Praise?

OK, here’s the situation. Bobby, who NEVER finishes his assignments on time, finally does so early one Tuesday afternoon. What do you, as a teacher, say to Bobby?

Be careful -- according to a new study, the long-term effects of praise may leave children powerless to handle failure. Yes, praise is important but it can also be detrimental to a child if not handled properly.

Be sure the praise you bestow is justified. Students perceive when they deserve your praise and will develop a mistrust of your comments if they decide you “praise everyone for everything." On the other hand, students are also aware when they have “given it their all." If you, as a teacher or parent can praise appropriately, you will enhance students' self worth.

Well, now why were you able to complete this work and not yesterday’s work on time?

Many students do not receive enough praise. This phenomenon has been dubbed “praise deficit”. Do your best to be sure ALL students, especially the “special needs children” are given genuine, noteworthy praise appropriately. I’ve found it helpful to keep an account of the positive notes I write students and positive calls made to the parents. Also, whenever you can, and if the principal is agreeable, TAKE STUDENTS TO THE OFFICE for additional positive comments from the principal. Call home for GOOD NEWS. Send home GOOD NEWS.

In a study of the behavior of 412 fifth-graders, Claudia Mueller, PhD, and Carol Dweck, PhD, of Columbia University recorded the children’s reactions to solving mathematical problems. Researchers praised some students for their intellect and others for their hard work. The researchers continued to assign problems of greater difficulty, and noted how each child responded to the challenges.

They found out that children who were praised for intelligence worried more about failure. Also, those praised for intelligence compared their test scores with other students and tended to choose easier tasks that would validate their intelligence.

Those praised for intelligence also seemed to have less enthusiasm and determination when the problems became difficult. Dweck and Mueller believe attributing a student’s success solely on intelligence prompts them to think of intelligence as a fixed trait, and failure stems from a lack of ability. So when students score poorly on a test, they assume it was due to their intelligence.

However, children praised for the effort they put into solving the mathematical problems seemed to feel more confident of their skills. Instead of focusing on the final product, students seemed more interested in learning something new and focused on ways to learn different approaches to solving the problems. Children praised for effort also showed more flexibility when faced with difficulties. When students did not succeed in solving the problems, they attributed their failure to insufficient effort, not a lack of intelligence.

Mueller and Dweck’s findings were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol. 75, No. 1, p. 33–52).

Is competition a good way for children to earn praise? Is competition a good way to enhance self esteem? In all probability, yes, for those who “win." But -- what about the “average” or “below average” students? Is competition really beneficial for them? Do they get the praise they deserve in competitive activities?

Some students find taking part in school wide Spelling Bees and Geography Bees extremely stressful—so much so that some shed tears or even throw up. The annual Science Fair is sometimes structured in such a way that student winners receive ribbons and accolades and give presentations on their projects, while the efforts of other participating students are virtually ignored.

Another area of competition in some schools is Field Day. Structured much like the Science Fair, Field Day activities often lead to ribbons and honor for the most athletic youngsters, who many times add insult to injury by lording their success over other children.

=== Consider these changes ==
Replace compulsory Spelling and Geography Bees by lower-profile versions, in which participation is elective, and the events do not take place before the entire school.

Change the competitiveness of The Science Fair into an activity that involves having each student who develops an exhibit receive a participation ribbon and may elect to give a presentation of his or her project to special guests from outside the school, such as county commissioners and columnists from the local newspaper.

Consider having the school Field Day consist chiefly of noncompetitive games, for instance ==>> sack races, relays, etc.-- have a day of FUN instead of COMPETITION.

Thank goodness, you finally have a diagnosis for the problems you’ve been encountering. However, be aware that not all person’s diagnosed with ADD or ADHD actually have a valid diagnosis!! There have been instances of doctors listening to a parent’s complaints and handing them a prescription for Ritalin and sending them on their way.

A valid diagnosis is essential.

Consider this scenario. What if you were diagnosed as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but the actual problem was Diabetes? Some of the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue and Diabetes might appear similar. Without doing a complete, thorough exam, a doctor could inadvertently overlook the correct diagnosis -- not put a you on the proper treatment (for diabetes) and create MEGA problems for you!!!

I encourage you to make absolutely sure you are satisfied with the doctor’s expertise and knowledge about ADD/ADHD. There are ailments that look like ADD/ADHD but are not.

Your physician most likely gave your child a complete physical. If not, request it. In my research of ADD/ADHD, I have come across studies stating that some ADDers suffer from unrecognized medical problems. Not all physicians check for nutritional deficiencies. Many ADDers also suffer from allergies, frequent upper respiratory infections, zinc and/or vitamin C deficiencies, thyroid problems, asthma, yeast problems, low or high blood sugar problems, seizures, depression, lack of sleep, and so on.

BE SURE YOU HAVE AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS BEFORE DECIDING ON TREATMENT!!! The ADDer may have a combination of medical problems IN ADDITION to the ADD/ADHD. Be sure all medical possibilities have been explored. If a child is depressed and has ADD/ADHD the treatment will not be the same as for just ADD/ADHD.

CAUTION: There are numerous nutritional supplements, diets and other “cures” claimed -- especially on the INTERNET. Check with your doctor before trying any such “cure." Check for scientific, published studies -- peer reviewed -- of any non-standard product you are considering giving your child. There are nutritional supplements and other non-standard therapies reported to assist with Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms. Some are total rip offs and others may actually be helpful.

HOWEVER ....in my experience, many do not follow through on suggestions for counseling. Some students with Attention Deficit Disorder do improve with medication but counseling can be extremely beneficial to the entire family. Having an ADDer in a family can terribly upset the family dynamics. Often parents and siblings are in need of specific strategies to help them create a more pleasant home life. There are things you can do to reduce the family stress.

Go to the library, join a support group, check out the INTERNET, talk to other parents, talk to teachers -- principals and special education directors.