Effort+and+Recognition

=**Read and Reflect**=

How do you currently apply this strategy without the use of technology?

//I often give verbal praise to students who have worked hard and improved. The improvement may be subtle--for example the student who has been failing all year, for whatever reason, who has suddenly put forth effort, and is now doing "C" or better on his work. I let them know it hasn't gone unnoticed; that they can do it and that I am proud of what they have done. I need to say something because if I don't, the opportunity may never come again. Kids need to feel as if they are important and if I don't notice the one time they do something right, they may never do it again. Besides being educators, teachers need to be strong observors. It is crucial. How else can you see a child's effort? Sometimes the effort comes in the classroom and not on a test. We need to realize that the smallest thing we see in our classroom may be the difference between success or failure. One has to watch what is going on before, duriing and after class. Every day. For example, you need to see how a student walks into class, listens or doesn't listen to what is going on, or interacts with students or doesn't interact. Sometimes it's what you don't see that can matter the most--the apathy or the disinterest. Then you have to find a way to reach out to that student to let them know they matter no matter how difficult it may be.

I often will allow students to see their grade in my class; to see how they are doing. If, for example, a student has a C and several missing assignments, I will show them that. I will then show them what their grade would be if they had the missing assignments in. Invariably, they are surprised and shocked to know that their grade would be a B if they had done their work and/or turned it in on time. They hadn't made the connection between effort and the grade they earned until that moment. When they do, it is a huge revelation. Suddenly, they realize that doing their assignments can impact their grades. Up until then, it hadn't hit home or made any sense. After this point, generally they will be more focused and will put more effort into the class.//

What new insight did you gain from the reading?

//I was surprised to read the finding by Cameron & Pierce, 1994, that symbolic or abstract recognition has more impact than tangible things. I had always assumed it was the other way around. It's nice to know that kids still appreciate the kind words over candy.//

=Apply and reflect=

Provide evidence of the tool you learned.

//See the above poster.//

How might you use this tool in your classroom?

//It would be great to be able to have a print of it up on a bulletin board in my classroom!

Since I now know that this website is available, it would be a great tool to use to make posters of my students from their own photos or pictures of them in the classroom, which then could be used as motivation in my class or even throughout the school. How cool would that be! I think that my kids would love to be able to see themselves in a poster!

I think the kids would also be motivated to write --and maybe something even inspirational. I can see this as being a very strong positive motivator for kids both in my subject area of Science, but also in Language Arts!

I also think parents would love to see their kids in a poster hanging up at home, or have one that their child designed.// //It might even be a good idea for a fund-raiser!//