A trillion years ago when I was in 6th grade, I remember attending an assembly for 6th grade awards. This isn’t new and should not be underplayed to save feelings. It’s life. Not everyone gets awards and that’s okay. Kids’ achievements should be recognized. They didn’t know they were going to get an award for doing good in ‘whatever’; hopefully it gives them a boost to keep it up in MS and HS.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s fine to give awards for a few kids, it’s not okay in elementary to give out an award that 75% of the kids get. It’s elementary school.

This. If you want to give an award to 10%, fine. Most kids won't receive it and nothing will mark those who don't as dumb or stupid. Once you cross a threshold, it becomes less about recognizing kids who did well and more about pointing out those who didn't. If three quarters of kids get an award, then the award is pretty meaningless unless you're part of the 25% who didn't even hit that mark.

I agree with this. The awards as they stand are meaningless because most get them. But I also don't think those that don't receive them should ascribe that much meaning to them.

It may very well be meaningful to the students and families of the kids who struggle and/or have learning disabilities, that at the end of the year, they are being recognized with an award.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine to give awards for a few kids, it’s not okay in elementary to give out an award that 75% of the kids get. It’s elementary school.

This. If you want to give an award to 10%, fine. Most kids won't receive it and nothing will mark those who don't as dumb or stupid. Once you cross a threshold, it becomes less about recognizing kids who did well and more about pointing out those who didn't. If three quarters of kids get an award, then the award is pretty meaningless unless you're part of the 25% who didn't even hit that mark.

I agree with this. The awards as they stand are meaningless because most get them. But I also don't think those that don't receive them should ascribe that much meaning to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine to give awards for a few kids, it’s not okay in elementary to give out an award that 75% of the kids get. It’s elementary school.

This. If you want to give an award to 10%, fine. Most kids won't receive it and nothing will mark those who don't as dumb or stupid. Once you cross a threshold, it becomes less about recognizing kids who did well and more about pointing out those who didn't. If three quarters of kids get an award, then the award is pretty meaningless unless you're part of the 25% who didn't even hit that mark.

I agree. It's obnoxious. We are at an AAP Center School, where 4/6 of the grade is AAP. My oldest's 6th grade promotion (which was held via Zoom during COVID) was really just a celebration of the kids in AAP and the patrols. At a school that many of these kids attend for 7 years, it should be inclusive of everyone and not just a celebration of 2/3 of the class. As noted above, if you want to give a few awards out, great. Or if you want to recognize each kid for their accomplishments, that also would be great. But what they did was really disappointing. Not sure my 6th grader is even going to go to hers.

Anonymous wrote:It’s fine to give awards for a few kids, it’s not okay in elementary to give out an award that 75% of the kids get. It’s elementary school.

This. If you want to give an award to 10%, fine. Most kids won't receive it and nothing will mark those who don't as dumb or stupid. Once you cross a threshold, it becomes less about recognizing kids who did well and more about pointing out those who didn't. If three quarters of kids get an award, then the award is pretty meaningless unless you're part of the 25% who didn't even hit that mark.

Isn’t real life based on who performs well, who exercises self control, who exhibits emotional intelligence, etc.? There are very few accommodations in the workplace for people that are disruptive and don’t play well with others. And, yeah, I still believe hard work pays off and that people with talent in a particular area are doubly blessed. The sooner kids learn this the better.

It’s fine to give awards for a few kids, it’s not okay in elementary to give out an award that 75% of the kids get. It’s elementary school.

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Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of these. Can you link?

How awful to award kids who test well.

Academic awards are given all the time, it’s nothing new. It’s being Valedictorian essentially an award? Several schools also give awards for art, music, etc.

Yes, and they need to give the awards/trophies to EVERYONE or they need to stop. We don't need kids of higher abilities thinking that they are better than others in any domain, be it sports or academics.

So society should get rid of any recognition? Academy Awards, Stanley Cups, Spelling Bee winners?

Let's get rid of the Grand Slam tournaments, the Superbowl, the Nobel Peace prize, the Pullitzer...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of these. Can you link?

How awful to award kids who test well.

Academic awards are given all the time, it’s nothing new. It’s being Valedictorian essentially an award? Several schools also give awards for art, music, etc.

Yes, and they need to give the awards/trophies to EVERYONE or they need to stop. We don't need kids of higher abilities thinking that they are better than others in any domain, be it sports or academics.

So society should get rid of any recognition? Academy Awards, Stanley Cups, Spelling Bee winners?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of these. Can you link?

How awful to award kids who test well.

Academic awards are given all the time, it’s nothing new. It’s being Valedictorian essentially an award? Several schools also give awards for art, music, etc.

Yes, and they need to give the awards/trophies to EVERYONE or they need to stop. We don't need kids of higher abilities thinking that they are better than others in any domain, be it sports or academics.

In your opinion….what good are we doing if kids believe that everyone is equal in academics, sports, music, and social capabilities?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of these. Can you link?

How awful to award kids who test well.

Academic awards are given all the time, it’s nothing new. It’s being Valedictorian essentially an award? Several schools also give awards for art, music, etc.

Yes, and they need to give the awards/trophies to EVERYONE or they need to stop. We don't need kids of higher abilities thinking that they are better than others in any domain, be it sports or academics.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Can someone with recent experience tell me what the criteria is for receiving the Gold and Silver award at Elementary School promotion ceremonies?

6th grade teacher here. The school-based SIS Admin runs these reports for us. It’s based on SOL scores and percentage of 4s on progress reports.

So would it be based on 5th grade SOLs or 6th Grade SOLs?

They don’t count 6th grade SOLs. I think it’s only 4th and 5th.

What if you're a new kid and weren't in FCPS for the 5th or 6th grade SOLs?

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Anonymous wrote:My kid has sever LD too so I was surprised when she got the gold award. I was told it was based on having all 3/4s on report card for entire elementary school.

Do schools have different criteria?

I guess the 2 in music means my kid didn't have a successful elementary school

My spouse teaches 6th. The criteria is 75% 3s or 4s in academic subjects in grades 3-6. Then there is a % of 3s or 4s in Citizenship in grades 3-6. You need at least one Pass Advanced in a Reading or Math SOL in 5th grade.

This is for the Presidential Excellence Academic Award.

School did not have any gold/silver awards, never heard of them. There was only one Presidential Excellence Academic Award per class

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Anonymous wrote:Kids with Dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit issues will have a more challenging time to receive any such award. This smashes self-esteem even more.

My kid with most of those got a gold award.

I had all of those as a kid and I can promise you I would not have gotten any of those. But I had classmates without learning issues who would not have received them. I don’t remember academic awards at my promotion ceremony, I do remember crying at the end of pretty much every spelling bee because I sucked so badly at spelling and hating being stupid.

I went on to earn a PhD but I still remember feeling oh so incredibly stupid….

I can see both sides of this. I would send the awards home and nt make a big deal of it at school. It is ES, kids are not going to be putting these awards on anything in the future. Let the parents make a big deal out of it at home.

Anonymous wrote:Kids with Dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit issues will have a more challenging time to receive any such award. This smashes self-esteem even more.

My kid with most of those got a gold award.