The “Compliment Sandwich”
By Andy Mishkin In Insight
Creating and sustaining good behavior in Youth Karate students (or kids in any setting) is one of the central challenges for teachers.
At Centerpoint Martial Arts, one of our foundational teaching techniques is “Praise-Correct-Praise.” Also known as a “compliment sandwich,” it starts with the teacher finding and mentioning something to praise in a student or a class. Then the teacher mentions something to correct and a suggested change or improvement. Once the student makes the correction, we praise the change.
For example, if a child is learning a kick we may say, “I like how focused you are on kicking the target. I can see how hard you are working to hit the pad every time.” Then we focus on one simple thing to improve their kick, such as keeping their hands up to help them balance. Once they make the change, we would say, “Good! You are holding your hands up in front of your chest just the way you are supposed to! Great Listening!” It’s important to be specific with both the praise and correction. Kids see through generic praise very easily. If they see that their instructors are not paying attention, they will follow suit, and disregard what they are being asked to do.
The Praise-Correct-Praise technique is a cornerstone of our classroom because it puts the burden on the teacher, where it belongs, while the child gets to enjoy the learning experience. It is easy to find something to correct, particularly in a young or inexperienced student. It is harder to find something to praise, but it is the gateway to success. If they learn to expect a balance of praise and correction, they will be more responsive to both. They will also come to trust what you say to them because they know you are paying attention and will be more willing to work hard.