--- title: Praise Pointers for Parents and Teachers | Search Institute description: The ways parents and teachers praise young people makes a lot of difference in whether that praise is encouraging and motivating. Effective praise helps develop a “growth mindset” in which young people recognize that they can learn and grow through effort and practice. The following chart spells out six tips for praise that encourage youth [...] --- Theme + Migration = $1489 (Pay for the Theme Only). 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[![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) [![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) - BLOG - SHOP - DONATE - CONTACT - [RESEARCH](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [SOLUTIONS](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [INSIGHTS](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [FUNDERS & PARTNERS](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [ABOUT](https://searchinstitute.org/about) [![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) - [RESEARCH](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [SOLUTIONS](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [INSIGHTS](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [FUNDERS & PARTNERS](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [ABOUT](https://searchinstitute.org/about) - [RESOURCE HUB](https://searchinstitute.org/resources-hub) # Blog March 01, 2016 1 Minute Read By : [searchinstitute](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) Topics Developmental Relationships Research Developmental Assets Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Youth Programs Provide Support Family Engagement Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) SI Spotlight Social Capital Share Power Solutions Youth Thriving Education / School Expand Possibilities Student Voice Challenge Growth Summer Scholars Thriving Youth Voice Express Care Sparks Data Insights Faith Field Partner Spotlight LGBTQ+ Workshops Relationship Ready Schools Conversation Starters Sports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) # Praise Pointers for Parents and Teachers [![Share on twitter](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/x-twitter-color.png?width=24&name=x-twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fpraise-pointers-parents-teachers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fpraise-pointers-parents-teachers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fpraise-pointers-parents-teachers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fpraise-pointers-parents-teachers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) # Praise Pointers for Parents and Teachers By [searchinstitute](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) February 29 2016 1 Minute Read The ways parents and teachers praise young people makes a lot of difference in whether that praise is encouraging and motivating. Effective praise helps develop a “growth mindset” in which young people recognize that they can learn and grow through effort and practice. The following chart spells out six tips for praise that encourage youth to develop a growth mindset. | | **Example** | **Why?** | | --- | --- | --- | | **Purposeful, specific, and sincere** | “Great game! You really passed well to your teammates.” is more encouraging than, “Great game!” | Being concrete reinforces those behaviors. If, however, you both know the player didn’t pass well or it wasn’t a great game, then this isn’t sincere. The praise won’t help the young person learn. | | **Reinforce behavior and effort, not “natural” intelligence** | “Congratulations! I know you studied really hard.” is more encouraging than, “Congratulations! You’re really smart.” | The first option focuses on an action that can be maintained or improved. If you praise someone because of something fixed (such as “being smart”), it’s harder to cope with failure. | | **Attainable and realistic** | “That is a beautiful picture. I love the colors you picked!” is more encouraging than, “That picture is amazing! It could go in an art gallery.” | Inflated praise can backfire. It gives the impression that you have to meet exceptionally high standards, which you know you can’t always do. That undermines motivation. | | **Information rich** | “I love the salad you made. It has a nice mix of flavors and colors!” is more encouraging than, “I love your salad!” | Giving more detailed information reinforces strategies that can be used when similar situations come up in the future. | | **Self-focused, not in comparison to others** | “You made a lot of progress in correcting grammatical errors.” is more encouraging than, “You did much better on this than many other students.” | Praising in comparison to others may motivate when we always win. But we feel defeated when we don’t always win, so we aren’t motivated internally to learn and grow. | | **Effort more than achievement** | “I like how you took deep breaths to stay calm even when you were upset at your sister.” is more encouraging than, “Thanks for not pushing your sister.” | The focus on effort emphasizes being able to grow and learn. | **[![Positive Classroom Tools](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/positive-class-tools-250-1-4.png?width=150&height=150&name=positive-class-tools-250-1-4.png "Positive Classroom Tools")](https://www.searchinstitutestore.org/Positive_Tools_for_Your_Classroom_s/202.htm)Looking for more ways to praise and motivate youth?** Right now, all of the products included in the [Positive Classroom Tools](https://www.searchinstitutestore.org/Positive_Tools_for_Your_Classroom_s/202.htm) section of the Search Institute Store are 15% off.\* Save on posters, bookmarks, and handouts to share with youth, parents, coworkers, mentors, or other caring adults. **[Visit the store now >>](https://www.search-institute.org/shop/)** \*Discount automatically applied at checkout. #### searchinstitute Author ## Recommended For You [![](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/AD_4nXfxQKSS71BxpD7D8xUDOlLeQ4kGEEpvpisB087rdfSdAoV1bbbwqtdIPtHVunyD3Fm4N9TVbz_W-PN3crW-svBST4wYV554uWim-HYaRBu5wEzeRrtutGw5zsuMDS4Bt_WyEA8WyPtjADBTt6uczC1c7sp3WryOoH_hBj8k.jpeg)](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/developmental-assets-are-key-to-young-peoples-positive-development) [Developmental Assets](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/developmental-assets) [Expand Possibilities](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/expand-possibilities) 5 Min Read ### [Developmental Assets Are Key to Young People’s Positive Development](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/developmental-assets-are-key-to-young-peoples-positive-development) [Search Institute August 13 2024](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/search-institute) [![](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Getting-at-the-Heart-of-Student-Motivation.jpg)](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/getting-at-the-heart-of-student-motivation) 3 Min Read ### [Getting at the Heart of Student Motivation](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/getting-at-the-heart-of-student-motivation) [Search Institute July 26 2022](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/search-institute) 1 Min Read ### [What Do Mentors Do that Matters?](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/what-do-mentors-do-that-matters) [searchinstitute January 03 2016](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) ![search-footerlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/search-footerlogo.png "search-footerlogo") ## Search Institute 2550 University Avenue West Suite 200N St. Paul, MN 55114 800.888.7828 612.376.8955 i[nfo@searchinstitute.org](mailto:info@searchinstitute.org) - [Research](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [Solutions](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [Insights](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [Funders & Partners](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [About](https://searchinstitute.org/about) - [Blog](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/) - [Donate](https://searchinstitute.org/donate) - [Contact](https://searchinstitute.org/contact) - [Subscribe to our Newsletter](https://searchinstitute.org/subscribe-to-our-enewsletter) - [Cancellations, Returns & Refunds](https://searchinstitute.org/cancellations-returns-refunds) - [Public Records](https://searchinstitute.org/nonprofit-status-public-records) - [Permissions Request Form](https://survey.search-institute.org/s3/Permissions-Request-Form) - [Keep Connected](http://keepconnected.searchinstitute.org/) ©2024 Search Institute | [Terms of Use](https://www.search-institute.org/terms-of-use/) Search Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation. 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