How do you start the first 10 minutes of your class? Roll call after the bell in the morning? Listing an agenda for what’s to come for the day, or recapping what happened the day before? What if you took an approach that was outside of the box? Imagine giving children positive feedback that might carry them through the day and help them treat others better.”
A Florida teacher is making headlines for shedding light on bullying, and teaching his students how they can make a change. During the first 10 minutes of every class, he compliments each student one-on-one as they come to the front of the class. He gives them affirming messages such as, “Everyone here loves you,” “I love having you in class,” or “You’re great at sports.”
Research show most bullying occurs in middle school (Grades 6, 7, and 8). This could leave kids with a lasting impression which might affect them later in life. Addressing the issue and involving the class in thinking positively can have a long-lasting impact
According to Education World, you need to be cautious on how to phrase positive compliments. Instead of saying “You’re excellent at…,” focus on how hard they are trying. A couple examples are: “I like watching you work so hard at learning. It means a lot to me that you don’t give up,” or “I appreciate how helpful you have been today.”
In other words, praise them for their effort, not for their expertise.
Next time your student does make a mistake, they will see your praise as being genuine, and not feel like they are not good enough. Experts say try and use compliments sparingly to reinforce activities, otherwise you may encourage a child that only works hard for praise, not for doing their best at a task.
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/florida-teacher-starts-day-complimenting-students/story?id=35259600
https://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/school-bullying.html
https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/effective-praise-compliments-students.shtml
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