by Melissa A.F.

Created on: February 18, 2009

As a early childhood educator for over a decade, I have been lucky enough to spend my days working with young children, most recently a quirky and wonderful kindergarten class that makes me happy to go to work in the morning and leaves me tired but fulfilled at the end of the day. They make my day rewarding and because of their hard work and good behavior I am able to give praise freely. I believe because of this praise, my students strive to do well, and because they strive to do well, I am able to easily continue the cycle of rewarding good behavior.

What we do not always recognize is that while young children are still developing both physically and mentally, they are often much more intelligent than we as adults give them credit for. They are little bundles of energy and this energy is being used to soak up everything in the environment around them, especially in the classroom. While the attention may be showered upon them in their household, in the classroom everyone is competing for the teacher's attention and praise, so it is essential to the well being of the class to recognize good work and appropriate behavior. Children recognize the difference between right and wrong quickly, and while they realize doing either will give them attention, it is the praise for doing the right thing that each and every one of them want.

As previously mentioned, the classroom can be an environment where the child is no longer the center of attention. However,the classroom may also be the only place a child receives proper attention. The home life of a child may not be consistent and because of this the teacher is the most consistent adult figure which means the child will work that much harder for praise. In a nation where broken homes are the norm, praise in classroom may be the only positive feedback a child gets, and this positive feedback could be the lone connection this child receives between doing the right thing and getting rewarded for it. It is of the utmost importance that early childhood educators are constantly aware of their classroom which can be a difficult feat. When an average of twenty children are seeking your attention on a daily basis, it can be a challenge to spread yourself equally throughout the classroom. However, as an early childhood eduator, this is part of your unofficial job description along with "I will tie my student's shoes a million times a day" and "While I do not get paid nearly enough to deal with an outbreak of head lice in my classroom, I realize these things happen and will remind myself of this as I bleach and rebleach every inch of the room."

As an early childhood professional, you must understand how important it is for a child to be recognized, and to be rewarded for doing the right thing. They are looking up to you as one of the main influences in their lives, and because of this they want you to show them what is right and what is wrong. One of the best ways to make sure the child remembers what is right is by bringing it to their attention through praise. A few kind words can speak volumes and lead to improvement in one child, which is really why anyone becomes a teacher in the first place, isn't it?

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