2.2 Are You Creating “Praise Junkies”?

Believe it or not, words of praise can hamper both a child’s motivation and their creativity. We sometimes create praise junkies, unwilling to try anything without our approval.

So what are we to do? No correction, no praise? What on earth are we meant to say next time a student shows us their drawing, for example?

Try this instead:

• Narration. Talk through what you see without judgement, noticing the little details. “I see that you drew a big happy face on the sun in this picture.”
• Ask for their opinion. Intrinsic motivation is far more powerful than extrinsic motivation, and we help them get to their intrinsic motivation by prioritising their opinion over ours. “There are a lot of different colours in this painting; can you tell me why you chose all those colours?”
• Express gratitude. A sincere thank-you never fails. “You drew this for me? Thank you!”
• Say what you see. Describe the emotions you see in your child as a result of what they have done. “You look really happy with the drawing you did.” Much like sticks and stones, words can be powerful. Through them, we can help our children develop a love of learning, a willingness to experiment, and foster their creativity.

Let’s talk about it!

> Think of a time when someone gave you great feedback. What were the ingredients of their response?

> What are your go-to responses for providing feedback to your students?

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