"One of the greatest gifts a classroom teacher can give to his or her students is knowledge about and ongoing support related to the important of effort." (Pitler & Stone, 2012, p 38).

A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works (2012) gives the following guidance for teachers as they provide recognition to create a successful learning environment.

1. Promote a mastery-goal orientation.

• Learning and goals are emphasized when teachers adopt a mastery-goal orientation.

• Mastery-goal orientation makes the learning environment more predictable-students know what they need to do to succeed.

• Mastery-oriented goals are defined in terms of a focus on learning, mastering the task according to self-set standards or self-improvement.   

2. Provide feedback or praise that is specific and aligned with expectations.

   • Feedback and/or praise should focus on the students' attainment of established goals

3. Use concrete symbols of recognition.

   • Tangible rewards can have a positive effect on intrinsic motivations if they are tied to the accomplishment of objectives

Below are three teacher recommendations to help students understand the importance of effort:

1. Help students make connections about the relationships between effort and achievement.

   • Teaching about effort positively influences students' thinking, beliefs, and behaviors about their ability to succeed.

2.  Provide explicit guidance to students about what is means to expend effort.

   • As a class, develop operational definitions about what it means to work hard.

   • Don't forget to discuss actions and behaviors associated with such effort in a variety of situations or settings.

3. Have students track their effort and achievement.

   • This can help students make connections between effort and success and can have a powerful impact on their achievement. (Pitler & Stone, 2012)