Polly Bath: I have a rule in my classroom about compliments. You want to give someone a compliment, have it be internal versus external.

I want you to know somebody well enough to know a quality about them, any quality at all. Maybe they’re good at something. Or maybe they’re kind, or considerate. Maybe they collaborate, or they communicate well.

These are all internal types of compliments. Telling someone they have nice shoes is an external compliment. I want my students to learn the difference.

Also, here’s a newsflash: when someone gives you a compliment, you don’t have to give them one back! It’s ok to just thank them.

We feel we have to compliment them back, then we’re wishing they didn’t give us a compliment. So we try to find something to say and we’re like, “Oh, are those new glasses? Nice!” And they say, “No, these are old.”

We don’t have to compliment someone who has complimented us. Just accept it and feel good about it!