4. Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition
Wow… Novel concept! I’m having a Boys Town moment. What about you? Alright, enough = focus, Houston!
This chapter discusses the potential influence of reinforcing students’ effort and providing recognition for their accomplishments. Think back to your own personal experiences and try to identify situations in which your learning was positively influenced when someone reinforced your effort or recognized your accomplishments in some significant way. You might also remember situations that would have been improved if someone had reinforced your effort or had given you recognition. Tell us about them…
If you would like, after you have answered the above prompt: what is your favorite “story” of a time you reinforced or recognized a student in your class? (Use student initials ONLY, please!)
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July 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Most of my reinforcing was received when I went back to college (after getting married & dropping out). I started out an English major and had decided to change my major to Geology. I was very apprehensive because I had no confidence in my math & science abilities because of a few really bad teachers, and a school that didn’t have a climate of empowering females. (Ask Margaret – she went there too!).
My second semester at Brookhaven, I received the Outstanding Geology Student Award. It was just a paper certificate, but it solidified my belief that I could purse this degree and succeed at it. And it was attached to a quantitative accomplishment as recommended in the Marzano book – it was the highest GPA for the department at that time.
Another time, I was really really struggling with my first chemistry class, and I was taking tutoring sessions. The instructor told me that I was doing well considering I didn’t have chemistry in High School. It was recognition of how hard it was for me and validation that just because I wasn’t making an A didn’t mean I wasn’t achieving.
Probably my favorite recognition story is from my first year at WMS. I had a student (R.H.) who really struggled with all his classes. He just didn’t want to put in the effort to pass. When I saw that he really enjoyed building and launching the model rockets we made, I told him that if he passed the upcoming six weeks in my class, I would buy the biggest rocket kit we could safely launch, and we would build it after school and launch it. He passed, we built, we launched. It was a lame launch (the rocket was too heavy), BUT he passed my class for the REST of the YEAR! He didn’t quit just because he’d gotten his reward. It was awesome.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Looking back, the greatest positive reinforecement I ever received came during my final year of college. I can safely say it was due to the fact that I had an un-jaded professor who was only one year removed from attaining his PhD at Nebraska. UTA clearly wasn’t his final destination and after a short window of time, he’d be taken away to a larger, more established university, which was his ultimate goal.
He was always energized and positive about lectures, took note-taking to a new level, and even found a way to make you feel good for giving the wrong answer (somehow?). Grades were still the benchmark, but he always stressed understanding the concepts. With that constant reinforcement, I was able to raise my test scores each time throughout the semester. Thank you Professor.
In my short time at Birdville HS, I remember one student who stuck out among the rest. With a quick, factual description, he repp’d the Anarchy symbols, punk-rock flannel, and knee-high Doc Marten’s, on top of proclaiming his recreational drug use. I wouldn’t call him your typical “punk-rock metalhead”, because this kid had BIG personality to go with his “flair”. With each class (including electives) hovering around the 55-65 range, he showed no signs of concern, using humor as the obvious crutch to cover an academic life of failure.
But that didn’t mean there wasn’t potential! I don’t suppose any other teacher in that building could have related to him the way I did…with music and movies (namely because of my age). One day we talked about 70’s British heavy metal, along with a number of bad, cult-followed movies he considered his favorites (I just nodded). But for whatever reason, that after-class conversation, along with others that followed, sparked a motivation in him to work harder in Soph. English. I stayed on him, reminded him of kid’s I’d seen in his very postion, and the sucessful road that lay ahead of him in some DFW warehouse.
Sure enough, he started putting out a little more effort, looked at the vocabulary words BEFORE the Friday quiz, and came to class with a different outlook. I remember smiling when he passed English with a 78, and only failed one class his last semester. I won’t take full credit, because the potential was clearly there. By stepping outside of his perceived stereotypes of past teachers, it pushed him to prove I WAS right, and made himself feel successful at the same time.
**This past May he emailed me to say he had graduated with the class of 08, and was finally out of that _____-hole called BHS. I had to smile again.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I had the opportunity to finish the book while I waited at 5 Star Ford on the 11th of July from 9:30 – 2:00 for an oil change… I appreciated this chapter’s stressing effort over one’s inate ability, luck or the influence of others.
The data proving abstract (verbal) rewards surpass tangible rewards in improving student performance only reinforced what I have personally found to be true.
As for a personal experience, I don’t remember a single instance in school (I’m old and don’t remember much anyway). However, I know that my favorite teachers were the ones who quietly took me aside and praised my efforts as much as my ability. I would have to say my dad (my greatest teacher)is the one who influenced my achievement the most. I struggled in 5th grade with a math concept and made my first “C” ever on a report card. I was devasted and knew that I would “catch it” from my dad the engineer math genius. However, he asked me whether or not I had tried my best. I answered that I had. He replied, “then I’m satisfied with your grade.” His response though bringing me relief, convicted me of the fact that I really hadn’t tried my best. I was too shy to ask questions or attend tutorials (did they even exist in the 1960s?). From that day on, I realized that effort was as important to success as innate ability.
That point was reinforced in my own classroom with a female student in my first period on-level science class. She had a habit of not completing or turning in her work, though she was capable. I complimented her once on the effort she’d given an assignment she’d done well on. I told her I thought she had the potential to be an “A” student if she’d keep it up. I wrote a referral praising her continued effort so that the adminstration could give her praise as well. It seemed such a small thing to do, but payed great dividends.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Growing up I don’t remember any specific instances of getting reinforce for what I was doing. I was brought up with the idea that whatever you do, do it with all your heart and soul and always do your very best. I was always a good student and my parents were always proud of my educational achievements. I was pretty self- driven to achieve.
