Chapter 3: Providing Recognition

Students love being recognized for a job well done...just as adults do. I usually recognize my students for their effort and improvement by verbally praising them, patting them on the back, giving them a high-five, or writing a certificate out by hand. I found the idea of voice email to be interesting. I think that students, if they have access to a computer at home, school, or the public library, would appreciate such recognition. Many of the students today have email accounts, some of them multiple ones. I know that I always ask my students about their access to computers when school first starts. I may attempt to use the idea of voice email as a way to recognize student improvement/success. If students do not have an existing email account, it wouldn't be difficult to set them up with a free email account (with the permission of the parents). This would enable me to not only recognize them for their achievement, but also send updates or reminders regarding assignments.

Again, I like the Classroom Response System as a means of recognizing students for their effort and achievement. Once the students have completed an assignment using the "clickers," all I have to do is choose which type of summary I would like to print. This provides me with all of the information needed to show students where they excelled and where they struggled. Another program that I love, which isn't listed in the book, is Fast Math. This program allows teachers to print individual certificates for students as they reach their determined goal with their math facts. The students love getting personlized certificates to show their achievements.