Here’s a common mistake that teachers and parents make in their desire to help children do their very best: they offer “constructive criticism” right from the very beginning.
This can make children feel they’re being criticized before anything else.
However, if children hear praise first, they are much more willing to keep improving. We train our instructors to seek the positives first, to be “good finders.”
Once they praise our students for their efforts, only then does the instructor share ways to improve upon the student’s technique.
So it sounds like this: “I like the way you kicked. Now if you turn your foot this would be better. Great! Now do it 10 more times just like that!”
Instead of being guarded and defensive, the child is motivated by the praise to try again.
I also see this with parents. They love their child and want them to do so well that they first correct their child instead of first praising them for their efforts. This minor tweak will really boost your child’s desire to be the best.
Our instructors call this, “Praise, Correct, Praise and Challenge.”
