Question:
Students everywhere need recognition for their accomplishments and victories over tough challenges. Some teachers send emails or notes home or make an unprompted phone call. Others invite a wider audience to offer accolades to deserving student work. What special recognition -- however small -- do you give to students, either publicly or privately, when they deserve a special pat on the back?
Replies:
CA
When my students deserve recognition, I send a Happy Gram. It's a simple note that tell the families about the accomplishment. I try to send at least three to each student per year.
PA
When one of my students is finished and has done a good job, I give her a special hat (visor) to put on for the rest of the period. This signals that she is an expert and students should go to her for help.
Mary Patterson - Coraopolis, PA
Whenever I run into a parent, I make it a point to say something positive about their son/daughter, as specifically as possible: Your son was really kind to another students when he... Your daughter really set a good example for others when she... I was really impressed at how hard he tried to... or when she took the time to go beyond the basics of the assignment or shared how to do a problem with a student who was having trouble...etc. For a really remarkable accomplishment, I call home or email. We all need to be able to feel accomplishment and know that it's been noticed and appreciated.
Terri - Port Orchard, WA
Out of the blue, to recognize students who are doing well, improving, or just because, I buy them a giant Hershey candy bar. Many of my students have never had a giant Hershey bar all for themselves. I use to bake every one of my students a dozen chocolate chip cookies, but our district does not allow home baked items brought into school; health concerns.
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