Why academic awards for elementary aged kids are a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
"End of year awards alone..." Nope, no one thing alone achieves a complex outcome. But there are other ways, easier ways, and probably better ways than typical "best" awards ceremonies. It just takes a little imagination and some common sense.

PS: I think you were arguing with several people, not just one. Wasn't it fun? It was, a little bit, no? Even if no one clearly "won?"

I don't find arguing with people making the same lousy point over and over again fun, honestly. I think people who protest this kind of stuff just lack common sense. Also, you are not arguing with just one person, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

you are arguing with more than one person. I am the one who is saying you create stawmen, and here you do it again. No one said that end of year awards ALONE do this. In fact, my language was clear: "can" "encourage" "may play a role." and you turn that into me saying the awards alone will do these thing. Do you see what you are doing? It is classic stawman stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

you are arguing with more than one person. I am the one who is saying you create stawmen, and here you do it again. No one said that end of year awards ALONE do this. In fact, my language was clear: "can" "encourage" "may play a role." and you turn that into me saying the awards alone will do these thing. Do you see what you are doing? It is classic stawman stuff.

I think you are very, very happy that you know the word "strawman." Congratulations! You're sooooo smart, its amazing! Now, can you point to any research that points to academic awards in particular?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

you are arguing with more than one person. I am the one who is saying you create stawmen, and here you do it again. No one said that end of year awards ALONE do this. In fact, my language was clear: "can" "encourage" "may play a role." and you turn that into me saying the awards alone will do these thing. Do you see what you are doing? It is classic stawman stuff.

I think you are very, very happy that you know the word "strawman." Congratulations! You're sooooo smart, its amazing! Now, can you point to any research that points to academic awards in particular?

That wasn't me. Several folks, it seems, are pointing out flaws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

+1 My child doesn't even know about them although they do go on at his school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

you are arguing with more than one person. I am the one who is saying you create stawmen, and here you do it again. No one said that end of year awards ALONE do this. In fact, my language was clear: "can" "encourage" "may play a role." and you turn that into me saying the awards alone will do these thing. Do you see what you are doing? It is classic stawman stuff.

I think you are very, very happy that you know the word "strawman." Congratulations! You're sooooo smart, its amazing! Now, can you point to any research that points to academic awards in particular?

I learned strawman in highschool speech class. At a second or third tier highschool. so, no, knowing that doesn't make me feel smart. You are the one who keeps doing it. I just keep pointing it out - which rankles it seems. now you have to actually read what people are saying, consider it, and respond to it. not as much fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

I posted above but am not the "body of research poster" that you are exasperated with arguing with. Most of my understanding of the our reward culture as not encouraging learning comes from my experience as a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

I posted above but am not the "body of research poster" that you are exasperated with arguing with. Most of my understanding of the our reward culture as not encouraging learning comes from my experience as a teacher.

Reward culture or an end of year awards assembly. It's all of one day. Yes there are a lot of rewards, but they are mostly sports related. My kid's sports team has at least four seasons with up to two awards per team. How as a teacher have you seen a link to a one time a year awards assembly not encouraging learning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an educator who is opposed to academic awards in the elementary grades.
I am also opposed to everyone on a team getting a trophy for being on a team.
We have coddled our kids way too much.

yes, you can not want to cushion your child from every disappointment AND believe academic awards are a bad idea. The poster(s) arguing that we all think we have fragile, precious snowflakes is creating a strawman.

Assuming that a child will endure permanent psychological damage as a result of seeing another kid get an award certificate at school is, indeed, treating your child as a fragile, precious snowflake.

stawman! engage the arguments people are making and not teh arguments you wish they were making so you can knock them down with aplomb.

There is no argument here, other than "these awards damage kids!" Please elaborate on any other argument here.

no body but you is asserting that the award damage kids. There is research and personal experience showing they decrease intrinsic motivation, encourage kids to play it safe, may play a role in kids self labeling as not academically inclined, and are based on popularity with teacher rather than some objective measure. None of these arguments is "these awards damage kids!". But you can exaggerate what was said to "damage kids!!!" and then argue against your own exaggeration (i.e. stawman) because that is fun. But it isn't a good faith discussion of the issue, and on some level you know it.

