The Awards Assembly
Swen Nater

Ah, yes. I remember it well. It was the last assembly of my high school senior year—the one where they hand out all the awards for academic achievement. Like 90% of my classmates, I just sat there and gave my solicited applause each time one of the bright ones was called up to receive yet another award. And every time I clapped I confirmed to myself, I was a second-class student. Throughout high school, I learned, I wasn’t in the same league as those who raised their hands in class. I wasn’t as smart as the ones who finished the test fifteen minutes before class was over and tauntingly sat there, turning their heads to be noticed. That awards assembly just helped validate I wasn’t as smart as them. I hated that assembly.

But teachers know, every child is smart, wants to learn, and wants to be recognized for it and accepted as an equal member of the class. So if teachers know this, why don’t they find ways to bring out the “smart” in the rest of us? Perhaps they think school is a place where we separate the men from the boys. If they do, they’re wrong. School should be a place where teachers bring out the “smart” in all students.

My seventh-grade math teacher, during a parent/teacher conference (discussing why I was getting a C) said something to my mom that made me believe he thought I was underachieving and, with a little effort on my part, could and should be an “A” student. That was a magic moment for me. Soon, I believed it myself and, in the process of improving, fell in love with subject. I went through two years of Calculus in Community College. How did that happen? I remember exactly how it happened. My math teacher was a crafty one. Teachers who bring out self-confidence in students by finding ways to make them feel smart, follow these principles which, by the way, all begin with the grade…..err….letter, A.
 
1. Assume Every Student Is a Genius in hiding. 
Teachers that bring out the smart in students have the conviction, every student is smart and, given the chance, capable of great things. You’ve seen enough “Least Likely To Succeed” students become wonderful and productive adults. You know it’s true.

2. Aspire to Learn More About Your Students
Teachers that bring out the smart in students, get to know them outside of class. They’re the ones that hang out in the hall and at sporting events. They’re the ones that have an Open Door policy. They’re the ones that are curious and nosy about their students, but they’re also the ones that learn things that they use, during class, to make connections.

3.  Allow Every Student to be Involved in Your Teaching
Teachers that bring out the smart in their students spend as much time in the back of the classroom as in the front. They don’t let a day go by when they don’t include every student in their lessons. They make students believe, the teacher thinks they are important. This makes them ripe for participation.   

4. Anticipate the Magic Moment and Deliver
Teachers that bring out the smart in students plan magic moments. They prepare, wait for it, and, when it arrives—they come through.  

Conclusion
Teachers that make a student feel smart, can springboard that student to high self-esteem through the four principles above. However, there is one more step that is needed to finish the job; a teacher must guide students through the process of transferring Extrinsic Motivation to Intrinsic Motivation. Compliments and recognition are good but a student must be weaned from depending on the praise of others, to feeling good about him or herself. When a student does something well, teachers that foster Intrinsic Motivation say things like, “You should be proud of yourself.” “How does it feel?” and “You’re getting pretty good, huh?” Then, instead of a student thinking, ‘My teacher says I’m smart,’ he or she thinks, ‘I think I’m pretty smart.’

Doggone it! Why didn’t one of my high school teachers do that for me? I could have been one of those getting an award at the assembly. I could have been strutting to the stage when my name was called. I could have been one of those who, when handed the award, looked at the rest of those poor kids in the audience, and gloated with condescending pride.

Oh, my bad! I don’t like those assemblies.