The statement that “Too many classroom conversations focus on the mistakes that pupils have made rather than the good work they have done” (TES, Research Focus, March 14) clearly has a wider application.
If everyone involved in education concentrated more on praising success and less on pinpointing failure, everyone would feel better.
Today’s emphasis on “driving up standards” through the publication of league tables conjures up images of stern, stick-wielding cattle drovers. The fact that research supports a focus on good work rather than mistakes suggests that politicians should be driving their “driving-up” analogies into the ground and relegating their league tables to the bottom of the league unless, of course, they believe that it does us all good to feel bad.
ALAN MILLARD 8 Medina Court Marine Parade West Lee-on-the-Solent Hampshire.
