Introduction to the 4-E's

The benefits of teaching self-responsible behavior are numerous. Teaching students self-management skills has significant benefits, including decreasing attention difficulties and increasing time on task (Shapiro & Cole, 1994). In fact, supportive, positive approaches are effective in increasing learning and desirable behavior (Butland & Beebe, 1992; Wentzel, 1997). Also, teachers who provide structure and guidance have students with high rates of engagement in classroom activities (Skinner & Belmont, 1993). 

One of the most important points to remember is this: if you want students to display a behavior, you have to teach a behavior.

Using the 4-E Model will help you teach the self-responsible behaviors you want your students to have.

Educate	Teach or model the behavior for your students using one of the five ways to educate (Direct Teaching, Build a T-Chart, Red Light/Green Light, Curriculum Stories, and Modeling).
Experience	Allow your students to practice or 'experience' the behavior.
Examine/Evaluate	Encourage the students to evaluate their application of the behavior. Did they get it right? If not what could they do better the next time?
Enforce the Consequences	If the students don't appear to have learned the behavior correctly and you have perhaps repeated the above three E's, they need to experience "legitimate" consequences for their behavior.

In this topic you will review an interactivity that walks you through the details of each step in the 4-E process.