Varsha Prasad
Editor, TeacherTribe.world
“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it all into words is all that is necessary.”
Appreciation plays a very important role in people’s lives. It goes a long way in shaping who a person becomes. This can be called a fundamental human need, as it is directly and indirectly linked to people’s self-worth, self-esteem and acceptance. Despite the age, people want to be recognised, appreciated and accepted for the things they do. Appreciation here, acts as boost to the morale and keeps the person motivated to do better.
In children, it is widely observed that appreciation for the little things they do helps them perform better. Starting from the time they crawl to taking their first few steps, from the time they do well in school and excel to the time they find their first job, appreciation acts like a pillar of strength.
How appreciation can change a person for the better
My niece, who is 6 years old, recently received an appreciation card from her teacher, appreciating her performance in class and, for being kind and a great friend to everyone around her. This small gesture from her teacher motivated her so much that she started putting in an extra effort to be better and do better. She also started becoming appreciative of people around her.
On the other hand, I recently met a family friend, who is now a renowned doctor. She narrated a story of how appreciation and motivation from her teachers during her school days helped her reach where she is today. As a young girl, she had moved to the city with her family from a village. She found it very hard to communicate and express herself in the new school, as her English was not that great. She found it difficult to catch up with her classmates and lost confidence in herself and her abilities. A teacher, noticing her talents and capabilities, started motivating her to take part in all activities in school. The teacher started appreciating every small effort made by her. This appreciation helped her bag many awards for her school in various events, and motived her to improve herself. Today, she is a renowned doctor who is on many shows on national television.
These are just examples of how appreciation can boost confidence and enhance performance in people… These are examples of how adults and children alike, require regular appreciation and acknowledgement for the work they do. Imagine working very hard on something and not being recognised or appreciated for it.
What appreciation does to the brain
Many studies and research prove that appreciation is rooted in the brain’s response to positive emotions. According to these studies, when a person is appreciated, the brain releases chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. These hormones, known as the ‘happy hormones’, play a major role in regulating our emotions and mood.
According to a research conducted by two psychologists from the University of Miami, participants of the study were asked to write a few sentences each week. One group wrote about the things they were grateful for, the second wrote about the daily irritations and the third wrote about things that had affected them (with no specific mention to positives or negatives). It was found at the end of the study, that the group which wrote about gratitude and appreciation were more optimistic and happier when compared to the others.
Many other research also shows that with appreciation, there is a sense of feeling valued, an increase in self-confidence and an increase in emotional connect.
Appreciation in classrooms
In a world where everyone is running a race to be on top of everything and win big, gestures like appreciation and praise go a long way. Classrooms can become great harbingers to nurture the young with timely praise, which can slowly help them reflect become confident individuals.
Teachers can create appreciation charts in class where children with different skill sets and talents can be recognised. These can have both academic and non-academic fields like sports, arts, creativity, emotional quotient, friendship, etc. Teachers can recognise children’s acts of kindness, how they treat people, how they react to things around them, how they handle situations and how they handle feedback. Appreciating and recognising them for things that are generally not related to their performance in examinations and ‘good’ behaviour, helps them improve their emotional intelligence too. These charts can act as motivators, leading children to aspire to be featured on them.
Regular praise and appreciation from teachers and adults can help children build emotional security, improve self-confidence, strengthen connections with people and become individuals with positive outlook. Children appreciated for the good work they do tend to become more appreciative themselves.
Teachers can also start appreciating themselves for the milestones and targets achieved, can praise and appreciate their colleagues/peers for their contributions and efforts, and be grateful for the things around them. This will help create a healthy and positive space to learn and grow. At the end of the day, “Happiness is found in the absence of expectation and a continuous focus on appreciation” – Tony Robbins.
So, this new year, let us make sure we are appreciative of the people around us!
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!