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Coming up soon are the school award ceremonies at our schools. In the elementary school, each class goes up on stage and they give each kid a certificate for finishing the year. They also give special certificates for perfect attendance, missing only one day, highest AR points (a reading thing you earn by reading books and testing on them) and I think a couple of other things.What do you think of these ceremonies? For me, I do like that kids who work hard get recognized, and I do like that they call every child's name. However there are some things I don't like. I don't like the perfect attendance award. My daughter has at least six orthopedic appointments a year at a hospital two hours away. There is no way to make them all happen on non school days. My two younger children were both hospitalized this year. One of my older boys once begged to go to school with the flu because he wanted to get perfect attendance, it made me wonder if the kid who gave him the flu might have come to school sick in order to get this silly award. Then there are other things. My older boys have always done well academically, my daughter struggles, it does not come as easily for her as it does for my boys. My son has only been speaking English a year and a half, so of course he won't be reading as well or as fast as his friends. (though to be honest he is coming darn close, he is one smart kid!) I can kind of see both sides. Last year a lady I know was incensed because her daughter had scored very high on some sort of state mandated math test. The teacher was very excited and got the mom very excited. This mom was sure her daughter would get an award. The way they do it here is they keep the front row clear and the kids sit in the first sections and then then parents sit at the back of the auditorium. While a particular class is up on the stage those parents are allowed to come down to the front row so they can take pictures. This lady went down with the first K class. Allright, she had a son in K (for the second time) so she was eager. But she stayed down there for the entire ceremony, refusing to move. Then when her daughter did not get a special award she threw a tantrum. The teacher said they did not give awards for test scores as the law says those have to remain private and they cannot publisize those scores, the good or the bad ones of individual students. Watching this woman's behavior made me reluctant to complain about the perfect attendance awards, even though my daughter is sad every year that she will never get one. So what do you guys think of these award ceremonies?
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I have an opinion as a former (former as of April!!) elementary special ed teacher...I also do not like the perfect attend. award, or most other "trivial" awards. I don't want to offend anyone, but it is my opinion that teachers can give out these types of awards, or even have a grade level lower-key type awards/recognition assembly. I don't think this type of school wide assembly is the best way to recognize students. I come from the old school of thinking where you are expected to go to school, except when you are ill, and there does not need to be a special recognition of your attendance! You just go because that's what you do as a child. You don't go for a certificate.
I see nothing wrong with teachers or grades recognizing more character based awards...say most honest, didn't ever give up, best friend to others, that type of thing.
Once again, my opinion.....
Kelly
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That was what we did when I taught preschool. We gave everyone an award. Some kids it was hard coming up with those. I remember giving the loudest singer award to a kid who was very difficult. He was actually loud all the time, but when they sang it was especially noticable. We tried to talk a little about each kid and say something nice while we gave them the award. It was easy to give awards to kids who were always helping, or who were good at putting things away, or who were nice to everyone, or compasionate. I know when I was working in a church we stopped the sunday school perfect attendance awards for two reasons. One, was kids were coming to church sick and sharing the germs and two we had some kids who had divorced parents and could only come every other week, but they felt like they were being punished when they could not get the award. It is kind of sad that we now have to reward kids for doing what should be expected. In our middle school they have a party for kids who have not had more than one saturday school and have not had In School suspension and not more than so many lunch detentions. When I was younger most of the school would have been able to go attend. Apparently there are many who can't attend. It's kind of sad to see how things change.
In our school district, all the children are recognized for achievement in some area. The teachers give individual awards to every child in their class. Even the kids who don't have all the AR points, or can do well in math or science, get an award for the things that they do well. Some are gifted in art or music, or just being a sweet kid. Maybe a child is the most polite in school or has the best sense of humor, etc. Every child gets a nice certificate.
Like you, I don't care much for the perfect attendance award because I take my daughter out of school to do things which I feel are just as important for her education. We have attended ballets, art shows, one day events, etc. And there is the occassional sick days.
Over all, if the ceremony is done well, every child would be recognized. That's what they should be for anyway. As for the annoying Mom, that is the same person who will probably be behind the fence at little league screaming at the kids about how bad they are for not winning. There's at least one of those in every community. I say they are living through their children.
Well, this mom I have to admit that out of her six (yes six) kids this is the only one that does well in school. Her younger son repeated K and is constantly in trouble. (I had him in Sunday School and it was not fun) Her oldest two are off living with thier boyfriends and while both enrolled in college neighter finished the first year. Her third son is very close to my son, he is in summer school every year and is in trouble all the time too. He told my son honor society is stupid and he would never consider it. (luckily my honor roll son was smart enough to figure out that his friend is getting d's and F's and so would never be on honor roll) Her remaing child is in sixth grade and plays her dad against her mom very well and is conniving. She is a pretty solid C/D student, but cares more about boys than school. This woman lets her kids stay home if she does not feel like getting up or if they sneeze. This one daughter of hers always insists on going to school and even called me a couple times to give her a ride. So I can understand the woman being proud, but, she still annoyed me. LOL I loved the individual awards, I wish we had them here. Often it lets you see another side of your child to see what the teacher sees in them. Every child has something positive about them.
As a current K-5 special education teacher I also despise these award ceremonies. Most of my students with learning disabilities do not get awards. I also have a mixed special/general ed class for struggling readers. They come to this reading class instead of taking science and social studies as 4th/5th graders, and they do not get grades in those two subjects. Even if they had an A/B in math and in their classroom reading, the teachers refused to put them on the honor roll since they did not have grades in sc/ss. My students figured this out so I had them write persuasive letters - and the policy was changed! Then one teacher decided she would have to change her grading policy because these kids didn't deserve to be on the honor roll!!! My daughter was on the A/B honor roll the last two quarters last school year in 4th grade (she had only started school the 2nd quarter). Her teacher felt she had enough info to say she had earned the award. She has not made the honor roll this year. She has the teacher described above and she told me, "I'm not going to give her a good grade just for effort!" Our school had eliminated the honor roll, but then parents complained and the PTA took over so we no longer have a choice. It's the high achieving students' parents who run the show. I would agree with in-class presentations as long as every student is recognized, and only for 4th/5th graders. However, a few years ago our PTA decided to have 5th grade students vote for "Class Brain", "Class Clown", "Cutest Boy/Girl", others, and even "Class Couple"!!! Now that is inappropriate!
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Our school doesn't have any awards program. Which, I guess is ok.
I can remember as a kid sitting in these awards programs, and the same kids being called up every year and all the other kids sitting around bored for the afternoon. The only good thing was that we got to go home early.
All kids should be recognized, but not awarded. I hate perfect attendance awards. As you point out, not all kids have the opportunity to attend every day. I think that an academic acheivements award program would be more in line - those kids and parents would be there to honor their acheivement. Doing it in a general assembly kind of 'slaps the faces' of the other kids. Our high school does an honors breakfast.
What ever happened to Best Effort? Most Improved? Citizen of the Month?
I am a current teacher (14 years). Our school has a way of handling perfect attendance for those who go on a planned medical absence. They have the teachers gather work, and then the student, if they can, calls in with questions. This gives them the credit for the day. Because really it is all about the learning part. I am sure most students would rather be in school, then in a hospital for a planned procedure. I find it sad if a district dings a student for a planned medical procedure. Planned family vacations during the school year count against the student. My 2 cents.
I admit I'm tired....having attended so many of these things in the last two weeks and have a couple more this week before school lets out. lol. So right now....I hate em!;)
I think in theory it's a good idea...kids should be recognized and getting an award really says something to them about their hard work. However, in practice...doesn't work all that well given how a lot of schools seem to do this thing.
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