What are your thoughts on TAGteach?

It engages children on a physical level and a mental one, which is good for learning for certain types of children. I encourage my children, we homeschool, with words. “You did a wonderful job. I’m proud of you.” It is the same thing, broken down into a smaller piece, a click. It lacks a certain emotional, social connection between teacher and child, in my opinion. I also use rewards for completed work and break the job itself down into tasks. It would speed up things, but I don’t think it would have quite the same effect as saying the words. Every child likes to hear they are doing well.
I have a son who would be considered ADHD, we have to keep him focused with a physical activity much like they implement in this program. He uses a stress ball.
I don’t see this doing well with groups because the clicking is associated with good behavior and each time you click your reinforcing behavior, some of which you may be unaware of.

I would also add that the action plans work.

I can’t help but think that there must be a more human way to approach the same system. Clickers seem very cold to me, and teaching a child to want attention via an irritating noise just seems wrong.

This is just one take on the behavior modification observations of B. F. Skinner.

However, human children are not animals. But this is a good reminder of the benefits of positive reward in shaping human behavior. However, I think words and little gestures (like a hand in the shoulder or pat in the back) are just as effective.

Using a mechanical device like a clicker seems a bit too cold for my taste. I don’t understand why this is replacing words like “Good job” or “Thats right” or the hundreds of other words of praise we can use.

It does seem cold, doesn’t it? I wonder whether that is simply because we are not used to it. I can see children getting very excited about this sort of thing, and I can imagine adults getting caught up in the game, too.

I would never carry around a clicker with me and reward good behavior, though. I think that would damage a parent/child relationship, destroy any real kind of connection.

On the other hand, I can imagine using a clicker for helping my child overcome a certain fear, if they are interested to. I would present the game, and have my child decide. Of course, you are right in that verbal praise is, essentially, the same thing. The benefit of using a device (some people use a bell, too) is that it helps the parent stay in their teaching role. We, as primates, are hard to shut up. When I clicker train dogs, I am quiet for once, not impatiently waiting but simply observing. I think children would respond well and be relieved by a little more clarity in place of endless explanations and nagging.

Another benefit to using a device is that it removes a bit of the emotional connection. Some of you say this is a bad thing, but I can see it being useful – takes away some of the pressure and helps students focus.

It’s a bit of a personality thing, too, even in animals. My own dog is much too dependent to like clicker training. She is intelligent, but always waits for the humans to tell her what to do. My sister’s dog is much more independent, and enjoys solving the riddle clicker training provides.

If the clicker thing was not originated by human behavior (because that can be sporadic), but instead operated by computer, it might work better.

^ Like they do with flight simulators, yes. That’s true!