I do remember a time about five years ago when I decided to change my career and to pursue a teaching certificate. I had been out of high school for 24 years and out of college for 20 years. I had to go back and take the THEA (TX Higher Education Assessment). This is a college entrance exam and requires a timed written essay and the horror of all horrors quadratic equations, derivatives and trigonometry. The last time I had done any math was my second year in college. I was so stressed that I would not pass this test to get into the alternative certification program and be able to pursue my dream to be a teacher. I remember I kept saying what if I don’t pass. This was really a time when I very unsure of myself. My daughter finally told me “Mom, you always tell us that if we work hard there is nothing we can’t achieve.” She also said that she had never seen me not be able to do something I had set my mind to, so start believing in myself. Her confidence in my ability was just what I needed to hear to help me regain my confidence in myself.
In the classroom, I have to say that my Reading Improvement classes is probably where I have had the biggest impact on positively influencing and reinforcing the achievement of my students. The kids in this class often have low self-esteem and a defeatist attitude. They all know that failed the TAKS reading and that is why they are there. I spend all year helping them with their skills but so much more in helping them believe that they can pass the TAKS test. This year I had three students come and see me after school when they got their test scores. They told me that they would have never passed if I had not believed in them and got them to believe in themselves.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I was always a “B” student in school because I figured out early on that I could not study, make “B’s” and would read books instead. It drove my dad crazy (he was a college teacher), but I was happy with it. (He tried rewards, but it wasn’t motivation.)
When I decided to get my teaching credential 25 years after graduating from college, I had a different motivation. I was in the first group that went through California’s first alternative certification program. We had to forge the way and work out all of the “bugs” of the curriculum. We found out several months into the program that we were supposed to be compiling a portfolio of our work, but they did not show us any examples and we did not have a lot of details about what they expected. I took it as a personal challenge and using my scrap booking experience put it together. My mentor put post-its on many of the pages, praising my work and it inspired me to work harder with each assignment. When it was due for the final time, the head of the program at UC Hayward asked permission to photograph and make a video of my work to use as an example for all of the students in the program across the state of California. They sent me a letter thanking me for the quality of my work. I had never made straight “A’s” in my life and ended up with a 4.0 for those 42 graduate hours.
I had a student a couple of years ago who had not passed any of the tests in our class. I encouraged him. I was sure he could do it if he wanted to. He passed the next test so I gave him a certificate for “Most Improved” and presented it to him in class. He put it in the plastic sleeve on the outside of his binder, kept it there the rest of the year, and passed every test after that!
July 29th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Julie, I loved your response. It made me look up Brookhaven’s website since I am still thinking about “what I want to be when I grow up.”
My learning was positively influenced when Mr. Ryles, my principal at James Bowie MS, encouraged me to go out for the basketball team. I love that guy. He had never seen me play before, but said I’d be able to make the team if I went out. That was back in the day when they actually cut people who shouldn’t be there. It made school a more enjoyable place for me. Plus, he was always stopping me in the hall asking how basketball was going. It was nice to have that bizarre connection to my principal.
I remember situations that would have been improved if someone had reinforced my effort or had given me recognition, but I don’t care to discuss it. You know why? Those are times when you put your heart into things and someone stomps on it, either purposefully or accidently, but you are wounded all the same. It sucks. Have a great day!
August 1st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Shannon, I hate to disagree with you, but this is not Boys’ Town tactic. On page 55 it clearly states, “Praise for accomplishing easy tasks might actually LOWER their (students) perception of their ability.” Therefore, praising them for actually doing what is right/expected may not be the correct thing to do. Praise for an accomplishment – and this may be raising their hand before speaking IF that is something that a particular student needs to improve – one that is applicable or significant to the student. Sometimes praising them for “easy” things insults their intelligence instead of increasing it or the effort involved.
There is not a single person on this earth who doesn’t require praise of some kind in order to feel accomplished, needed, admired, or appreciated. Kiddos are no exception; however, I believe that praise should not insult them; that’s why it is so vital to know the kids and their abilities, intelligence, and skills so that each one can be praised in a way that is effective for them.
I do not remember any teacher who praised me in a fashion that is memorable. I did have a mother and father (who were also teachers) who did give me praise and confidence that I could do and/or be anything I put my mind to being/doing. I am certain that they did the same with the students that entered their classrooms.
Each and every year I see students who rise to the occasion simply because I told them that they could, all verbal praise and acknowledgement that their work/ideas were valuable and viable. B Lee did not think that he could do anything except bike racing until one day in the lab, I glanced over his shoulder to read what he had written in a paper and was pleasantly surprised to read an introduction that was clearly college level writing. When I told him this, he took the paper home, to the counselor, to other teachers, to the principal brimming with pride that he actually could write. He started coming to class more often (he was absent a lot!) and actually completed the work he was assigned. Then to top it all off, he received a commended score on THE TEST. He emailed me two years later that he was writing a book, sent me a copy of it to revise, through my tears while revising his words about his life, I realize that I was one person in his life who thought he was worthy. Each year there is a different B Lee, with a different story, with different accomplishments and skills —we have to ACTIVELY look for those things that can be praised and brought to fruition within the students’ lives.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:53 pm
That’s my girl. Detail orientated and connection bound! Disagreement is good. Marzano’s ”praise–when given for accomplishing specific performance goals, can be a powerful motivator for students” is right. (Trying to connect the two instructionally and behaviorally – Marzano to Boys Town…) Both are district initiatives that aren’t going to go away, both aimed at improving instruction. LOOSELY connect. You are right!
