PRAISE IN THE CLASSROOM

What is praise?

Praise is the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something. It is commendation for a job well done. 

WHY USE PRAISE IN THE CLASSROOM?

Educators use praise for various purposes.

      1.    Praise has a positive effect on self-esteem. It raises students’ confidence in themselves.  

      2.    Praise is a powerful tool for motivation in the classroom:

·     It can be used to motivate students to achieve and maintain positive behaviours.

·   Teachers use praise to encourage students to do more.

· Praise motivates students to learn and participate in class/ school activities.

  3.  Praise is an indispensable component of building good rapport with your students. Rapport is the relationship we have with our learners. When we genuinely praise students, they see us as affectionate, sympathetic and approachable. 

     Having seen the importance of praise in our classrooms, it is apt to state clearly that for praise to be effective, it must be specific, not generic.

     Compare these two examples of praise:

·         Amazing work, class!

·      Kayla, I can see your handwriting is improving.        Your work is so neat. Bravo!

The first example is generic and may have little or no effect, but the second example is specific, directed to a particular child and the good work being praised. 

In being specific, you need to describe the behaviours or actions being reinforced. When praise is specific, children respond positively to tasks. They pay more attention and try harder to achieve.

TIPS FOR USING PRAISE EFFECTIVELY

•   Use their names. Using their names tells 
  them that you see them as individuals and care about them.
•  Offer praise only when it is deserved, only then will it have the desired effect.
•  Use encouragement stickers- an amazing tool that motivates students to keep trying their best to achieve.
• Use praise notes: short written notes stating what  the student accomplished.
•  Smile and make eye contact when giving praise.
• Do not combine praise with criticism. Example: “You did a great job, am proud of you ‘but….”

In conclusion, do not overlook the effect of praise in the classroom. Praise can take any form, including a smile from across the room, a pat on the back, a kind word.

If you haven’t been doing this, give it a try. In using praise in the classroom, the teacher must be specific. Generic praise may work for some students, but the most powerful is specific praise. 

Have you been using praise in your classroom? How has praise worked for you in your classroom? Please drop your comments so others can learn from you.