Positive Reinforcement and Jane Elliot's Experiment

The experiment that Professor Glassman conducted during class reminded me of Jane Elliot's experiment that she conducted with her 3rd graders many years ago. As Dr. Glassman continued to ask me questions, without validating any of my responses, I was left feeling "dumb", and I remember feeling so irritated and hoping that he would not ask me  any more questions. My participation in this experiment changed the lens in which I see feedback, and because of it, I will address my students differently in the future. Although Jane Elliot is one of my personal heroes, I never viewed her work through the lens of positive reinforcement. She was able to observe differences in student performance based upon positive reinforcement via affirmations. Below is a small clip of the experiment.



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