The Power of Positive
No matter who you are teaching and who is doing the learning, remember that the Power of Positive is one of your biggest assets. Set students up for success, brag on them regularly, and correct with gentleness and kindness. You’ll be rewarded with students who are eager to learn and ready to take on new challenges.
Take reading for example. A new reader is bound to make mistakes, but the way that you correct these is probably the most important way that you can encourage your student. Provide extra support to a struggling reader by reading in unison. Offer beginning sounds or reminders about letter clusters (OU says /ou/ like ‘out’). Instead of saying “That’s wrong,” try “oops!” And remember that not every error needs corrected all of the time. I limit my corrections on oral reading to mistakes that will interfere with the students’ comprehension.
Math is another example. Much better to say, “Try another way,” or “can you think of a different possibility?” than “Wrong answer.” I mark homework by starring correct responses, and leaving the incorrect unmarked.
Use the ‘sandwich method’ of corrections, too. Start with a compliment, put the correction in the middle, and end with another compliment.
All of these things will help your child build a positive attitude about learning. What strategies have worked for you? Please leave a story in the comments section!~
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