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
It’s time for the truth to come out about me becoming a math teacher. Last year of college, well on my way to a degree in English Literature, I am called in to the registrar’s office. They are so sorry, but it seems I still need a math class to graduate and the only one open is Math for Elementary Teachers. I was told they would accept it as the math credit since I was not given good counseling advice. Keep my head down and complete the course with a C and I would be well on my to becoming a novelist. (My goal)
I detested math in school. All those letters in between two numbers? Like a foreign language to me. So there I sat with all these young, vibrant, bubbly twenty somethings who wanted to change the world through counting ducks and adding more ducks or having ducks fly away. (I was 33 years old and wanted out of there) After a few weeks, math started making sense to me….FINALLY. I got into it and started having fun. Making games out of felt and velcro and hot glue. Time was flying by and I was having a blast. Dr. Galyean stopped by my desk one day asked me to come by during her office hours. Busted. I knew she’d found out I wasn’t an education major and ask me to leave.
She smiled as I sat down and said words that changed the course of my life and added a few extra semesters of college to our budget. “You are going to make a wonderful math teacher. You are so excited by every new concept I teach. Make sure you pass on that excitement to your students.” Little did she know I was excited because I was finally getting it myself and couldn’t wait to pass it on.
We need to praise what we see, when we see it. You never know when you will change the course of someone’s life.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
My most memorable moment when a teacher reinforced my effort and gave me positive recognition came in college. It was the first time I had to practice “teaching.” Each student had to teach the others, as if they were younger kids, a game, have them play it, and do it through lesson form. My professsor singled me out, told the class I did the best, then gave specifics on why my “lesson” worked. He always praised me throughout my courses with him and told me I was in his top 5 of best all time students. I will never forget that. He and other professors helped me gain the confidence for teaching that I need now.
I agree that praise works best when it is very specific and meaningful. For some reason, it is my nature to save my specific, high praise for others for something big and powerful. I try to pull certain students aside and tell them something good I think they are doing, or I’ll try and write them positive notes sometimes. I try to point out some specific strengths of theirs in hope they will get to know themselves. That’s how I developed alot of my character and strengths- through others telling me and reinforcing me. We shouldn’t hold back when we think something positive about our students- just tell them.
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ‘0 which is not a hashcash value.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:57 am
I can’t remember ever being praised by a teacher either. I was one of the kids the teachers hated to see on their rolls. My name had made it from grade to grade as one to pray not to get saddled with. I came to teaching not because of any great teacher who inspired me but from my mom repeatedly telling me how wonderful I was at helping my LD brother with his school work. I floundered in college – going the business route because my father said so. Finally I took one of those what should you be when you grow up tests and it came back off the chart for a special ed teacher. Ok – Mom was right.
I agree we must reinforce effort, but it needs to be realistic effort. Students are very adept at recognizing unspecific, overgeneralized, bland praise. Now when they have accomplished something – even if it is “just” raising their hand before speaking – the students recognize that as praise deserved and appreciated. Generalization 1 talks about how some students are not aware that the effort they put into a task has a direct effect on their success relative to the task. I’ve had so many students who think the “smart” kids just get it. They don’t realize the “smart” kids have strategies and routines that they employ to get that success. I think once students put forth effort – correctly – and they see some success, they will continue to strive. They have to be taught those correct strategies and skills. Many students don’t know how to study or take notes. We need to teach them those skills. But that is another question for another chapter. Baldrige comes to mind for generalization 2 when the “students who were taught about the relationship between effort and achievement increased…” I am all for providing recognition to students, but like Marzano says, “it must be as personal to the stuents as possible.”
One student I had this past year arrived often to class with only his body. I found out the home situation was miserable, so I gave the student some notebook paper, a binder and pencils. As he came around the corner to my room he would hide his binder behind his back. When I would yell out, Where’s that binder?” He would pull it out and hold it up proudly for all to see. I would clap and high five him. It became a game with us. The other students started to do it with him, too. It made him feel good to have his binder. Now some kids would wonder what the heck I was doing asking if they had their binder. Kids who consistently bring their materials don’t necessarily need to have a big deal made out of bringing their supplies. A simple – “I knew you’d have your materials” and a smile makes them smile that they know I know they are always prepared. Different strokes for different folks.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
This chapter is why I’m in education. When I was in the 8th and 9th grades at Haltom Jr. High I had a basketball coach that inspired me and my teammates. Our group did not have a lot of talent, and had not done well in the past, or even in other sports in the past, but our coach believed in us. He made us believe in ourselves. And we loved him for it. I still keep in touch with many of the guys from that team some 25 years ago and we talk about our coach still today in the same glowing terms we did back then. My friends from that team almost without exception credit him with changing their life for the better. I would not be writing this post if not for him. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio about five years after we got out of the 9th grade, but I still keep in touch with him today, in fact I flew up to see him coach a game a few years ago.
I know that if I can positively impact even just one kid as much as the impact he had on my life then my career has been worthwhile.
My second year as teacher I decided that each year I would be a mentor for one kid. My goal was/is to change that one kid’s life for the better. That year I took on a kid whose family was from Africa. His family spoke French and there was a language barrier for him in school. He was quiet and shy, his teachers mistook him for being lazy. I was his parent at school. I helped him with homework, explained things to him as best I could and asked his teachers questions that he was too shy, or embarrassed to ask. I took him scouting with me and to other basketball and football games. Throughout the year he progressively got better and better academically, and his confidence and grades improved.
The next year was my first at Watauga and I regrettably didn’t keep in touch with him, but last year I went to see the kids that I had coached play a high school game. He was there playing. He was eligible to play because his grades were good. He told me how much he appreciated what I had done for him. That makes it all worth it.
I don’t know if my rambling answered the question or not but I enjoyed telling the stories.
Todd
August 18th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
A brief history in the world of Nyvall…
Negative Reinforcement
This first story is truly ironic. In the 2nd grade, my teacher pulled me aside and as she held my chubby cheeks in her cold bony hands said, “Cyndi, you are just not GT material. Don’t ask me to have you tested.” Now her reaction could be because of the crickets I had put in the lunch money box or the fact that my mouth never ceased to stop moving, but her words stayed with me for years and gave me the impression that I wasn’t anything special even if I wanted to be. My competitive nature could not accept that.
