Praise Postcards
Praise postcards and certificates are another way of rewarding student performance, effort, and good behaviour.
They are also highly effective for recognising achievement milestones, such as attendance or a certain number of merits/commendations.
Your postcards can be made for a specific subject or year group within your school.
5 Reasons To Send Praise Postcards
1. Show The Parents
Parents love to know how their children are getting on at school. This simple reward tool can help improve home-school communication and help to bridge the gap between teachers, students and parents.
2. Surprise The Student
Receiving a praise postcard in the post can be a complete surprise to students and can help boost their confidence in school. Having something physical that they can put on their fridge is a real bonus.
3. Support Your Rewards Policy
Praise postcards can form part of your schools reward policy and become an important incentive for good behaviour and effort in the classroom. You could aim to send out one or two a week.
4. Research Shows
A study in a report by the DfE on ‘Behaviour Management Systems in Schools Rated Outstanding’, said that all of schools utilised reward systems as a proven method of encouraging positive behaviour.
5. Personalised By You
Make your postcards personal. Take the time to explain in writing why you’ve sent the postcard to highlight and encourage good effort and behaviour. Rewarding via technology might not seem as thought out.
Recognising milestones with praise postcards
Praise postcards are also highly effective for recognising achievement milestones or key successes/acts. For example:
- achieving a particular level of attendance
- reaching a certain number of merits/commendations
- a particular act of kindness or reflecting the school’s values in actions
