Use Teacher Approval to Your Advantage

Use Teacher Approval to Your Advantage

One of the most powerful tools available to influence student behaviour is teacher approval. What we choose to notice and comment about to individual students takes on special status, especially if our praise is consistent, specific, and sincere. Inadvertently, we may fail to appreciate this fact--especially when handling a misbehaving student. However, lack of use or misuse of this powerful tool will result in it being of little, if any, benefit to us in changing inappropriate behaviour to appropriate behaviour.

Therefore, always be aware of what attitude and behaviour you want to encourage in students. Look for its presence and then let students know that you have noticed by sharing your pleasure in seeing it demonstrated by them. “Catch them being good!”, “Thank you for…”, “I appreciate…” Even if the responsible behaviour is something the students are supposed to be doing, “Thank you all for coming in and getting started with your bell work. We are off to a great start.”

Discussion and Journal Topics: What makes a choice responsible or irresponsible? Can you give some examples of each choice and tell why it is responsible or irresponsible?