End of year awards alone, will do NONE of what you are saying. You are pointing to an entire body of research and saying it supports your specific point, which it doesn't. WASTE OF TIME arguing with you.

I posted above but am not the "body of research poster" that you are exasperated with arguing with. Most of my understanding of the our reward culture as not encouraging learning comes from my experience as a teacher.

Reward culture or an end of year awards assembly. It's all of one day. Yes there are a lot of rewards, but they are mostly sports related. My kid's sports team has at least four seasons with up to two awards per team. How as a teacher have you seen a link to a one time a year awards assembly not encouraging learning?

sure it's one part of it. One day in 1st grade 9or even just one day a year every year), of course, wouldn't matter absence the continuation and intensification of academic awards. honor roll awards, beta clubs, monthly student awards - those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head in elementary school and middle school.

so is there an option of having awards one day a year and not any other time of the year - no displays of these winners in yearbooks and on bulletin boards etc, right? Because it's not just one day right now - it is part of a culture that rewards students for something that should be its own reward. The one day option won't satisfy posters who still wonder - "why if it doesn't do what you want it to do." But I'll take it.

[Anonymous]

Schools and adults who run them make choices about how to run the school that presumably reflect their values... and it contributes to the message and value of the school culture, in general.

So look at how these assemblies are run, who gets awards, who doesn't, for what, how, etc... It's a component. Not THE THING that makes a school one way or the other.

But it is a component. And as you can see in other posts completely independent of this one, it raises questions. Not good ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools and adults who run them make choices about how to run the school that presumably reflect their values... and it contributes to the message and value of the school culture, in general.

So look at how these assemblies are run, who gets awards, who doesn't, for what, how, etc... It's a component. Not THE THING that makes a school one way or the other.

But it is a component. And as you can see in other posts completely independent of this one, it raises questions. Not good ones.

Do you get this worked up about high school sports?

[Anonymous]

NP here. For those that support award ceremonies, why do you think they are a good thing? I really don't see the benefit in them and my kids have always thought they were silly. I am genuinely curious - why do some people like them?

[Anonymous]

As a child, I got a low of different academic awards for different things. They had NOTHING to do with my motivation. I was motivated by a desire to learn/be the best I could be. The piece of paper at the end of the year was a nice acknowledgment that I was working hard, and it made me happy. Different schools do so many different things I think it's silly to act like there's a "reward culture" when every school has a different system of recognizing students. For example, in my elementary school, there was a "student of the month" in every grade. Probably everyone eventually got to be student of the month once. I don't even remember how they were chosen, but at one point students voted for someone in their class. I was super awkward and not popular, but somehow I was chosen one year (who knows, maybe the teacher just picked someone and said there was a "vote"). I was so happy! I still have the picture with me beaming. But even this pretty much had no long term effect. Children are resilient! Even if they feel bad because they don't get an award, they should be able to cope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I learned strawman in highschool speech class. At a second or third tier highschool. so, no, knowing that doesn't make me feel smart. You are the one who keeps doing it. I just keep pointing it out - which rankles it seems. now you have to actually read what people are saying, consider it, and respond to it. not as much fun.

Your reasoning skills are about at high school level, I will give you that. The only thing that rankles is how dumb and repetitive this conversation is. Now, can someone provide any sort of reasoning to explain why awards would be negative in any way, shape, or form? Anybody?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. For those that support award ceremonies, why do you think they are a good thing? I really don't see the benefit in them and my kids have always thought they were silly. I am genuinely curious - why do some people like them?

Maybe in this area kids who are more academic are acknowledged more often, but when I was growing up, little award ceremonies were probably the only acknowledgment in front of my peers I ever got for being good at school (other than grades themselves). The rest of the time, I was picked last at gym and awkward. Honestly, things weren't so high-stakes back then. And I don't think we ever got awards in the lower grades in elementary school. It wasn't such a huge deal. Everybody now is so high-strung.