http://www.uni.edu/~maclino/bm/purple_paw_tokens.html
On page two of this newsletter the on TRRC program is explained. What is this program? How did it come about? What are the behavioral classes they are trying to elicit? What would be some specific target behaviors they might want the children to emit? Is this system based on reinforcement or punishment? Is it positive or negative? What are the tokens used in this program? What might be some pro's and con's associated with using these tokens? What is the delivery system? What are some pro's and con's associated with the delivery system? How are the tokens banked? What are the pro's and con's? What are the back up reinforcers? How were the backup reinforcers chosen? Are they effective reinforcers? How do the students gain access to the reinforcers? What are some of the outcome measures so the administrators know the system is effective? How effectively are the administrators teaching the students about the system? How effectively are the administrators teaching the parents about the system? How effectively have the administrators taught the other teacher about the system? Is there the possibility of not everyone (students, teachers, and parents) may not have complete buy in with the system? What are some problems know to exist with token economies that might be a problem here? What are some questions you might have for the administrators about the system? What additional information might you want to know about the system?
testing
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Poyner Elementary has implemented a token economy program to increase the frequency of students emitting behaviors of being trustworthy, respectful, responsible and caring. This is part of the Waterloo School District is starting the Positive Behavior Intervention System.
If a student is seen emitting one of these target behavior classes, he/she is reinforced with a 'purple paw' ticket. After a student has earned 10 'purple paw' tickets, they can emit a behavior of trading them in for one golden ticket. The students can then emit a behaivor of saving up the golden tickets to exchange for prizes. Prizes include: Sonic ice cream cones, extra recess, popcorn, lunch with Principal and a teacher, extra computer time, and helping the custodian. Parents are asked to encourage their students to be Poyner Panthers on T.R.R.C., by emitting the target behaviors.
This is a positive reinforcement system, that elicits desired behaviors from students. Behaviors may include: telling the truth, raising one's hand to be called upon, cleaning up after oneself, helping peers, teachers and staff, not talking while others are speaking, and so on.
This sounds like an effective system, but the children could choose to emit a behavior of hoarding the 'purple paw' tickets and golden tickets for a long period of time to exchange for a large quantity of prizes at once. The school should have set an expiration date on the tickets to avoid this possible behavior by the students.
The newsletter was not very specific about the details of the delivery system, but it sounds like the staff awards purple paw tickets to students when they are seen emitting a desired behavior. The students must then be able to exchange those purple tickets for golden ones at a designated place in the school or by a teacher. The article also did not mention how the tickets are banked, if the child has possession of the tickets, or if the teacher keeps an account/record of each student's tickets, or if there is a storage place for the tickets in the room. A possible problem with the student's having tickets in their possession, is they could emit a behavior of misplacing their tickets. If the teacher doesn't have a record of the tickets, the student is either out of luck, or the teacher believes them and replaces the lost tickets...hopefully the student is being TRUSTWORTHY and RESPONSIBLE though.
The article doesn't state how the backup reinforcers were chosen, but they appear to be objects and activities elementary children would enjoy. Because kids would probably enjoy the reinforcers, they are likely to be effective, but a record of which reinforcers are chosen most often would be beneficial to future reinforcer decisions.
I don't think the school is teaching the parents how the system works very well, because there have already been problems addressed by myself in this blog post concerning the implementation of this token economy. It is unknown to the reader of the newsletter how effective the administrators are teaching the staff and students about the system, because it is not stated in the article. There is also a possibility that not all people involved support this system, like teachers, parents, and some students may not respond well to the system.
I would like to emit a behaivor of asking the school administrators how they are measuring, or plan to measure the effectiveness of this token economy system. I would also like to know the specifics of the delivery system of the 'purple paw' and golden tickets, like from whom the students receive the reinforcers, and back up reinforcers from.
This sounds like an effective system, but there are a few missing details from the newsletter that parents might have questions about.