Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job - Essay Example

Five Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Good Job’ In a comprehensive understanding of Alfie Kohn’s article “Five Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Good Job!’” it becomeslucid that this is an important piece of writing dealing with the author’s comments on the various ways of supporting and encouraging children. As the author plainly makes it clear, this article is not against supporting and encouraging children but against praising them for anything and everything. It is important to observe that among the author’s five reasons to stop saying ‘Good Job!

’, such as manipulating children, creating praise junkies, stealing a child’s pleasure, losing interest, and reducing achievement, it is the very last point which needs most attention. One of the most important consequences of saying ‘Good Job!’ to a child constantly, Kohn argues, is that it reduces the child’s real achievement. “As if it weren’t bad enough that ‘Good job!’ can undermine independence, pleasure, and interest, it can also interfere with how good a job children actually do.

Researchers keep finding that kids who are praised for doing well at a creative task tend to stumble at the next task – and they don’t do as well as children who weren’t praised to begin with.” (Kohn) In a reflective analysis of this argument made by Kohn, it becomes evident that the author is highly sensible in making this point, because practical experience as well as research evidences supports his claim. One must agree with the author that it is time to stop praising children by saying ‘Good Job!

’ because it creates pressure to the youngsters to keep up the good work. It is unquestionable fact that ‘Good job!’ often ignores the thoughts, feelings, and values behind the behaviors of human beings and it unfortunately promotes the less desirable motives in the child. One of the basic areas of personal improvement, as suggested by this article, is to stop praising children too much, but be levelheaded in supporting and encouraging them. Work Cited Kohn, Alfie. “Five Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Good Job!

’” Young Children. 2001. 23 March 2011. .