As a small child I remember bringing home art projects and classroom assignments and showing them off to my mother with intense pride and palpable glee. As if a cherry was added to the top of my ice cream sundae, my mom would further my enthusiasm by adhering my artifact to the refrigerator with a magnet for all to see, admire, and compliment. There the product would hang until I managed to create another piece that my mother deemed important enough to replace my prior on the fridge. This routine went on for years. Even through my middle school and high school years as my artifacts became less cute and more academic, my mom would still insist on hanging report cards, essays, and exams on the fridge. With an eye roll, I’d pretend to be embarrassed at the prospect that as a senior in high school, my mom still felt the need to display my merits for all to see. However, I must admit her immense pride and support of my educational pursuits was nothing to eye roll about.
As I reflect on my experiences, I realize that my students need this kind of celebration, pride, and enthusiasm when they achieve an academic or personal goal, too. Here are some ways to do this (even with the distance):
- With student permission, announce the top grades on a test or quiz and have students clap and celebrate this success.
- Gather a variety of student artifacts from the week, month, or quarter and email out to students and parents or post online for viewing.
- Provide valuable and specific compliments on student work that highlight their strengths. For example: “I love how you drew the character so accurately. You really have a talent for drawing!”
- Give students time during online sessions to share their work with their peers. Encourage others to provide positive feedback or praise. Students love hearing compliments from their peers! Or, plan time for students to evaluate and provide feedback on other students work independently. Use the praise and polish model to make this time meaningful and productive.
- Nominate a Student of the Month and take a moment to recognize this student and their achievements.
What does student success look like in your classroom?
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1iKCrcwBCgRvB6lFQq987tLKkaO9ccweD0D_iTpxBJ-U/edit?usp=sharing
