When I think about praise in education, my first thoughts go to how I effectively use praise with my students. Every day, I practice what I learned in my education programs to ensure I am praising students’ hard work and unique passions (over achievement and natural ability). I also make sure I praise honestly and frequently so that any feedback I have feels valid to that student. Over the years, I have seen these practices transform my classroom culture into a place that feels supportive to growth. Students trust my praise and feedback. They feel confident to try.
Sarah Besand, a teacher and Possip Reporter, reflects on the impact of praise and how to gather more positive comments from families to boost teachers’ morale.
A Testament to Praise
As a teacher, I can personally attest to the power of praise from those around me. Very early on in my career, I realized the challenges that teaching can bring on a daily basis. I also learned how praise had the ability to uplift those moments. I had a colleague recommend starting a “Praise Folder,” that I could look back on on those days. Four years later, I have a folder brimming with messages I have printed off from parents, notes and pictures from students, and emails from administrators that make me smile. It’s so easy to pull out this folder when I’m having a moment and remember why I became an educator.
The Science Behind Praise
Much research has been done to show the logic behind using it in the workplace and its impact. This article, The 2 kinds of praise we all need to get at work from TED, explains the power of praise in terms of a ‘we’ strength and ‘me’ strength. This article is more geared for the employer perspective. However, I believe it can also be applied to family praise. Their strategy focuses on praising someone in terms of their work within a team setting, as well as their unique personal moves as well.
By using this strategy, we are shining a light on multiple facets of a teacher’s efforts at school. For a ‘we’ praise, you could include praise for how staff members always keep families in the loop, or hear parent voices. For a ‘me’ strength, you could comment about specific actions staff members do to make students feel special. Or, practices within the classroom you love hearing about from your student. This goes a long way in making staff feel seen and appreciated!
Schools: How to Use Teacher Praise
An easy way to incorporate more teacher praise is through our Possip Pulse Checks! Here at Possip, our ratio of praise to feedback is ~2:1 already. This means for every comment voicing concerns or questions about teachers, schools receive 2 comments praising teachers and school efforts. – that’s 2 times more praise than feedback! Let’s keep this positivity flowing!
Check out this article Develop a System to Effectively Use Possip Praise about more ways to incorporate praise you receive from Pulse Checks or other sources. Additionally, this Possip Spotlight: How RPA Shares Parent Praise with Prospective Families is full of ideas on how to use praise you’ve received with prospective families!
We hope these ideas are helpful to you as you incorporate more and more praise into your Pulse Checks! We know this will make a world of difference to your school communities as you celebrate your staff’s unique contributions. Let’s create a chain of positivity!
Speed Read (tldr) of The Power of Parent Praise
Impact of Praise: Regular, honest praise in education builds trust and confidence in students and staff, creating a supportive classroom and school culture.
Teacher Appreciation: Personal and team-based praise boosts teacher morale and fosters positive relationships with families, as supported by research on praise in workplace settings.
Possip Pulse Checks: Schools benefit from a high ratio of praise to feedback in Pulse Checks, enhancing staff motivation and showcasing the positive aspects of their efforts.
Read below for resources, tips, and the why!