So for years I pushed myself to prove her wrong and be the best I could be. Her negative words actually became one of the driving forces to push me to be my best. I was eventually admitted to the GT program a few years later. I won’t say I had the greatest self esteem, but this next story is the happy ending of POSITIVE recognition.
Positive Reinforcement
In college, I was pulled from a course in which the professor blantantly told me, “You are wasting your time in here. I can’t teach you any more. Go identify a topic that interests you and write a mini-thesis. It is due at the end of the semster. Drop by every week and let me know how it is going.” I could not believe my ears. I thought my incessently running mouth had gotten me in trouble again, but no. I was free to learn NEW THINGS!! Really? It was the first time I had been given that option. I had been given a chance to learn something new and applicable. So after researching and collecting data on Inclusion in the Regular classroom and turning in my mini-thesis, he told me, “Do not stop here. You have the potential to do anything you want. I will be very disappointed of you do not continue on and get you Masters if not your Doctorate.”
These words will always be in my mind. He undid in those few sentences years of believing that I was not worth noticing and had no potential beyond my own belief in myself.
There was a transistional student, J in East Texas, that I had the priviledge of teaching. She outweighed me by at least 40 lbs and had been told her entire life she was a burden, weird, and had no merit of her own. Although I was frankly worried about what would happen if she ever lost it in my room, I worked gradually and persistantly on building a relationship with her. Little compliments on a great outfit, cute jewelry, and even just a little nod when she asked if I liked her new mohawk. I earned her trust and became her safe zone in the school. I saw J grow and start becoming a young woman of confidence. Her insight in the classroom was truly outstanding and her input helped transform our classroom discussions. By semester she was fully integrated into regular classes. Sure she had set backs and sometimes had to start all over, but I will never forget how her face would light up when a fellow students fought over who got to have her in their group or for a partner.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:38 am
In my freshman year of HS, my theater teacher saw me struggling with playing the part of a “bird” in a play we were performing for the elem. schools in my district. How do you play a bird effectively? I was clueless. I tried different things, different sounds, different movements but didn’t feel like I had the part down. My drama teacher not only encouraged me, but used me as an example for the other students. He explained the process I was going through – including my struggles – and explained that actors SHOULD go through this struggle to find what fits. I thought I wasn’t doing it right, but he encouraged me to keep going. My teacher helped me find my talent and his positive words made me want to do my best. I fell in love with theater and performing because of his encouragement.
When I went to TCU, I entered as a theater major. In my first class I encoutered a professor (who was only there one year) who never praised me for my efforts. I felt like I was the only failure in the class, but he treated us ALL like that. I got through the class, but his words impacted my dreams. I changed majors after that semester. In my heart of hearts, I should be on stage.
Drama queen! haha
I had a female ESL student at WMS in the late 90s who had no self esteem. She looked different from others, she had no friends and I could tell she was in pain on a daily basis. Group work was tough for her because the kids tended to ignore her. I began to praise her where I could. I let her take items to the office for me. I tried whatever I could to bring her out of her shell. At the end of the year she gave me a big hug and a present. When I opened it, it was a TCU shawl. She said, “It’s not new. I found it at a garage sale and begged my mom to let me get it for you. I know you love TCU and I thank you for helping me get through this year.” I hang that shawl on my board every year.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Of course we can all say we are teachers because of a special teacher in our lives. I can also say I’ve had the pleasure of seeing two of my favorite students become teachers. When they came back as adults and sat down with me to discuss things they remembered from my classroom, that reinforced the reason why I do what I do every day. Reinforcement needs to be genuine and sincere. It needs to be spontaneous. It is the glue that sticks what we learn to our brains and makes us see the importance of what we are learning.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Postive reinforcement…mmm…I’m not sure I remember any specific positive reinforcement from my schooling. One instance I recall was in 6th grade. I won a poetry contest and the teacher put my poem up on the wall and wrote a positive statement next to my name. I was so proud of myself and was thrilled to go home and tell my parents all about it. Overall, I have not had much positve reinforcement in my life, school or personal and that is why I have to be so focused on giving positive feedback to my students. I do not believe we should give platitudes that are meaningless, but well deserved accolades for achievement that is truly deserving.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I don’t think I really grew up with a lot of verbal praise at home. I know my parents appreciated what I did because they expected so much out of me. Being the oldest of five, I had a lot of responsibilities and that made me feel needed and important. I guess I don’t really respond to words of affirmation but rather to opportunities to do something for you. That means to me that you admire something in me and trust me to do a good job. Even as old as I am, getting the chance to do something for someone else makes me feel good inside.
In my classroom, each student keeps a chart of their personal expectations for my class. We plot our averages on that chart every week. It is a visual reminder of the effort we are putting forth to reach a specific personal goal. One year I rewarded each person who had met their personal goal with a pizza gym party at my church. They loved it and keep asking for it again. I guess I’ll have to ante up this year.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Strategies for reinforcement and praise can be as simple as a smile, an agreement,or a postitive comment. Students love to hear that what they said was appreciated by both peers and teachers. I’m all for sticking their work on the walls and in the halls!
August 19th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
When I think of positive reinforcement, I think of my favorite Coach from college. As a libero, a volleyball position that has an unlimited amount of substitutions for back-row players only, you are never really glorified for great play. Yes, I do agree that it is much more exciting and thrilling for spectators to see a player jump 4 feet in the air and absolutely ripping the ball at the other team. It is also customary for teams and coaches to congratulate the hitter that “killed” the ball, so it was something that I was perfectly use to. However, I remember the times when my coach came over and pointed to me, telling me it was because my dig or pass that caused that point. Talk about positive reinforcement that fires you up!
