How often did you praise them, their work or their behaviour? What form did this praise take? What might you do to make your comments more effective?
Extension
It is worth spending time quite deliberately developing your repertoire of words and phrases for praise and encouragement. It is very easy to get stuck with the routine ‘Good’ which rapidly becomes a meaningless punctuation and loses its effect on the pupils.
Make a list of words, phrases and statements that could be used. A Thesaurus might be useful. Some suggestions to start you off: Well done!, Good try!, Excellent, Great
Think also about the value of being explicit about the reasons for your praise of work or behaviour. For example:
That was good because...
Good start - can you see where you might go next?
Good idea - can you say a bit more about that?
That’s an interesting point...
Neil’s just said something helpful...
I really like that idea...
You must have worked hard on that...
Well done everyone. I know that was a difficult task but you all tried really hard today.
I know you’re trying not to be distracted by people, Sue. You did well today; keep it up.
From your list choose those you think you will feel comfortable using. Practice saying them aloud. (Remember, teaching is part acting.)
Follow up
Try out some of your formulations for praise and encouragement and reflect on the outcome.
