As a teacher, how do you recognize students’ achievements? This topic could present itself at your next teacher job interview.
It is important to properly recognize students’ achievements to build students’ self-esteem and confidence and motivate them to continue learning. It is also important to ensure you are not constantly recognizing the same few top performers but are recognizing each student’s successes.
An easy trap for teachers to fall into is to end up consistently recognizing the same few top performers while ignoring all the other students who may not have accomplished the same level at the same rate. The students who may not have achieved at an equal rate may have small successes of their own.
Recognize Students’ Achievements
For example, it is common for students to have different reading levels. As a teacher, I need to differentiate my instruction to assist students with reading.
Struggling students need to feel that they are succeeding and be motivated to achieve in greater ways. Without lowering your expectations, find ways to allow these struggling students to be recognized. This may require adding simple questions to homework assignments or asking a few basic questions when introducing a new topic and ensuring that the weaker students have a chance to answer.
Using Bulletin Boards
I find utilizing bulletin boards is a fabulous way to make every student feel special and successful. Bulletin boards are obvious and serve as easily changeable displays within the classroom. Promote student achievement in academics as well as social behavior using these boards.
Bringing a real-life connection into the lessons I teach has helped immensely to engage the students.
In my other teaching positions, I have successfully taught many English language learning using effective instructional techniques.
When posting projects and papers to recognize academic excellence, try to stay away from only posting the top grades, as this will tend only to display the same top performers, so try to look past the grade. By identifying strong aspects of an overall project or assignment, such as a nicely drawn science diagram or a strong thesis statement, more students can be recognized for their accomplishments.
Use bulletin boards to display positive social behaviors as well. For instance, you can institute a “student of the week” award given to a student who has displayed positive strides in social situations and behaviors. Ensuring each student is recognized for their individual progress will contribute to a positive learning environment.
Students all need the opportunity to be recognized for their achievements, no matter how big or small. Although some students can indeed be given too much recognition if they are the same few recognized repeatedly, spreading around the recognition to include all students can boost all students’ self-esteem and confidence. And this, in turn, can improve student achievement across the board.
In what ways do you recognize students’ achievements? Can a school be too student-centered? Can a student be given too much recognition? Please comment below on how you would answer these questions in a job interview.
