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Praise or encouragement?

Ed Offer's weblog

Ed Offer

Thursday 17 November 2005

Another interesting focus that came up from my crit with Paul was my use of praise. I’m always keen to use words like ‘great idea’, ‘excellent’ and my favourite: ‘superb’! I've found using these and really emphasising them has helped me retain a positive manner with the class and seem to have beneficial effect for behaviour. However, may need to be aware that over-praising can de-value the sentiment and have a detrimental effect on the class.

I want to look at this area of human motivation more, because I’m finding myself using praise more, and want to make sure I'm not de-valauing it. Any probationers out there got any Professional Projects on this area?!

Questions I've come across already:

What is the difference between praise and encouragement (see: http://www.thememoryhole.org/edu/eric/ed313108.html for starters).

Do S1 respond differently to praise than S4, and why?

Any ideas welcome.

Comments

Praise

Don Ledingham

Sunday 20 November 2005

I think there is a difference betwen praise and encouragement. However, I think there are many teachers who have been given a similar warning early in their career who then go onto run classrooms where praise is the exception rather than the rule. I'd prefer to work in the latter.

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