Student Praise in the Modern Classroom: The Use of Praise Notes as a Productive Motivational Tool

Abstract

Student motivation continues to be a vital topic throughout all levels of education. Various approaches to motivating students have been articulated in education circles but educators are still coming to terms with best-fit models to inspire students in classroom settings. One particular often employed form of student motivation, praise, has been a point of contention and scrutiny in the modern classroom. Praise has the potential to be a productive source of student motivation but only when used in certain capacities and with specific outcomes in mind. This article outlines research on the use of praise by instructors in the classroom in the context of student motivation and specifically discusses the use of praise-notes to productively induce student performance and engagement. The merits of praise notes as a motivational tool are discussed and demonstrated through applicative suggestions for classroom practice.