If you’re a teacher, you know that positive student recognition is a great incentive and motivator of continued student progress and good behavior. Here is why it’s so important to recognize students, and some fun ways to honor their accomplishments.
Why is Student Recognition Important?
When students are given nothing but negative feedback, they may feel beaten down and may lack any desire to put forth effort in the classroom. They know their efforts will only be met with criticism, so why bother trying?
When students are given positive feedback and are rewarded for a job well done, it’s only natural for them to continue to work hard and do their very best. Even the slightest positive student recognition does wonders for a child’s morale and enthusiasm about school work and their outlook on school, in general.
Here are some very easy ways to give student recognition awards that are inexpensive (or free) and take very little effort on the teacher or parent’s part. Even the smallest student recognition gesture will mean a lot to the recipient.
Ideas for Student Recognition
- Certificates and plaques
- Special with his/her teacher of choice and his/her parents
- Positive notes/phone calls home to the parents (a phone call works especially well because phone calls to the home are almost always associated with bad behavior or poor grades)
- Line leader
- Lead the Pledge of Alliance over the intercom
- Inexpensive personalized pens, paper, notebooks, etc.
- Announcement of achievement in school newspaper or newsletter home to parents
- Class party
- Class-wide recess extension
- Office errand person
- Achievement board in the classroom or hallway with weekly or monthly student recognition
- Popsicle Day
- Trophies
For more student recognition ideas, please check out PaperDirect, your online source for certificates, plaques and other awards.
