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10 Powerful Ways to Celebrate Your Student

25 MAR' 21

Do they know? Do they really know?

I mean, I certainly know you’re proud of them. Your spouse knows. Your co-workers probably all know! But do your kids? Have you taken time lately to celebrate your student?

Club Month is here and now, more than ever, we need to celebrate our students. Because our kids need to know we are proud of them. I can tell you, we have more club members to be proud of than ever before! We have inducted kid after kid into the All-Right and 30-5 Clubs. We even have the very first inductees into the brand new Math Facts Master Club!

Around NTML HQ we do a happy dance for every inductee, and of course, those kids love seeing themselves on the Wall of Fame. But I want to encourage you to extend the celebration. Celebrate your student in your own home and classroom! It is a challenge to get into any of these clubs, and everyone who gets in deserves a big, at-home celebration.

To help you out, here are 10 great ways to celebrate your student when they get into the club of their choice… or do anything worthy of saying, “I’m so proud of you!”

10 Great Ways to Celebrate Your Student

Write a Note. It’s tangible and it’s personal, and it’s low cost. This may not speak to every child’s heart, but for many, these can become a keepsake and evidence of how much you care.
Let them choose lunch (or dinner). Hand the meal planning reins over to your kid for a meal and let them choose their faves.
Paper Plate Awards. Have you seen these? These are so fun, and perfect for larger groups of kids or for ongoing prizes. Add a ribbon or two and they may even start to look like the real deal.
Brag on Them on Social. Take a special picture so they’ll know what you’re doing, and then post it. They’ll love to know you’ve been bragging on them when people they haven’t told ask them about their accomplishment!
Crowdsource the Praise. Another one for social media–post about their achievement and directly ask your online friends to send them a note of congratulations. Then read them back with them and watch them relish the good thoughts that have come in from all over!
Entertain Them. Some will want a new book or game. Others might choose a movie to stream. But choosing a new way to chill can make a great reward after a period of work.
Day off. They’ve worked hard… now surprise them with a whole day off! They probably need the rest, and it will motivate them the next time they tackle something difficult.
A Special Outing. Mini-golf, a hike or a drive-through experience can be great options to get out of the house and enjoy some special time together.
Food Treat. Does ice cream as a treat ever get old? I’m not sure, but if you want something new, there are lots of options! You could try out that new fancy donut shop, get them a fancy iced drink from your favorite coffee shop, or try something exotic like bubble tea.
Verbal Praise. Never, ever underestimate the power of a good, honest “I’m proud of you,” delivered with real eye contact and a big smile. That can feed a kid’s soul like nothing else.

Remember, you don’t have to wait for a massive achievement to celebrate your student and their hard work. For some kids, just attempting something like the All-Right Club is a big deal. So if they come oh-so-close then I say, celebrate the effort just as well as you would the actual accomplishment!

And let’s say they are up from 15 to 25 problems every day. Or maybe they’ve mastered the addition and subtraction facts in Drill Team. Then I say, it’s time to pause and celebrate how they have grown! It’s always a big deal to make progress! Who says you have to hold out till they’re completely through to reward all that work? Not me!

I hope this month has brought your student a great sense of accomplishment no matter what their goal. Remember, you can submit your child for membership in any of the clubs at any time of the year! So tell them to keep up the good work, and that Nicole is already proud of them–and you!

Talk to you soon,

Nicole the Math Lady

10 Powerful Ways to Celebrate Your Student

What would your kid say if someone asked them, “Is your mom/dad/teacher proud of you?”

Do they know? Do they really know?

I mean, I certainly know you’re proud of them. Your spouse knows. Your co-workers probably all know! But do your kids? Have you taken time lately to celebrate your student?

To help you out, here are 10 great ways to celebrate your student when they get into the club of their choice… or do anything worthy of saying, “I’m so proud of you!”

10 Great Ways to Celebrate Your Student

Write a Note. It’s tangible and it’s personal, and it’s low cost. This may not speak to every child’s heart, but for many, these can become a keepsake and evidence of how much you care.

Let them choose lunch (or dinner). Hand the meal planning reins over to your kid for a meal and let them choose their faves.

Paper Plate Awards. Have you seen these? These are so fun, and perfect for larger groups of kids or for ongoing prizes. Add a ribbon or two and they may even start to look like the real deal.

Brag on Them on Social. Take a special picture so they’ll know what you’re doing, and then post it. They’ll love to know you’ve been bragging on them when people they haven’t told ask them about their accomplishment!

Crowdsource the Praise. Another one for social media–post about their achievement and directly ask your online friends to send them a note of congratulations. Then read them back with them and watch them relish the good thoughts that have come in from all over!

Entertain Them. Some will want a new book or game. Others might choose a movie to stream. But choosing a new way to chill can make a great reward after a period of work.

Day off. They’ve worked hard… now surprise them with a whole day off! They probably need the rest, and it will motivate them the next time they tackle something difficult.

A Special Outing. Mini-golf, a hike or a drive-through experience can be great options to get out of the house and enjoy some special time together.

Food Treat. Does ice cream as a treat ever get old? I’m not sure, but if you want something new, there are lots of options! You could try out that new fancy donut shop, get them a fancy iced drink from your favorite coffee shop, or try something exotic like bubble tea.

Verbal Praise. Never, ever underestimate the power of a good, honest “I’m proud of you,” delivered with real eye contact and a big smile. That can feed a kid’s soul like nothing else.

I hope this month has brought your student a great sense of accomplishment no matter what their goal. Remember, you can submit your child for membership in any of the clubs at any time of the year! So tell them to keep up the good work, and that Nicole is already proud of them–and you!

Talk to you soon,

Nicole the Math Lady