6+Effort+and+Recognition



Effort and Recognition (Strategy #6)

*Reinforcing and tracking student effort and providing recognition for achievement


 * Criteria**
 * This strategy deals mainly with student motivation. Research shows that students may not realize the relationship between effort and achievement and that we must explicitly teach this to them. Marzano states, "Students who believe the amount of effort they put into a task increases their achievement actually do better." Research also states that rewards are the most effective when contingent on successfully completing a specific goal.

Marzano's recommendations for classroom practice include:
 * explicitly teach students that effort can improve achievement
 * ask students to chart effort and achievement
 * establish a rationale for recognition
 * follow guidelines for effective and ineffective praise
 * use recognition tokens
 * use the pause, prompt, and praise technique


 * Research Findings**

Summary of Research on Reinforcing Effort *People generally attribute success at any given task to one of four causes: ability, effort, other people and luck.Not all students realize the importance of believing in effort.
 * Students can learn to change their beliefs to an emphasis on effort.

Summary of Research on Providing Recognition
 * Rewards do not necessarily have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.
 * Reward is most effective when it is contingent on the attainment of some standard of performance.
 * Abstract symbolic recognition is more effective than tangible rewards.


 * Key Research Findings**


 * Not all students know the connection between effort and achievement (Seligman, 1990, 1994; Urdan, Migley, & Anderman, 1998).
 * Student achievement can increase when teachers show the relationship between an increase in effort to an increase in success (Craske, 1985; Van Overwalle & DeMetsenaere, 1990).
 * Rewards for accomplishment can improve achievement when the rewards are directly linked to successful attainment of an understood performance standard (Cameron & Pierce, 1994; Wiersma, 1992)
 * A critical decision for teachers is how to provide recognition. Abstract or symbolic recognition has more impact than tangible things (Cameron & Pierce, 1994).


 * Implementation**

Recognizing learning includes specific tactics for improving students' beliefs about their abilities and how and when to recognize them when they achieve. Teachers who understand the value of tapping into students' affective domains for improving achievement employ research-based strategies, such as:
 * 1) Teach the relationship between effort and achievement. Many stories exist to make the connection with famous people. Draw examples from the well-known as well as the unknown so students recognize success in all situations. Encourage students to think about: What does effort look like?
 * 2) Reinforce effort. Students who are recognized for effort will make the connection between effort and improvement. Students should be helped to internalize the value of effort to make a strong connection between effort and the desired outcome.
 * 3) Visual representation of effort may increase effort. Students who are helped to design an "effort log" using graphic representation will be more likely to see it in their mind's eye, and refer to it when working
 * 4) Create a class effort rubric. A class that shares a common definition for effort will also share the understanding of effort and achievement. If students are in learning groups, on the same teams, or in study groups together, they will have a common language and a shared ideal regarding effort and achievment.
 * 5) Be careful about how and when recognition is provided. Verbal praise for small or easy tasks can be construed by students as undeserved, and may actually decrease effort. Ensure that praise and rewards are provided because an authentic standard of performance has been achieved. Doing an activity to a predetermined standard may well be worthy of reward and result in increased effort and motivation.
 * 6) Recognize individual students for personal progress. Winning usually indicates that others have lost, or are "below the winner". When students have personal goals, or reach pre-determined standards of excellence, recognition is for personal achievement, which is unique to each student.
 * 7) Make clear the real goal of effort. "The harder you try, the more successful you are" is what the act of recognition should communicate to students, not "the harder you try, the more prizes you get". Make this clear to students and apply it in practice.


 * Additional Resources**

Effort and Achievement [|Rubric]  (rubric taken from //A Handbook for Classroom Instruction That Works//, Marzano, p. 99-100)

Providing Recognition Using Awards [|KidBibs Awards] - make awards for students online

Comment from Rebecca: I love your implementation strategies, especially "teach the relationship between effort and achievement" and "make clear the real goal of effort". These, along with the others, are great points, and your research findings are very instructive. Great work! Comment from Jennifer: Information is good! Love the link for you to click and make awards. Nice touch!!