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I can think of so many teachers I had that I will never forget but I cannot think of specific praise they gave me–probably because I never needed it. I’m sure it will come as a real SHOCK to all of you, but especially in elementary school I was at the top of all my classes, in my own little reading groups, etc. My teachers didn’t have to tell me I was doing a good job; I stuck out like a great big sore thumb. For heavens sake, I cried when we had to go home for Christmas vacation in the 3rd grade!! I loved learning that much. They were probably afraid to praise me for fear of what that might do to me!
I was stoked to see one of my favorite teachers on Friday; I hadn’t seen him in 15 years and suddenly he was standing before me in my classroom. It took me a full 10 seconds before I realized who it was and then I hugged him so tight I didn’t want to let him go. I even cried a little. Stuart Younse was so much more than a choir director at my high school; he was a 3rd parent to me. I don’t recall one specific event when he gave me praise; it was constant love and encouragement and he did it for all 200 plus of us.
As far as my own “success” stories–the one I tell over and over and will never forget is a young man now at HHS. He had been on my roll for a year but at Shannon; the next year he finally got to me complete with a chip on his shoulder but he was so smart. He had a bit of hard time adjusting, but he made it and he was so smart. I called his mom to brag on him and she cried because no one had ever done that before. He wrote me a note at the end of the year that I keep in my purse all the time about the difference I made for him. He’s an athelete up at the high school and doing well. I’d like to think I helped him do that.
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:13 pm
When I was 6 years old I took my first swimming lessons at Meadowbrook Pool in Arlington. Mrs. Stout was my instructor and she said I swam like a little fish. I loved thinking of myself as a little fish and, under her tutelage, I became an advanced swimmer. Because of her encouragement, every summer I progressed and loved the water, eventually able to teach swimming to new little fish (and pay for my first car by teaching through the Red Cross and privately). Thank you, Mrs. Stout, for finding the little fish in me and giving me fins!
September 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Growing up in a large family with both parents working to make sure we had quality experiences through the formative years, I was often overlooked. There were six children, four of us one year apart, and I was the quiet one. I never sensed that I was able to do things as well as the others, Mary was the best horse rider and over-achiever in school, Patti sings like a beautiful bird and was the best dancer, artist and creative one, Joe was most courages, and I was just there to sightsee and enjoy the many activities we were part of.
My senior year I was a student assistant for a business teacher. She saw me for who I was, encouraged me to come out of my shell, to not measure myself aginst anyone esle. When my father agreed to pay for college, he insisted that we have a teaching certificate. My business teacher, Joyce Williams, was the person who helped me focus on my skills and personality to choose business education. I saw her several years after graduation in an elevator at conference, told her how she influenced me, and absolutely made her day and mine.
My personality in the classroom makes it easy for me to connect to students with different personalities and learning styles. I have discovered I am a nurturer an encourager, yet still am able to be firm in my expectations. I can’t pick one student from the 24 years I have taught to describe mainly because I don’t remember many names. My heart is touched by different experiences, J.F who was non-verbal and developmentally delayed yet able to talk through typing, R.H. who won 2nd place at national competition and works in DC, A.T. who came back and reminded me that I challenged her to finish high school and she did.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
I absolutely thrived on postive reinforcement. I remember a comment about being one of the best colorers in first grade. I probably had a glow about me for weeks. I also lived for the stickers on my papers!! I cant remember what grade that was. Besides that, I dont remember too many specifics. The very fact that my teachers were loving and invested in me was positive reinforcement. Of course, some more than others.
Though I was an athlete, there was several times I got in big trouble by my coaches for my activites outside of school. I had one particular coach that was very loving and gentle, but let me know quite clearly that these things were not acceptable for an athlete and that there would be reprocussions. She was always firm, but I knew she truly cared. Her postive reinforcement came from both her words and actions. They were a dynamic pair and she had a great impact on my life.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
My positive memory from high school was in Mr. Hugh Tavernier’s typing class. (Yes, it was a long time ago and we used typewriters!) One of my friends and I were the best typist in the class and were seated at the back of the room. If we were finished with our work he would give us something more challenging to type. I guess it made me feel special that I was working on something different from the rest of the class. He was always smiling and would stop to talk to my friend and I as he walked around the classroom.
October 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
This chapter discusses the potential influence of reinforcing students’ effort and providing recognition for their accomplishments. Think back to your own personal experiences and try to identify situations in which your learning was positively influenced when someone reinforced your effort or recognized your accomplishments in some significant way. You might also remember situations that would have been improved if someone had reinforced your effort or had given you recognition. Tell us about them…
If you would like, after you have answered the above prompt: what is your favorite “story” of a time you reinforced or recognized a student in your class? (Use student initials ONLY, please!)
I hated Science and Math in school, still not my favorite subjects even though I teach one of them. lol. At Richland High School my Science teacher was Mr. Randy James and he made Biology so much fun, I loved it. I loved it so much that I took his advanced science class the next year, Oceanography, and I scored the highest grade point average for the year in that class. I even considered going into the field of ocean science for a while.
As for a student I have had an influence on, I have one in particular. He is in high school now at Haltom. I had him in 5th grade and he comes back to see me on a regular basis, reports his grades to me and tells me how much trouble he has been in lately, and he has always been in some. He was a handful in 5th grade and he has calmed down some, but he will always be a handful. But I love him and he cares for Mrs. Herndon, and I guess in the end that is all that matters.
October 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am
While pursuing my MA degree from LSU, I studied under a professor, Dr. J. Willis, who promoted and practiced positive reinforcement and recognition during online and face to face discussions. Dr. Willis encouraged and accepted diverse ideas, beliefs, and values and class discussions were derived from this wide array of experience and knowledge. He guided our conversations, through verbal reinforcement and recognition, and our knowledge base with respect to research and practical application was enhanced. Without Dr. Willis’ encouragement through positive reinforcement, I feel the learning environment would have been less effective.
