my school store, I sell treats because I feel that treats are more fun and usually cheaper than trinkets.

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This reinforcer appears in all areas of my life, but mostly in my social and family life. I will help a friend move, but I enjoy doing it when they offer free pizza. If my child needs my help with a project or wants me to help clean their room, I will often ask for the return favor of making dinner. I enjoy eating, but I do not enjoy all aspects of food preparation, so that is why I feel like I am easily motivated by food.

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The edible reinforcer strategy works well for me because I enjoy a variety of foods but don't like cooking. Also, I am thrifty, so I will do almost anything whenever I can get free food. I know that my general weakness for free food often gets me to do things I wouldn't otherwise do. My oldest son was aware of this and often brought me a box of my favorite donuts when he needed my help. How easily food can change my mind about an event or activity surprises me.

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The next most common reinforcer in my life is activities. This method works best when trying to reward myself for a completed task. I love to read, but I only have time for audiobooks most of the time, so I let myself listen to a book only if I am doing something productive. However, after a difficult task, I will reward myself with time to sit and read or listen to a favorite book. I also enjoy watching TV and taking mid-day naps.

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The activity reinforcer is used at some point every day. I almost made it my number one reinforcer because of its frequency, but I feel that it only trumps edibles because free food does not show up that often. This reinforcer has allowed me to focus on my homework for extended periods, clean my house on the weekend when I am exhausted from a long week, and permit me to rest periodically throughout the day.

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The activity reinforcer appears most often in my home. I allow myself to listen to audiobooks and podcasts if I stay busy cleaning or organizing. This motivates me to accomplish more when I am exhausted from a full day of work. I have begun to reward myself with time to watch TV if I complete my homework, or work on grading papers while watching. This has helped me accomplish those tasks I often push to the bottom of the to-do list. I occasionally use this reinforcer at work, but it is not as easy to implement during a busy school day.

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This reinforcer works because it is simple to implement and does not add additional cost to my life. I use free TV and audiobook options to feed my habits. I often enjoy listening to educational and self-improvement books and podcasts, so I feel that it serves two purposes. It works well to keep me focused on what I need to accomplish and also makes me take breaks from my to-do list, which benefits my mental and physical health.

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The reinforcer that appears in my life only occasionally is tangibles. Tangibles are a common reinforcer used by teachers and parents. At the start of each school year, our administration presents all teachers with "gifts." I enjoy things like free t-shirts and pens, but I now own two pencil pouches I am unsure what to do with. I do not like to throw things away, so I often see tangibles as a waste. I have never really enjoyed receiving flowers. This is why tangibles do not work well as motivators for me.

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There are a few instances in my life when I encounter tangibles as a reinforcer. I work for a $300 gift card each year by logging my healthy habits throughout the year. I also scan receipts to earn points for gift cards. Most of the tangibles that appear in my life are through gifts from my kids and students.

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I receive the most tangible reinforcements during special occasions and holidays. There are three distinct times during my year when I am rewarded with material possessions: at the start of the school year, Christmas, and teacher appreciation week.

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I believe my dislike for clutter is the reason why I don't find tangible items as appealing as other forms of reinforcement. Whenever I think about the waste generated by the small trinkets given out at carnivals and events, I feel a sense of guilt and try to avoid contributing to that waste. This may be why I prefer to include food items in my classroom store, as I feel less waste is involved.

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I receive social compliments and daily positive interactions from my students, family, and colleagues. Though I appreciate these gestures, they do not seem to motivate me to become a better teacher. However, I understand the significance of building relationships and fostering a positive learning environment. Therefore, I use these social interactions to motivate and encourage my students. Additionally, I am grateful for the support and encouragement from my administration and family.

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The social reinforcer shows up in various ways during my work day. My students love hugs, and although the district discourages them, we allow simple side hugs from students when they initiate them. My administration is also very good at offering compliments. One form of social motivator that I do enjoy is the smiles from students when they get excited about what we are learning or the joy in their eyes after they finish their presentations. At home, I rely on social reinforcers as motivators for my husband and kids. I enjoy giving and receiving hugs and praise. This reinforcer is also easy to implement and free, so it makes it one of the best overall reinforcers.

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Chapter 9 Activities to Extend Your Learning #1

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Chapter 9 Activities to Extend Your Learning #1

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Identify and list within the various classes of reinforcement (edibles, tangibles, activity, and social) your preferred reinforcers. Note the frequency of occurrence of each of these respective reinforcers in your life and identify which activities (e.g., work, leisure, and or school) they are most frequently associated with.

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Identifying and ordering the daily reinforcers I use at home, work, and school was hard. When looking at the various options, I feel that it depends on the situation. Usually, it is food, specifically free food, that motivates me. However, because food has negative health effects, I often use activities to reward myself for completing tasks. I also find tangible and social reinforcers equally matched in last place depending on the situation. I found this exercise insightful, as it helped me understand why rewards work and recognize that even as adults, we rely on rewards to motivate us to accomplish challenging tasks.

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Social interactions are significant to me as they help me build stronger relationships with others. I cultivate these relationships by giving and receiving compliments and engaging in positive social behavior. This is a simple but powerful motivator, which is often underestimated.

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Motivating others to complete tasks can be done in various ways. While some may view offering incentives as bribery, it is important to acknowledge that we all use reinforcement to motivate and alter behavior. Teachers have the opportunity to facilitate positive behavior changes in students by utilizing the system of positive reinforcement.