I’ve been teaching for a few years now and I’m trying to figure out the best ways to use praise with my students. Sometimes I feel like I’m either overdoing it or not being specific enough. I notice some kids seem to respond well to public recognition while others get embarrassed.
What strategies have worked for you? Do you focus more on effort or results? And how do you make sure the praise actually motivates them instead of just making them dependent on constant validation?
Would love to hear what’s been effective in your experience.
Back when I was in school, my favorite teacher would write little notes on our papers about what we did well, not just the grade. She’d mention things like how I explained my thinking clearly or tried a new approach. Those specific comments stuck with me way longer than just hearing ‘good job.’
With my own kid now, I notice the same thing happens at home. Vague praise kind of bounces off, but when I point out exactly what they did well, they light up and want to keep going.
This makes me think about my 5 year old and how they respond to praise too. I’ve noticed they get really excited when I mention something specific they did, like “you remembered to put your plate in the sink without me asking.” But I’m curious about the balance you mentioned.
Do you think there’s a way to tell if kids are getting too dependent on praise? Sometimes I worry I’m creating a situation where my child only does things when they know I’ll notice and comment on it.
What have you seen work with kids who seem to shut down when they get public recognition?