Community Building Through Compliments
Teaching is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all have moments of self-doubt, especially when everything is going wrong. I had one of those “Ms. Marshall and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” experiences on this particular day. I had been having a succession of these days, which had me questioning my choice of profession. Can you relate?
Here’s how a little bit of casual Pinterest scrolling leads to a renewed vibe of positivity in my classroom.
In truth, just one class period caused me to be frazzled, stressed, and generally irritated with all of my other classes. Why does it seem like every year, there is one class that causes so much trouble? The thought of putting in a sub-request, taking a mental health day, and never returning crossed my mind.
A little Pinterest time usually lifts my spirits. As I swiped through the endless stream of pins, one particular image caught my attention – a compliment paper. Can it be that easy? I had a seriously negative vibe going on in my classroom. Could a simple piece of paper solve the problem?
The next day, I introduced the compliment paper to my students. I pointed out this new paper on the classroom bulletin board and explained how they could tear off the slips at the bottom of the page. I told the students that they could take one if they needed a compliment. When they no longer need it, they should pass it on to someone else who needs it.
What happened next surprised me.
The transformation was remarkable. By the time my challenging second-period class arrived, the students had torn off every compliment on the page. Every few minutes, I’d hear an “Awwww!” resonate through the classroom, which warmed my heart. Compliments may be contagious!
At the end of the class, I noticed that someone had left a compliment on my desk: “You can do it!” I couldn’t help but smile because it was exactly the message I needed.
The Lesson Learned:
This experience taught me an invaluable lesson – a little bit of positivity goes a long way. As teachers, we can shape not only our students’ futures but also their daily experiences. Making someone’s day can be as simple as a few words of encouragement. We can create a positive and supportive environment for both students and ourselves.
Remember, a bit of positivity can work wonders. The compliment paper reminds us that we can lift each other up, even on the most challenging days—the impact of kindness and compassion should not be underestimated.
Using Technology to Make Compliments a Public Celebration
During distance learning, it was challenging to build relationships with students. I knew compliments effectively created a positive classroom culture, but how could I make that happen in this strange new digital environment?
I created a Flipgrid board (aka Flip) just for “Shout-outs.” I invited the Math and Science teachers I shared students with to join me and started recording shout-outs whenever I noticed someone doing something awesome. I’ll share some video examples here to show what that looked like.
These video shout-outs became something that the students looked forward to. I included a link in my weekly parent newsletter so parents could see them. Our Superintendent even watched them and created an account to leave us a video message of encouragement.
Public Celebrations
I can’t tell you how many emails and text messages I got from parents telling me how much these videos meant to them. Distance learning was challenging but forced me to make many positive changes. Many of those changes were an improvement from what I had previously been doing in the classroom. Using technology turned a quiet little note of encouragement into a public celebration.
Free Download:
Compliments can create a cycle of positivity and mutual support within a classroom community. They help foster a sense of belonging, engagement, and shared growth among students and teachers, ultimately leading to a more productive and enjoyable learning environment. This free downloadable PDF includes five pages of compliments that students can tear off and pass on. Each page has different compliments to keep things fresh throughout the week.
More Social-emotional Learning and Classroom Management Resources
Students will learn how to create and use affirmations to promote positive self-talk in their daily lives. Through a blend of interactive activities and thoughtful discussions, students will deepen their understanding of how positive self-talk builds resilience and fosters self-confidence.
