Comments on: Applauding Praise? Consider the Danger! http://www.parentingontrack.com/news/praise-danger/ Your Family. Your Solutions! Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:17:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Vicki http://www.parentingontrack.com/news/praise-danger/#comment-362 Vicki Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:48:35 +0000 http://www.parentingontrack.com/?p=3945#comment-362 Thanks for your feedback. There were so many things to address in that article and you seemed to capture them all. I do hope, if nothing else, that all the feedback from the article opens up a conversation about this program and it's application. Vicki Thanks for your feedback. There were so many things to address in that article and you seemed to capture them all.

I do hope, if nothing else, that all the feedback from the article opens up a conversation about this program and it’s application.

Vicki

]]> By: John McNerney http://www.parentingontrack.com/news/praise-danger/#comment-360 John McNerney Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:01:29 +0000 http://www.parentingontrack.com/?p=3945#comment-360 I shuddered when I read that article! I can only hope that it has been greatly misrepresented by the reporter, or by those with whom he/she chose to speak. I recognized some of the terms in the article as things that have been in use at my son's school for 2+ years now: the principles of "respect self, respect others, respect environment..." However, my son's school seems to be pretty good at applying this without the "praise-junkie" aspect. It's more a matter of a teacher saying "I noticed you did x,y,z. That's really helpful in keeping the classroom/school running smoothly. Thank you." For a time, they did write up the observations on cards and hand them to the kids and/or put them up on a bulletin board, but that seems to have faded. From what little I've been able to directly observe, it's NOT being used the way the article indicated: no praising the student - audibly and in earshot of those who are not doing the desired behavior. It tends to be more of a one-on-one discussion. No attempt to hide it from the others, but also no attempt to "use it" to overtly influence others -- none of the loud-voiced "OH THANK YOU FOR PUTTING AWAY YOUR COAT, JUNIOR". Kids see right through that crap anyway, and it often makes the one exhibiting the desired behavior a target for for other kids, rather than a model. However, my bet is that even in this school where the emphasis is not on praise, the difference between noticing and praising may be lost on some of the faculty, staff and parents. Some "get it", and some just think that they're being asked to heap praise on the kids. (I know I can't claim to "get it" all of the time.) I sure hope someone in the school system featured in the article points out to the "powers that be" the dangers of what they are doing in terms of conditioning the kids for predators, even though it may seem to solve the school's problems in the short run. I shuddered when I read that article! I can only hope that it has been greatly misrepresented by the reporter, or by those with whom he/she chose to speak.

I recognized some of the terms in the article as things that have been in use at my son’s school for 2+ years now: the principles of “respect self, respect others, respect environment…” However, my son’s school seems to be pretty good at applying this without the “praise-junkie” aspect. It’s more a matter of a teacher saying “I noticed you did x,y,z. That’s really helpful in keeping the classroom/school running smoothly. Thank you.” For a time, they did write up the observations on cards and hand them to the kids and/or put them up on a bulletin board, but that seems to have faded.

From what little I’ve been able to directly observe, it’s NOT being used the way the article indicated: no praising the student - audibly and in earshot of those who are not doing the desired behavior. It tends to be more of a one-on-one discussion. No attempt to hide it from the others, but also no attempt to “use it” to overtly influence others — none of the loud-voiced “OH THANK YOU FOR PUTTING AWAY YOUR COAT, JUNIOR”. Kids see right through that crap anyway, and it often makes the one exhibiting the desired behavior a target for for other kids, rather than a model.

However, my bet is that even in this school where the emphasis is not on praise, the difference between noticing and praising may be lost on some of the faculty, staff and parents. Some “get it”, and some just think that they’re being asked to heap praise on the kids. (I know I can’t claim to “get it” all of the time.)

I sure hope someone in the school system featured in the article points out to the “powers that be” the dangers of what they are doing in terms of conditioning the kids for predators, even though it may seem to solve the school’s problems in the short run.

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