During my inclusion hour with Willoughby, positive reinforcement and recognition is always a priority during instruction. Willoughby focuses on acknowledging student’s who are working to their fullest potential and provides recognition for his/her accomplishments. I now incorporate in my classroom her strategy of showing student work on the document camera. They love it and will many times complete an assignment if I tell them I will use their work for instruction and learning.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:30 am
My learning was positively influenced by the reinforcement of my parents. They were constantly telling me I could do anything I wanted to do, IF I got an education. I did my best in school until high school when I got side tracked by football, baseball, and girls. Somehow, my grades got left behind as my interests in the other things got in the way of me putting forth my best efforts in the classroom. Still, my parents still tried to reinforce my best effort whenever possible. They bragged on me for making A’s and B’s and told me I could be anything I wanted to be.
Later, as 27 year old freshman in college, my parents again told me I could do it (get a degree and teach/coach) if I would only apply myself and give the best effort I could. Their constant reminding me of how smart I really was and their positive reinforcement really helped my in those first two semesters when I was really unsure of myself and my ability to make good grades in college. As the only member of my family to have a degree and even a Master of Science, their encouragement kept me going when things got rough. I would not have made it without their continuous positive reinforcement.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:02 pm
My first years of teaching I was very blessed to have a wonderful principal and an incredible Fine Arts Director. There were many times during those early years that I was not confident of my teaching abilities or effectiveness in the classroom. Both of these wonderful mentors would provide both positive and constructive criticisms of my teaching. My Fine Arts Director would come and observe my teaching and afterwards he would set up an appointment with me to discuss ways my teaching was working and ideas for helping me improve. He would take the time to help me get better. I always tell my students that if I didn’t care about them I wouldn’t take the time to try and help them improve.
My principal always had positive ways to approach every situation. One of my favorite of his sayings” (and he had many) was when I would come to him with what I saw as a problem. He would always tell me “This is not a problem, this is an opportunity.”
I had a student that contacted me many years after I had taught her to thank me. She was an Army kid and had moved around a lot during her childhood. She got to our school and was having trouble adjusting – she was failing several of her classes. She reminded me that one day I talked with her and told her how important she was to the choir, that I really wanted her to be passing her classes so she could go with us to contest. I expressed to her how much the choir needed her. She said knowing that somebody needed her made all the difference to her. She made straight A’s that next grading period and became a very strong leader in the choir.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Mr. Houston, I like the way you put pretty blue hearts gleaming in the night sky on this section of your blog. That is an awesome job. Simply fabulous. Would you like to share with the rest of the faculty how this amazing feat was accomplished?
Positive reinforcement is the name of the game. I do it 24 hours a day. 8 hours with the kids at school, 16 hours with me, my wife, and my two charming, beautiful children. I just can’t seem to be a negative person. I always try to put a positive spin on things when it comes to the kids. They need every bit of encouragement that I possess. I owe it to them. I may not be a role model but I know I won’t be the mean old coach who always, always screams just to hear himself yell at a kid. I had plenty of those. No thanks brothah.
November 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
This chapter makes me think about my stepfather. It was during my first high school year…As an art student I have to turn in certain amount of artworks at the end of the semester. I remember my lovable stepfather reinforcing me to create more drawings and paintings than was required. He always reminded me that making extra artworks I will have a better selection for the finals. He insisted that I should make 3 times more and select only the best ones! It was hard… but I did it. And there is no sweeter time than getting the top grades for your hard work. This one semester has changed my life and I found my way to success.
P. S.
I truly believe in intrinsic motivation, therefore I don’t give my students an extra credit for just bringing some canned food for our Watauga Food Drive.
November 14th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
When I was in high school, I had made no plans to go to college. My family was very poor and since I was told that I would just get married and have babies there wasn’t a need for a college education. Keep in mind that I graduated high school in 1963. I took the commercial course in high school and never took any math or science classes that I would need to get into college. I always wanted to be a teacher and one day my next door neighbor who was a teacher told me I had to be able to support myself later in life if my dreams shattered. I applied to Towson State Teacher”s College and got accepted on probation. I had to take all the science and math classes I had never taken in high school. I really struggled and wanted to quit many times. I had a psychology professor who believed in me and constantly told me I would be a terrific teacher. If it hadn’t been for Dr.Siegel during that difficult, self doubting time, I would never have finished. It is hard to believe that I am in my 36th year of teaching. I am very grateful.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
My best influence was a PE teacher who recognized and embellished my capabilities. It was there that I understand the importance of reinforcing effort and recognizing accomplishments.
