Publish at October 16 2016 Updated August 02 2023
Learning is first and foremost a mental exercise. The psychological aspect of the learner plays an important role. All it takes is one doubt and the fragile tower of knowledge begins to totter. Suddenly, everything becomes more complicated for the learner. That's why education professionals are obsessed with motivation. It's a psychological mechanism that can break down at any moment, and which is difficult to get back on track.
Of all the aspects of surpassing oneself at school, there is one that is frequently forgotten because it seems trivial, or simply because it is not often mentioned: encouragement. We don't think much about it in education, and yet it makes a tremendous contribution.
Let's take sport as an example. Soccer fans will tell you: when their team is playing at home, they outdo themselves to the applause of their supporters. Among other things, this boosts testosterone, which increases the players' aggressiveness and taste for victory. On a smaller scale, cheering also helps in sport. Look at this Japanese boy who, unable to jump an obstacle, was encouraged by his classmates and succeeded, much to his delight and that of the spectators.
Encouragement is a powerful thing - Buzz
Encouragement has a beneficial effect. But encouragement is rare, perhaps even too rare, in the classroom.
If you look at the underside of report card grades in France, you'll see that you have to do a lot to be entitled to encouragement and congratulations. A system that has been somewhat criticized by CRÉN, who would like to see a more caring school, so that students don't always refer to the more negative aspects of the school environment. Encouragement is perhaps one of the three pillars of a more harmonious relationship between teachers and learners, including humanity and sympathy.
But the act of encouragement is not a simple one. Not everyone knows how to do it. Few, for example, use more than a few of the dozens of ways to encourage, often more precisely than the traditional "very good".
This story from New Jersey teacher Chandni Langford has been making the rounds lately. Before important end-of-year exams, she wrote each student a personalized note of encouragement on their desk. It's a gesture made all the more impressive by the fact that each message is tailored to the student's personality. In one case, she reminds them of their learning "superpower", while in another she tells them that it may not be easy, but it will be worth it. An approach that, according to some of the learners we interviewed, helped them get through the ordeal.
For the more technophile, there's also a very interesting mobile application to improve relations between management, faculty, parents and students. Remind has been designed to simplify communications, eliminating the need for paperwork to be put aside and not read by either party. With instant messaging, it becomes easy for teachers to plan activities, make announcements, post availabilities and, above all, speak directly to parents and students to coach and encourage them if they express fears or disappointments.
And that's not counting all the other Internet communication tools such as social networks and instant messaging that can enable this kind of interaction. Of course, learners need to have access to mobile or computer technology at home, but this is still a start in bringing teachers and students closer together with digital technology.
Encouragement is not trivial. It's an important part of student motivation, and can help them excel. The teacher's job is to find the most effective approach for each learner. It's a big job, admittedly, but the kids want it.
Illustration: Lighttruth via Foter.com / CC BY-NC
References
"98 ways to say 'very good'." Educatout. Accessed October 13, 2016. http://www.educatout.com/outils/trucs-et-astuces/divers/98-facons-de-dire-tres-bien.htm.
Dautresme, Isabelle. "Conseils De Classe: Comment Vos Profs Remplissent Vos Bulletins De Notes." L'Etudiant. Last updated December 14, 2015. http://www.letudiant.fr/college/4e/conseils-de-classe-comment-lire-votre-bulletin-de-notes/conseils-de-classe-comment-vos-profs-remplissent-vos-bulletins-de-notes.html.
Diamond, Kelly. "Teacher Surprises Students with Inspiring Desk Messages on Exam Day." Mashable. Last updated May 10, 2016. http://mashable.com/2016/05/10/desk-encouraging-messages/#OVRH2GcVPuqF.
Goumma, Adil. "Pour une meilleure relation en classe." Le Grand Soir. Last updated August 10, 2016. http://www.legrandsoir.info/pour-une-meilleure-relation-en-classe.html.
Mayer, Nathalie. "Jouer à Domicile, Est-ce Un Avantage?" Futura. Accessed October 13, 2016. http://www.futura-sciences.com/sciences/questions-reponses/homme-jouer-domicile-ce-avantage-6670/.
Remind. Accessed October 13, 2016. https://www.remind.com/.
Texier, François. "Bien-être à L'école Et Au Collège. Rapport 2014 Au MENESR." Center De Recherche En Education De Nantes - Université De Nantes. Last updated December 14, 2015. http://www.cren.univ-nantes.fr/1450081784005/0/fiche___actualite/&RH=1349184958041.
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