Blog #84 – PRAISE SHOULD BE EARNED
Teachers, coaches and parents need to realize that praise should be earned. Too many students and children are praised to improve self-esteem when praise is not deserved. It should be noted that students and children realize in most instances, when praise is not really heartfelt. When students and children do their best in any endeavor they should be praised.
In the classroom, teachers should encourage students to participate in discussions. Teachers should not be sarcastic. They need to treat all students with respect. An environment conducive to learning should be created. Students need to feel that what they say is important. Students should feel that they are an integral part of the class. Praise students when they are willing to take risks, and when they are willing to ask questions that others are afraid to ask. Praise them for volunteering and never ridicule their answers.
Coaches should implement all of the techniques used by teachers in the classroom. Since team members participate at mathematics tournaments together, praise should be given to all students that have given their best effort. Students need to realize that competition is not about winning awards. It should be about self-improvement. However, this does not mean that excellent performances are not recognized. At team practices, students need to be encouraged to share their knowledge of the three contests (Number Sense, Calculator Applications and Mathematics) with their peers. They should also be asked to share experiences that can be used by other team members to improve their performances. Students that share knowledge and experiences deserve praise.
Parents should be aware of how teachers and coaches use praise to instill self-confidence. They should not praise their children if they are not trying to do their best in any activity. If for some reason a child is not trying their best, parents should evaluate why. If the student does not enjoy the activity, they should consider not forcing the child to participate. This applies to academic contests, sports, music, etc. There may be instances when a child may not be interested in an activity because they may not know too much about it. It also may be that they do not know or appreciate the activity. Children enjoy being praised. But, they only benefit from praise when it is earned.