Tip: Prosocial Education > Pillar 2 - Praise

SKU:

Praise is an intangible social reward or warm expression of approval. Praise can be verbal or non-verbal. Examples: High Five, Fist Bump, Thumbs Up, Warm Smile, Pat on the Back, etc.


Praise is:

  • A powerful motivational tool that can increase prosocial behavior and improve academic achievement. 
  • One of the most effective ways to reduce common classroom behavior issues. 


To praise people effectively when it comes to:

Prosocial Behavior - 

  1. Praise the person NOT the act. 
  2. Say THIS: “You are a kind person.” - NOT - “That was kind of you to pick up the trash.” 
  3. Why? - We want people to internalize the prosocial behavior and identify themself with that prosocial quality. There is not a finite amount of kindness, so by embodying the prosocial qualities, students begin to embrace positive self-talk and look for other ways to demonstrate they are kind.

Antisocial Behavior - 

  1. Criticize and correct the act NOT the person.
  2. Say THIS: “That was not an appropriate way to behave in the hallway because you are making it hard for the students in the classrooms to concentrate.” - NOT - “You just can’t keep your mouth shut.”
  3. Why? - We do not want the person to associate themselves with the antisocial behavior nor identify themselves with the negative quality. Helping students to understand they are a good person that made a bad choice helps to improve their self-image and empowers them to make better choices in the future.

Achievement & Products - 

  1. Praise the effort NOT the person.
  2. Say THIS: “I appreciate how hard you worked on this.” - NOT - “You’re so smart.”
  3. Why? - This helps build and reinforce a growth mindset in learners. They begin to develop more intrinsic motivation and do not see their intelligence as a finite quality. When students think you only value them for their skills and achievements they will hesitate to take on difficult tasks out of fear that if they fail, you will be disappointed and no longer value them. 


ProsocialEd is the national leader in prosocial education. We provide high-quality professional development that supports the creation of safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments. The Prosocial Education Collaborative is comprised of The eMINTS National Center, Prosocial Development & Education Research Lab, NEE, Missouri Telehealth Network, DESE, the Curators of the University of Missouri, and our partner school districts. ProsocialEd is committed to improving school climate and culture by strengthening relationships, improving classroom management practices, and increasing student engagement.


Follow @ProsocialEd, an #eMINTS program, or visit www.prosocialed.org for more information about prosocial education, to learn more about what we offer, or to find out about bringing ProsocialEd to your school!


View/Download the Prosocial Education > Pillar 2 - Praise Tip Card.