It’s
the time of year when there’s a count down on the calendar. Even though there
are lots of things to get done between now and the end of the school year, it’s
important to make space for the positive so that coaches and teachers end the
year on a high note. One way to do that is through purposeful, specific praise –
the kind of praise that helps teachers see exactly what is working in their
practice and why it matters.
“That
think-pair-share was quick and focused – so effective!”
“The
photos that you showed got students so excited for their project!”
“The
Venn diagram really worked as a pre-writing strategy today!”
Comments
like these not only brighten someone’s day, they reinforce effective
instructional decisions. They help teachers recognize the moves worth
repeating. When we shine a light on effective practices, we increase the
likelihood that those practices will continue. Research shows that praise is an
important practice for fostering teacher growth and reflection. Growth
flourishes in environments where people feel respected, encouraged, and
capable. And when teachers feel effective, students benefit too.
A
teacher who hears, “The way you focused students on the learning objective and
included self-assessment was outstanding,” is likely to intentionally include
these practices as an ongoing part of his instruction. He’ll probably also be a more resourceful
problem-solver who looks for creative solutions to help his students grow. As one teacher explained, “Praise gets me
searching for new and innovative things on my own.”
“Great
job,” might produce a momentary happy high, but, “Great job – those open-ended
questions really got students thinking!” has a lasting impact.
I
was in a meeting with a group of elementary teachers when they started reminisced
about a favorite principal from years earlier. “She was in our rooms so much,
sometimes we didn’t even notice she was there,” they said. “Then we’d find a note in our box pointing
out something we’d done well.” “It made
me want to try harder,” a teacher said.
“I wanted to be as good as she thought I was,” said another. Praise
motivated these teachers to try harder and be better. It lifted them and encouraged them to keep
going, even when the going got hard.
Praise
provides encouragement. At this busy time of year, a small moment of
recognition can be the thing that keeps a teacher going. When coaches notice
and name effective practice, we help teachers see their own strengths more
clearly.
Rita
Pierson famously said that every child deserves a champion. I think teachers do,
too. Instructional coaches are uniquely positioned to be those champions —
people who cheer teachers on by noticing growth, celebrating progress, and
reminding teachers how much their work matters.
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You can find
My Coaches Couch, the podcast (with different content) in your
favorite podcast app or at MyCoachesCouch.podbean.com.
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Happy to be #10 on this list:
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
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