Feedback Thoughts

How to Praise Your Child
I work with kids a lot through my church and it's so easy to slip into the "easy" praise, that is, rewarding the child for the end result, rather than the process. For example, one child brings me her drawing of a dog. There may be no way that I could have told you it was a dog, but I say, "Wow! That's a great drawing!" This will result in her putting in less and less effort as she realizes that anything she does will result in a positive result - praise from the teacher. I like how the article focuses on helping the child reflect on themselves, their effort, and their ability, rather than external praise from whoever. This gives them a self-motivation that will result in a better product, no matter what they are doing. As Calvin famously put it...
(Calvin and Hobbes, Jan. 27, 1994)

7 Questions to Ask After Feedback
We're good at criticizing others, but what if we are criticized ourselves? I appreciate good feedback, but I never know how to respond. This simple list of questions gives a good basis for self-evaluation, a feedback "decoder," if you will. It takes the feedback and analyzes it, not just from the angle of yourself, but considers how others see you. In general, you are being criticized because you offended someone's disposition, at least in my experience. Something I did is something they don't like, so I am criticized. Instead of being offended back, I should consider why they are offended. What's their perception of my flaws, and how can I use that as an opportunity to look at myself and improve?


Still learning,
Smith


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