Parents: what do YOU want at the end of the year at school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

I think that lesson will be provided to them without formally being taught at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

NP. Guess what? Special needs kids learn this every day! Other kids insult them and leave them out. Other parents are awful. Teachers can be bullies. SN kids struggle in nearly every single thing they do and constantly compare themselves to other kids. It is lovely and appropriate to have a ceremony at the end of the year that recognizes a strength in every child.

People who swoop in with the typical "failure is good" they have no experience with children who fail every single day. They don't need to be left out one more time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

NP. Guess what? Special needs kids learn this every day! Other kids insult them and leave them out. Other parents are awful. Teachers can be bullies. SN kids struggle in nearly every single thing they do and constantly compare themselves to other kids. It is lovely and appropriate to have a ceremony at the end of the year that recognizes a strength in every child.

People who swoop in with the typical "failure is good" they have no experience with children who fail every single day. They don't need to be left out one more time.

+a million

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

I’m sorry, life isn’t inclusive of everyone? What could you possibly mean by that?!

[Anonymous]

I loved the class sponsored end of year parties. So much fun. And field day. Maybe some sort of end of year project or artwork to take home the last day. That's about it.

[Anonymous]

Academic feedback for me.
Field day for the kids that has activities for kids who are not athletic. I was but I had friends who weren’t and field was actually one of their worst days at school.
Class clean-up the second-to-last day. Good for the kids to learn they are stewards of their classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

NP. Guess what? Special needs kids learn this every day! Other kids insult them and leave them out. Other parents are awful. Teachers can be bullies. SN kids struggle in nearly every single thing they do and constantly compare themselves to other kids. It is lovely and appropriate to have a ceremony at the end of the year that recognizes a strength in every child.

People who swoop in with the typical "failure is good" they have no experience with children who fail every single day. They don't need to be left out one more time.

+a million

My son was special needs and got an award one year. The other years nothing. A lot of regular ed kids don't get awards. Our awards ceremony though is pretty inclusive. Lots of participation awards, volunteer awards, artistic awards etc. All this week are high school photos floating around of college bound kids signing to play in college. I think it's insane how much effort goes into those photo ops which aren't even school sponsored activities when they already got accolades in their high school sport. I am fine with the elementary awards ceremonies. It's often the only time academics is highlighted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academic feedback for me.
Field day for the kids that has activities for kids who are not athletic. I was but I had friends who weren’t and field was actually one of their worst days at school.
Class clean-up the second-to-last day. Good for the kids to learn they are stewards of their classroom.

I think they've fixed field day now to be pretty inclusive. It's all about team building and random stuff that isn't even all athletic.

[Anonymous]

Putting aside whether you give to all or a few, I don’t understand award ceremonies at all. What is the point?

In class party/field day. Maybe invite parents for something during drop off or pickup time that’s capable of being very short and can accommodate a range - nothing that needs a specific time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like more academic feedback. What reading level are they right now? What are the areas to work on? What are the strengths? There’s no feedback, no conferences, all is lost and then back to school with a new crew in August.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

NP. Guess what? Special needs kids learn this every day! Other kids insult them and leave them out. Other parents are awful. Teachers can be bullies. SN kids struggle in nearly every single thing they do and constantly compare themselves to other kids. It is lovely and appropriate to have a ceremony at the end of the year that recognizes a strength in every child.

People who swoop in with the typical "failure is good" they have no experience with children who fail every single day. They don't need to be left out one more time.

- billion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like more academic feedback. What reading level are they right now? What are the areas to work on? What are the strengths? There’s no feedback, no conferences, all is lost and then back to school with a new crew in August.

Oh absolutely this. I would love the option to received the detailed assessment reports (from whatever testing system is used), and hear strengths and weaknesses we can work on over the summer. My kid may be on grade level and doing great, but if she's a bit weak in one particular concept, I'd like to know that so she doesn't go into the next school year with the same issue.

Yes! More feedback. Not just to me, but also to my kid. End of year field day for kids.

No week of popular movies for the last week of school. Sure, if you absolutely need to show them something educational like a documentary one day. But many kids go home for summer and only watch screens. Let them do something fun or educational with their peers without screens for multiple days. Even board games would be better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do awards, please make sure everyone is recognized. It's hard for the kids with learning disabilities to be left out year after year, despite probably working harder than anyone.

No no no. Not everyone gets a trophy in life!

Kids need to learn early life isn't inclusive of everyone.

I’m sorry, life isn’t inclusive of everyone? What could you possibly mean by that?!

It means exactly what it says.

Some kids don’t get picked for the team.

Women have women only universities and work out clubs.

Not everyone gets to win in life.

Not everyone is included.

Life isn’t fair

Labels like “special needs” are constructs to to limit people to what they truly can achieve.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all.

I think the awards are terrible because who wants to sit for an HOUR and listen to all the names being called while the children just wiggle around? And it’s not personal.

End of the year conferences sound nice.

And movies are the worst. My colleagues showed movie after movie.

[Anonymous]

A full day. Bus service.