Every child needs to feel valued, nurtured and loved. They are all equally important. They are not all equally clever.
The only way to encourage improvement is through reinforcing effort. All children can put in effort. Effort is the only thing that should be rewarded.
A child needs to judge their performance again themselves. It takes a great deal of resolve to keep trying when others around you are doing so much better without the same effort. Yet recognition of that effort is reward and will encourage striving.
Every child should be brim-full of self-esteem.
Read what a highly successful ex-Secondary Headteacher has to say. I’m the only one making sense!