The new podcast Conversations kicked off this weekend with a discussion about praise for students. Positive words from a teacher are some of the most impactful communication a person can receive. The cliche goes that teachers shape lives. Stated another way, a teacher defines a student through verbal praise.
Nowhere is this more evident than in my experience as a freshman at Scottsdale Community College. My English teacher, Harry Hude, was instrumental in igniting my love for learning and defining me as a writer. I identify myself as a writer because Mr. Hude told me that I was good at writing. He shared my writing (anonymously) with the class. He communicated to me that I had ideas worth sharing, and I was good at stating those ideas clearly.
Specific praise shapes a student’s image of himself. We develop identities based partly on how other people describe us. I know that I excel in skateboarding because I enjoy it, I feel myself get better as I practice, and other people tell me that I’m good. If I enjoyed skateboarding and felt like I was getting better, but no one ever mentioned anything, I might not pursue excellence as intensely. Imagine how my attitude would shift if I only heard about the things I did wrong on a skateboard. I’d probably quit.
Fortunately, most people are shaped slowly, and they generally bounce back from negative comments. And, praise can be a powerful agent of healing in the life of a bruised student. Teachers have daily opportunities to speak success and confidence into the lives of their students. Maria Knee and Lisa Parisi gave me a great reminder of these opportunities in the upcoming school year.
Make sure to check out the recording of their show: EdTechTalk.