Each of us need that in our everyday life and we are adults. Just to stop and realize how much more our students need these reinforcement to feel proud and that they can accomplish what they what to accomplish.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Wow…without even reading the responses but just glancing at the length of it all of them said tons. After Ch. 1 I still grapple to find that ONE teacher that did it for me. Which I guess it was leads me to reinforcement. Does anyone ever have an impact on us without giving some type of reinforcement-positive or negative? I don’t think so. So I am now passed reflecting on my elementary/high school years (Shannon, my therapist’s bills will be in the mail). I am now into thinking of college: Organic Chem professor at Wesleyan. I take the first part in the fall…second part will be in the spring and then I GRADUATE with a BS (don’t laugh) in Biology in May. But I cannot “get” organic chemistry. I pay for a tutor. I go to my prof. He is very cynical and later I come to realize I think he thought I was trying operate on “female dumb/cuteness”. Not at all. I tried…tried..tried. Test grades ranged from the 40’s at the high to the single digits. We are ALWAYS given a blasted graph showing all the scores. Data-driven in it’s earliest stages. So no one knew where they stood. Was a 40, the highest test score, equal to a 100?? I am mid-range. I get my semester grade and it is an F!!!!! NO WAY!!!! I am scheduled to graduate in May and there is no way I can now do 2 semesters of Organic Chem in one sem and graduate in May. Just can’t happen. I have dreams (seriously) of causing bodily harm to this dude. I honestly gave it my all…or so I thought. Well, May graduation is a distant memory. I return the next fall…to Organic Chem w/ the SAME man I dreamed of, well, I can’t put that in print for fear of incriminating myself of a crime in case someone else has since done it. I am so humiliated returning to his class. He beat me. Let me add now…I am graduating as a Bio major w/ a pretty dang decent GPA after overcoming a 1.2 of 18 hours my first semester down in Thibodaux, LA (need I say more when I tell you the location??). F’s are not in my picture at this point in my life. I am angry and humiliated. Oh…I could go on for days. I am in this class with a man I truly HATE! The clincer of this all is I return rich with child. Yes, I am due in December. I deliver 2 weeks before finals. I am attaining a B in this class now. I FINALLY get it. And HE gets me. He figured me out that semester when I showed the determination to return and do it again. I wasn’t trying to skirt through on being cute and young the first time. It just took me a while. He realized that this second go ’round together. End of sem. 1-I am very ill from eclampsia after the 24 hour delivery of this linebacker with NO meds…therefore unable to take my final. He graciously gives me my B. Story doesnt end just yet (sorry, Shannon-you opened these cans!!). I return in January…it is an icey winter (if I gave you the dates you could even verify this!). My drive to my sitter was about like Shannon’s from Aledo. One day the roads were EXTREMELY icey but school was not cancelled. Temps in the teens. He looks at me and says, “Mrs. Anderton, would you much rather be with that baby of you in a warm house right about now?”, with such a look of respect in his eyes. Remember, I am in a class of college “kids” who skip because there is a cloud in the sky. I knew then…we got each other. There was such an exchange of respect without having to ever utter a word about it.
I have had many life-learning tough lessons. This was one of my earlier major ones. All I can hope with my students is that I help prepare them for these rough times. They WILL arrive. If I can only prepare a child for that, then I have done my job.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
http://www.utterli.com/suziqb77
This is where my answer is, it’s on an audioblog
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Growing up in the Ratsaphangthong household wasn’t easy. Expectations were high and as a result only negative reinforcements were utilized. I envied my friends who were rewarded with cash and presents for just getting a passing grade on their report cards while I was being scolded and lectured for making a 94 on my PRE-AP Math class. Recognitions for doing well wasn’t on my parents’ vocabulary list. In my culture, mediocre effort in our school work was considered unacceptable. Even though I was limited in speaking English, my parents still held a high expectation concerning my education. My parents, especially my mom, always had believed that I could do anything despite my current limitation if I just put my mind to it.
I loved school as a child because teachers had made me feel important and smart. When I look back to my middle school years, I fondly remember a teacher who inspired me to go my own way, to explore the possibilities of the future and to have fun in whatever I chose to do. Mrs. Cox, I never thought in a million years I’d be joining her profession.
November 30th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
The website has crashed three times in a row so I’ll be brief just in case
Lots of my favorite memories from college revolve around a very popular English teacher named Robert Banks. He never made full professor so he was “Mr. Banks.” His classes filled quickly because his reputation was great. His lectures were more fun than going to the movies. One day, the esteemed Mr. Banks was handing back papers and leaned over to me and whispered, “Are you an English major?” I shook my head and he smiled and replied, “You could be.” Changed majors that same day. Thanks, Mr. Banks, for everything.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:55 am
This subject brought about a flashback that I haven’t thought about for years and years. After having a certifiable psycho for a 5th grade teacher (she paddled the entire class for playing in the snow at recess, in Texas no less!), and a mediocre experience in the 6th grade, I encountered a kind lady of many years of experience who was part of a “team-teaching pod” for the 7th grade. She brought history and social studies to life and I seemed to flourish.
What stands out in my mind about that experience was the day that I got back a graded paper that had something like a 90 or 91 on it. Beside the grade she wrote a short line, “What Happened?” In an instant it seared into my mind that someone KNEW I was capable of doing the very best and even though I might do something well, it might not be my best or what I am capable of. The message wasn’t lost on this 7th grader… she expected only the best from me and from that day on, I busted my butt to do whatever it took to please this dear lady and make the most of what I had.
The highlight of that year was when we had a “Wax Museum”. Teams of students chose a team member to be the wax figure of a famous person from history. Guests and classmates from all over the school shuffled by while I sat in suit and tie, still as a stone, for over an hour and a half as I portrayed the president who had been slain just a few years before. I got the first place ribbon out of about 30 teams!
This experience has stayed with me as a reminder that the smallest things can make the biggest differences. I can’t begin to share the many kids and many ways that a difference has been made, but I always try to remember that a kind word goes a long way.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I think I’ve been very fortunate to encounter lots of positive reinforcement in my life. One that stands out for me that changed my life was when I was a junior in high school.
I had never been on stage before in my life, and I was desperately in love with a senior who was always doing plays. So I decided that to get next to the girl I would audition for the show, “The Crucible.” I was nervous about it, so I asked the director, Mr. Eastman, whether or not I should bother auditioning. He told me to give it a try, and that he always needed boys who knew how to read.
I auditioned, and he rewarded me by giving me the second largest part in the play. All of the “theatre people” were pretty upset it, since I hadn’t “paid my dues” but I wanted to reward his faith in me by working really hard. I was pretty mediocre in that play, but I literally memorized The Crucible from start to finish. I saw the play on Broadway years later and I could still remember almost all of the lines.
