When you go into a retail shop, you might spot a certificate of achievement on the wall, acknowledging that business as a leader in customer satisfaction in your community. A real estate agent might display a certificate of achievement for attending a seminar which keeps them up to date on the latest developments in real estate laws and practices. On a recent visit to a neurologist's office, I saw such a certificate stating that he was deemed one of the top three neurologists in the country for this year. Such certificates are bound to increase your confidence in that person's or business' competence.
It's easy to see that awarding these certificates to students in grade school will promote a desire to learn and achieve. While the little gold foil star, stuck on the corner of a school report can make a student feel proud, there's a psychological element to the certificate of achievement which makes a bigger impact on the student. With young children, bigger is often better. For example, a great big teddy bear produces a bigger thrill than a smaller, more plain bear. So it is with the certificates. They can be framed and put on the child's bedroom wall, or hung in the family room, whereas the gold foil star may lie hidden in a binder, unnoticed and soon forgotten.
Especially in early education, it's important to recognize children's achievements. When such recognition is given, it becomes a powerful incentive to continue achieving their potential. Like any habit, good or bad, once that habit is established, it's difficult to break. Using a classroom strategy of awarding a certificate of achievement forms a habit of achieving, which makes the child proud of his abilities and eager to continue the practice.
One example of the nurturing such certificates can provide is the case of a child who has difficulty learning the abc's. She may struggle with this learning, while others have already progressed to reading. She perseveres and finally can recite the alphabet perfectly. Awarding her with a certificate of achievement is the perfect form of recognition. Receiving this award of achievement teaches her that persistence pays off and helps build confidence and self-esteem, all important characteristics of a good student. She will remember overcoming the difficult task for many years into the future.
A certificate of achievement need not be confined to academic achievements in the classroom. Both at school and at home, behavioral achievements can be recognized in much the same way. Let's say your child does a hap-hazard job of cleaning his room. On parental inspection, the 'stuff-it-all-under-the bed' approach is noted. You spend some time teaching the child how to sort and organize, making it so much easier to find everything. When the child finally gets it mostly right, this is a good occasion for a certificate. Dated, inscribed with your child's name and the achievement 'A clean room!' is going to make him eager to retain that compliment, as well as building self-esteem and promoting good habits.
You can readily buy these certificates at any office supply, or you can make your own on your home computer. Achievements should always be recognized in young children and the certificate of achievement is worth its weight in gold stars!
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