How to be a Cheerleader for Your Students

“Good Work” stamps bring a spark of encouragement to any assignment. With whales, seahorses, giraffes and more, you can make time to give each one of your students positive affirmation. Learning is tough work, but your role as a cheerleader makes all the difference.

Send Your Students the Right Message

Many students hear loud messages about how they are not good enough. Every day they are confronted with new reasons why they are not the best athlete, the most popular, the smartest or the prettiest. So many negative messages from their peers and the outside world create feelings of inadequacy. During the formative years when students want to be the best athlete or at the top of the class, many of them face disappointment after disappointment.

Beliefs based on early messages may develop early on. As students struggle with specific concepts, they can feel totally stuck. A student may think “I’m not good at math,” “I can’t write,” or “I’m a slow reader.” The more those beliefs are cemented, the larger the emotional hurdle becomes. Tackling those subjects gets harder every day. And that feeling may continue through adulthood.

Students don’t want to be dismissed, forgotten or a constant disappointment. Yes, certain students are very familiar with A+’s, and perfect grades, but other students who still put time, effort and creativity in their work often need motivation to keep going. They have a strong desire for recognition and being seen. Positive affirmation can be a tool for overcoming these negative messages.

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Super Cute Student Evaluation Stamps

A “Good Work” stamp is one way to provide your students with positive affirmations. Simply Stamps has adorable designs that stand out when they decorate the top of an assignment! Not every paper is going to get a bright and shiny 100%. Sometimes a B- or C+ is the worst thing to have to take home to mom and dad. But – with or without the highest grade – plenty of papers are samples of good work and a student’s best efforts.

You can strategically put uplifting messages wherever you choose. For students who struggle with one portion of a lesson but excel in other areas, the little bit of feedback geared toward their strengths can go a long way. Place stamps right next to a specific place on a page. It rewards your students with the old school version of the Facebook “Like.”

Check out “Good Work” stamps that feature an animal, such as a:

  • Frog
  • Whale
  • Seahorse
  • Giraffe
  • Dinosaur
  • Shark
  • Gator
  • Turtle
  • Bunny
  • Dragon

The stamps provide a little approval that can go a long way. The stamps can even be personalized for your classroom. View other teacher stamps with a positive message, including designs such as a:

  • Pineapple, Taco, Donut, Egg
  • Rocket ship
  • Googly eyes
  • Flower
  • Calculator, Pencil
  • Star, Medallion, Trophy

The Classroom Can Be an Encouraging Environment

In the midst of the noise of negative messages, teachers continue to help students develop their scholarly abilities. It can feel like an uphill battle. You may be able to help students move away from discouragement with the smallest bit of intentionality.

Providing students with positive affirmations as they complete work helps build a foundation for self-esteem. It can foster a desire to learn the things that may not come naturally. Positive affirmation provides a loud message, when growing up feels tough. It fights some of ways students confront their own self-doubt. It allows students to rest a bit, knowing they did one thing well and put forth their best effort. In that pivotal moment, you can help them to see the finish line by giving them a boost of encouragement.

You can be their cheerleader.


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