No one gets tired of hearing what they’re doing right
Zipora Schuck MA. MS.
We all know that praise is like water on flowers, a potent way to nurture our children and students. But how and when can we do it best?
There’s a basic principle in psychology that behavior that’s reinforced is usually repeated. Praising our children’s positive behavior will hopefully help them want to repeat that behavior. (Conversely, giving attention to negative behavior may reinforce that behavior.)
The easiest way to praise is to start with attending. Attending is exactly what it sounds like: paying attention to positive behavior. It can be non-verbal with a smile, gesture, or thumbs-up. It can also be a quick and easy verbal message: “Good job!” “Great, well done!” This sends a message to your children or students that you’re the type of mother/teacher who notices the good things they’re doing.
One master teacher I had the privilege of working with told me she feels attending should be the background noise in a classroom or home. No one gets tired of hearing what they’re doing right. In fact, when we’re attempting to correct a behavior, kids often complain that we didn’t previously notice all the times the behavior was in place.
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