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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I could go on...
http://discuss.peopleforeducation.ca/forum/topics/awards-ceremonies-in-schools

But I'll stop.  Anyway, there are other ways to get to "awards" that aren't the same-old "Best Mathematician" or "Best Reader" or "Most Helpful" or "Best Citizen" bla bla bla.[/quote]

None of these websites have research supporting your specific argument. It's just a bunch of people who share your specific point of view agreeing that the research supports them.  In fact, they're taking it a step farther, saying that awards are bad, grades are bad, sports trophies are bad, etc., etc.  This is a point of view that would like to reorganize society, and I don't even necessarily disagree, I just think it's not realistic, and a waste of your energy.  You're not even making an argument, you're saying "Awards are bad!  Research supports this!"  WHY are the awards bad?  What are they teaching the kids that is so bad?  And if they are sending a bad message to the kids, why aren't you able to counter-act that?  YOU can instill a love of learning in your kids, YOU can take charge of your kids' education.  Why are some ethnic groups associated with academic excellence?  Do you think those parents are sitting around whining about the school awards ceremony and its catastrophic effect on their kids' educations?

So I get your point that awards are not necessarily positive, but my point it that 1. It doesn't matter, and 2. What you can teach your kids by your reaction to the award is more valuable than the award itself.  This is an opportunity to teach your kids the values you would like them to have, whether you would like them to work harder at school, to appreciate other people's accomplishments, or to recognize that awards/being the best are not that important.  The OP has an opportunity to tell her child that awards aren't about smarts, and that hard work is what's most important to be successful at school and in life.  I don't see why that's a bad thing.[/quote]

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