Praise and reward in school

Abstract

Pedagogic literature points out that rewarding is desirable in the process of education and is a constituent part of teacher's work in school. However it is of importance to determine the type of behavior that deserves praise and reward as well as 'the situations' where praise and reward may have adverse effects. Praise and reward practiced in school are quite specific compared to those applied in a family, because rewards for a desirable behavior, as well as praises, are formally and officially prescribed. The meaning of rewarding is often restrictive and simplified thus being a kind of teacher's mechanical response to student's behavior. Consequently rewarding, especially when praise is in question, is deprived of encouraging features that, if they imply support and encouragement, contribute to child's developing self-confidence and positive self-image. That is why we have presented herein the types of rewards and their effects by using a -survey of studies carried out in our country and abroad, and all this to highlight some aspects of rewarding procedures, whereby we can check how important they are for the outcomes of education and student's personality development. A material reward is considered to have a more expressive control role, whilst verbal encouragement and praise mean information about achievement. Furthermore, considerations are given to some factors essential to a more efficient application of praise and reward in concrete educational situations as well as to their motivational advantages for teacher's educational practice. Lastly, possibilities of more successful application of praise and reward in school are suggested.

Keywords

• education
• praise
• reward
• students
• teaching.