Positive reinforcement plays a huge role in my classes. To take an example from my 5th period class this year; after they finished our show they got a huge boost of self-confidence. Even the kids who weren’t completely into it felt great about themselves. And that has translated into a stronger work ethic for the whole class. My favorite moment of the year has to be when CM said the other day, “it’s funny, isn’t it? Now we’re all friends in this class.” I couldn’t think of another class where all the kids consider themselves to be friends with each other.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:32 am
In high school I completed an English project over The Scarlett Letter. I recreated the moss A that Hester’s daughter put on herself while swimming in the river (not sure all those facts are accurate being it was many years ago). I worked hard to find just the right material and put a lot of effort in it. When I presented it in class Ms. Hawley acted impressed. I don’t remember exactly what she said, but she made me feel proud of myself.
December 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Students will learn and perform steadily for one that genuinely cares and appreciates them. Many of our children have been turned off to learning and education because somewhere down the road they were inadvertently from some source made to feel incompetent. Their fear of failure or embarrassment has overcome any desire to take a chance. In order to get past this you must gain their confidence and lead them to build up their own confidence in self. Sometimes with some kids it’s a pat on the back, a note on their paper, a private conversation or a wink with a thumb’s up. It’s different for the individual.
December 14th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I remember many wonderful teachers through all my years of elementary and secondary school. I am “pleaser person” and very self-motivated so I don’t know how much the positive reinforcement pushed me farther. I do know that I had a senior teacher for international politics that completley destroyed my self-confidence. I do not remember the first topic, but my stance she completely disagreed with and blasted my paper. After the first she would start every paper I wrote with, “Come on Katie…” I word harder and harder on each paper. My Dad was even taking me into St. Louis to the main library for better research(pre-internet). Actually my whole family was taking international politics that year. The teacher even called my Mom to complain about my lack of effort in her class. OK, I had never had a teacher call about me. Wow, did my Mom give the teacher a piece of her mind. It was such a turning point for my relationship with my Mom. I can relate to Van’s comments about his family and expectations. After the “phone call” the relationship with the teacher pretty much bottomed out. This experience will stay with me forever.
All of my children I try to give honest positive comments because kids can see right through you. I have one child that sticks out. We connected well during his middle school years.
Sadly, he dropped out of high school. Fast forward…I am at the airport in Denver and hear a man yelling across the airport for Miss Medder. Well, I was certainly surprised and excited at the same time. He was driving to Oregon to work a job. He was at the airport to pick up a buddy to work the job, too. All of the positive things he shared with me about how I made him feel when he was in school made everthing worth it!!
and to this day have a very difficult time
December 16th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of skill, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi.
This is on my door in my room for students to read. I ask them “do you want to be successful?” All it takes is effort, that might mean tutorials, that might mean studying, but it will most certainly take work. I continually remind my students of this hoping that some will give it a try and figure it out.
In his book, working on the Work, Schlechty also discusses the same 4 contributors to success as Marzano does here.(Ability, Effort, Other People, & Luck) When I read Schlechty, it illuminated to me that children don’t necessary know this yet. I use this in my classroom as well. As both men say that not all students realize the importance of believing in effort. I will talk to my students and ask them is their ability going to be enough to pass the TAKS. Can you count on other people during TAKS? Are you going to try and get lucky on that day? Relying on you ability will eventually catch up with you and without the effort you won’t be able to make the grade.
With that being said, I am an odd bird. I am motivated more when someone says I can’t do it or that I am no good at that. OHHHH, now that motivates. To prove them wrong to shut them up it doesn’t matter. All that matters is I accomplish what they say I can’t. I will do nothing but keep my head down and get to the place where they said I can’t go.
“Success demands singleness of purpose.” – Vince Lombardi.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
My elementary teachers would sometimes announce the best work turned in on an assignment. Everyone’s work had a grade, but she would announce a few of us (maybe not the highest grades) whose work really stood out to her. You wanted your name called. Also, in 3rd grade, my teacher said my mockingbird pencil drawing was the most outstanding in the class. I was shocked and never expected such recognition on a drawing. I never thought I could draw well. I am still proud of that day.
My high school band director was very harsh in rehearsals and sectionals. His type of correction to errors were mostly cut-downs and sarcastic remarks that belittled the individual — amazing that I still wanted to pursue music as a career. I was terrified to play by myself as we played a passage down the row, one person at a time, even though I was totally prepared and knew my material. The caustic atmosphere he created made me shake when I played and I never could deliver my best work. He expected perfection, but he never led the way to achieve it. Harsh words wound. Sometimes I may go too far with my praise because I appreciate the effort and the willingness my kids demonstrate to perform their tasks. I want to fuel more effort and more tries at getting the job done.
December 18th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
On days when I feel utterly powerless with 7th and 8th grade girls, I try to remember that that smallest words of encouragement from my teachers along my educational journey propelled me forward for months at a time. Possibly my greatest encourager was Dr. Ken Davis at Texas Tech during my masters degree, a degree I pursued during my years at Haltom. I learned so much about creating an environment of learning and acceptance from him. Several conducting students in my class were not as gifted as others, and I remember how encouraging he was to those students rather than belittling them. (My undergraduated experience was quite a bit different…like Laurie’s contention and perfection seemed to dominate.) His words of faith and praise in me changed my life and gave me the confidence to achieve my goals. I’m not really sure anyone ever made me feel as smart, talented, and capable as Dr. Davis. He literally gave me wings so I could fly. I take every chance I can to be “Dr. Davis” to my students – encouraging, noticing small things like a new haircut or a sonnet they’ve written for Wycoff, going to a 7th grade football game…just helping them through these difficult years is as important to me as the sound that comes out of their mouths at a concert.
I think I knew Dr. Davis really cared about me as a human, and that made all the difference. He may be the first teacher that really ever reached me in the deepest part of my heart, blew past my insecurities, and gave me the confidence I have today to make better people through the art of music.
I am so fortunate to teach music and singing, where so many can learn to feel good about something we all innately want to do as humans…SING! I have so many touchy feely stories about students over the 20 years that I could write a book. (Hey, maybe I should…no, wait…better finish these blogs first!)