Is public recognition for good behavior or attitudes a good practice?
Not in my opinion! I expect good behavior, and I don’t know how to assess one’s attitude aside from one’s behavior. As I have stated in many times in the past, the problem with rewards is that the reward-giver will never know in the future whether the person is acting on Level D because it is the right thing to do OR simply to get the reward.
REWARDING young people for EXPECTED STANDARDS OF APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR takes youth on a treacherous path—even though thousands of teachers and parents do it. This practice is highly counterproductive to their ultimate goals and is contributing to raising a generation of young people whose focus is on receiving, rather than on the effort and satisfaction that come from contributing and acting responsibly.
You can read more about the pitfalls of external approaches of discipline, which include punishing YOUNG people, rewarding them, and telling them what to do, in my books, Discipline Without Stress and Parenting Without Stress.
