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

[Anonymous]

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.

Giving everyone an award is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

My DD's school is doing an ABC countdown and each day corresponds to a letter until the end of the year. Today was "J" and the class made their own joke book with each kid contributing a page with a joke and picture (all done at school) and they each got a copy of the completed book. It's really cute. Other things they did was "b" for bubbles at recess, "d" for dance party. My DD looks forward to it and there is nothing I need to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are some ideas.

At the beginning of the year - convey to students and parents what achievements will be celebrated and awarded and what the kid can do to win these awards. Don't spring prizes on other kids without telling parent and students that there are categories that will be rewarded. Yes, not every kid can get the top prize in academics so school must create categories that other kids can also in. Categories can be -
- Perfect attendance.
- Punctuality
- Top 5% for excellent class room conduct. (give examples)
- Most helpful. (give examples)
- Kindest in the class (give examples)
- Most Civic- minded. (give examples)
- Best idea for school improvement (give examples)
- Making a difference in the community. (give examples)
- Lunch team
- Patrol
- Cleaning and recycling team

Finally, do a day of in-school full day cultural art assembly with eternal vendors producing the shows. Or shoe the kids a fun and inspirational movie.

Or ask the kids to clean their desks and chairs. My teacher used shaving foam to cover the tops of the desks and students had to scrub it clean. so much fun. =

Or have a field day with fun games for all kids and early release.

Or call the parents one evening to give them an understanding of resources during summer, report card, and ho their kids did in the school - and have an exhibition of their kids paintings in their class rooms. Parents can then buy the paintings for small amount, so they can fundraise for end of school treats or prizes for the kids.

Tell me you have a neurotypical daughter without telling me you have a neurotypical daughter.

I agree award categories and criteria should ideally be communicated ahead of time. But I think your suggested value categories exclude a lot of students who aren’t, quite frankly, neurotypical white girls.
-neurotypical white mom who definitely didn’t need an award for being punctual or sitting quietly and nicely

[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.

Giving everyone an award is ridiculous.

Can you explain why? You can’t find a positive thing to say about each child? Every person has gifts and strengths in some area. It harms no one to give each student an accolade or compliment on something they’ve done well that year.

[Anonymous]

If you need to do awards in elementary school, they work best when they are not awards but celebrations of each kid letting them know they have been seen. So not “best in math” but “Friend of Golden Retrievers” for the kid who won’t stop talking about their dog or “Basketball Fanatic” for the kid who just wants to play basketball at recess.

[Anonymous]

Giving everyone an award is ridiculous[=quote]

No, it's not. My daughter got a "Most Improved Reader" certificate. She has struggled this year (and last) and we finally just got an adhd diagnosis and she is dyslexic (I can't remember the term they use, as they don't really use the term dyslexia). The certificate made her happy. She has been working as hard or harder than the other students just to barely get by in 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

I'd just be happy if teachers actually graded things and not at the end of the semester. It makes it impossible to track how your kid is doing when it shows your kid is failing but they did the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you need to do awards in elementary school, they work best when they are not awards but celebrations of each kid letting them know they have been seen. So not “best in math” but “Friend of Golden Retrievers” for the kid who won’t stop talking about their dog or “Basketball Fanatic” for the kid who just wants to play basketball at recess.

Exactly this.

[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.

Giving everyone an award is ridiculous.

+1. Tough but true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you need to do awards in elementary school, they work best when they are not awards but celebrations of each kid letting them know they have been seen. So not “best in math” but “Friend of Golden Retrievers” for the kid who won’t stop talking about their dog or “Basketball Fanatic” for the kid who just wants to play basketball at recess.

Exactly this.

These are by far the best awards!

[Anonymous]

The best was in K:
DC had one of those above and beyond teachers. She created a scrapbook of each kid’s drawings and writings and photos of them, had a red carpet and mini award thing (everyone got 1 recognition for something) and there was a short play and then party. Amazing.

[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.

Giving everyone an award is ridiculous.

Can you explain why? You can’t find a positive thing to say about each child? Every person has gifts and strengths in some area. It harms no one to give each student an accolade or compliment on something they’ve done well that year.

It makes the awards meaningless if you know the teacher had to create one for everyone. Just don’t bother giving any. Our school gives out meaningless awards like this except at the promotion ceremonies (5th, 8th, and 12th) where the true awards are given.

[Anonymous]

What do I want? An honest assessment of how my children are doing in school, compared to their peers, compared to the gold standard child at their age. Recommendations for what we should get tutors for over the summer.

[Anonymous]

As you can see from this thread, can’t please em all,OP, so you got to please yourself.

[Anonymous]

Our K team tradition is always tie tying tshirts. Bless those K teachers…I cannot imagine the mess that must cause. 1st grade always does paper plate awards in class and a slideshow of pictures without parents. I teach middle school and we do a whole 8th grade awards assembly with parents that is long and I think unnecessary.

Do whatever as a teacher that will not involve a ton of stress and show on your part but will make kids smile getting off the bus. Simple is sometimes better. And I definitely do not need to be invited to the celebration.