Praise in the Classroom

Growing up, when I did something that was expected of me, I was showered with "Good job, Emily". These phrases made me feel proud that I could do something an adult asked me to do – even if it was something minor. Therefore, when I started working with children, I thought this was an excellent technique to boost children's self-esteem and encourage them to follow the expectations. It was not until my experience in a toddler program that I began to question these methods. My mentor teacher asked a child to bring her a pair of scissors. He brought the scissors by holding the sharp side in his hand, to which she said, "I am so proud of you, you are so smart." and then quickly stopped herself and said, "I am not supposed to say that". When I questioned her statement, she said that children should be intrinsically motivated to do something. When we give them empty praises, they begin searching for praises. This experience made me question if I actually wanted to excel in school for my own personal growth – or because I liked the positive attention?

Instead of empty praises, we should provide clear examples of the behaviour and praise the child's efforts rather than their character or personality (Woolfolk, Winne & Perry, 2019). Furthermore, constructive feedback with alternative methods must also be provided when a child is unsuccessful at a task (Hazlitt, n.d.). So, to refer back to the child with the scissors, an alternative response could have been "Thank you, I see you held the sharp side in, which helps to keep both of us safe". This reconstructed statement directly pinpoints the behaviour and highlights the efforts of the child to keep everyone safe. It was so hard to unlearn these phrases, and even now, I still catch myself saying them. However, I quickly try correcting myself by adding on specific examples of what the child and the effort they put into the task.   

A chart that can help students reflect on their own efforts throughout the classroom and ensure they are trying their best (Lunchow, 2014). Courtesy of Emily S @ NU

References

Hazlitt, W. (n.d.). Learning key 2: Confidence in our ability to learn to satisfy our needs.
          https://niagara.instructure.com/courses/21117/files/1524018?module_item_id=564013

Lunchow, L. (2014). Effort meter poster/student self reflection [Photograph]. Teachers Pay Teachers.
          https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Effort-Meter-PosterStudent-Self-Reflection-998304

Woolfolk, A., Winne, P. & Perry, N. (2019). Educational Psychology. Pearson Canada.