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

[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.

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.

You are not explaining why you think the award would be meaningless. The award isn’t meaningless just because you, random dcum mom, decided awards are only meaningful when they are presented at promotion ceremonies. Maybe that’s when you, in particular, feel the awards are meaningful. Others would find the “Friend of Golden Retrievers”-type awards meaningful. Your opinions and values are your own opinions and values. They’re neither factual nor universally accepted.

[Anonymous]

So sad that many of these responses from parents do not want any involvement in their child's school events!
They grow up fast, enjoy these moments.

[Anonymous]

Please don't do something with just one person eligible to attend "muffins with mom"

[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.

Agreed. I have older children now. My elementary school was always panicking about having enough parent volunteers for the end of year field day. My kids didn't care about it at all. I never had any kind of end of school event at my Bay Area public.

An end of year in-class goodbye event for the kids (could be a 15 minute reflection with a treat or snack), along with a short, tailored note to the parents about their kid's progress would be better.

Also I loathe the concept of pajama day. Please help kill off the idea that wearing sleep clothes outside the home is appropriate or fun. Make it movie day or cookie day or something else.

I did like our school's Muffins for Mom event for 1st graders only but mostly because of the handcrafted placemat and card made for the event. You could substitute cardmaking art projects for Mother's Day and Father's Day.

For extra social events, leverage your PTA. They should know better what works for the parent population. And the PTA events usually bring multiple grades together. At my school we managed a decent Trunk or Treat/Book Fair, Int'l Food and Fun Fest, and end of year Carnival. I liked all of these - just proving I'm not totally joyless. I was the games and prizes chairperson for the Carnival for 3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do we celebrate perfect attendance? 1/2 the kids in my child's class room come in sick because parents want the perfect attendance award. I'd rather celebrate parents who prioritize their kids mental and physical heath by keeping them home when needed.

Another who thinks perfect attendance should go right out the window. It's one of those Goodhart's Law disasters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Tie-dying is a disaster. Wastes a usable shirt, may damage clothes that are worn during the process, and the shirts are not safe to wash with other clothes for a long time.

The 60s are over. Jerry Garcia is dead. Tiedying should only be done at home by those who absolutely can't part with the craft.

My teen was a counselor at a zoo last year. I had to buy him a new set of khaki shorts per uniform regs. 1st day of counselor training, the counselors made tiedye shirts to wear at camp as a bonding activity. He came home with a tiedye splotch near the cuff that never came off. The tiedye he chose was dark green, and the shirt was brought home sopping in a ziploc for final processing.

One of the only times in my life I pulled the "not in my house card." Home made tie dye goes straight to the trash at my house.

[Anonymous]

Crafts and music. No food! Especially no junk.

[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.

Wow what a cruel take.