To help children develop internal motivation to learn and positive social-emotional skills, we give specific, encouraging feedback rather than just praise.

Examples:

• You put a lot of effort into that project. It must feel good to see the result of your hard work.
• You used all lowercase letters and spaces between words. That makes it easy to read. You are sure growing as a writer.
• You really helped your friend clean up the block area in a hurry. Every block is back in its place — that’s called organization.
• It shows kindness when you...
• You waited politely and patiently for your turn to share. Thanks for cooperating.
• Thanks for being responsible. When you...
• You used lots of colors and imagination in that painting. Can you tell me about it?
• You sure love to sing. It’s fun to have a singer like you in this class!
• You spent several days writing that book — that’s called perseverance. That’s just what adult writers do!
• You worked hard...
• You remembered to put your name on the paper! That’s an important skill.
• Thanks for helping...
• You sure look like a happy learner.
• How did you think through that problem?
• Tell me about...
• What was the hardest part?
• How do you feel about finishing your book?
• What did you enjoy most...?