After a student has demonstrated a positive behaviour we acknowledge it and reinforce it because this increases the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated.
Our positive reinforcement techniques motivate students to do what they are capable of doing and when given frequently and consistently, they can have considerable impact. I would argue that positive reinforcement is often transformational and can have long-standing effects. Positive reinforcement can:
However, the problem is we either don’t give positive reinforcement, or we give too much of it. Getting the balance right is a huge challenge.
Many teachers can get bogged down in focusing on what is going wrong in class, whereas they should be spending more time looking for and recognising good behaviour.
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