Praise is reinforcement that is specific, descriptive, accurate, and sincere. It should be contingent on something a child has done and build the relationship. There are three types of praise: general, effective, and instructive. Effective praise is specific, sincere, immediate, and contingent on a child's actions or efforts. Instructive praise teaches while including the components of effective praise along with a rationale. The document discusses how to properly give praise to students and avoid compliments or insincere praise, and questions how praise should be approached with all students or those at risk.

2. What is Praise?

7. How will you handle these situations? As a teacher you give praise in your classroom. You have one student who walks away from you while you are giving this praise and another student who yells at you while you are delivering your praise.

9. “ Whether in the workplace, around the fireplace, or in community service – we can all do something else which is simple but powerful. Isaiah spoke of providing the ‘garment of praise’ (Isaiah 61:3). Of course, there are times when we need to give an actual physical cloak, but, most often, those with whom most of us work need material clothing less than the ‘garment of praise.’” Neal A. Maxwell, “Successful Leadership in Organizations, Communities, and Families”

10. We should…without being artificial, regularly give deserved, specific praise. One of the reasons for doing this is that we are all so very conscious of our shortcomings that it takes a persistent pattern of appreciation to finally penetrate. We are so certain, sometimes, we do not really have a particular skill or attribute that we severely discount praise. One of the reasons we need regular praise from “outside auditors” is to offset the low level of self-acknowledgment most of us have. Flattery is a form of hypocrisy to be avoided, but in overreacting to it, some close the door to commendation. Neal A. Maxwell, Experience, p. 78.