Anonymous wrote:I always got "funniest" or "class clown," while my best friend got "best writer," which is what I wanted to be. I would make a joke about it, of course. But it hurt.

I don't understand the benefit of choosing one kid to be the "best" at something that several kids in the class are probably very good at. And trying to find something different for each kid is just silly -- and almost certainly leads to categories that are only marginally positive.

Fashionista is not something I would want my 1st grader to be or to be proud of.

Awww - sad clown.

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I think there is a lot of shallow-ness in your DD's school =(

I'm the PP. If you're referring to my DD's school, I don't have that take. The teachers just care about what the kids have expressed as important to them. Fashion is creative and expressive. It's art! It's not as thought teacher ranked beauty, they just see her interest and respect it as something special. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a kid having a big interest in fashion, girl or boy. And this coming from a mom with very little interest in fashion.

Wow. I think there is a lot of shallow-ness in your DD's school =(

Maybe the teachers are just trying to reflect back to the kids that they are really listening to them and are hearing what's important to them. Our daughter's teacher does this about her interest in fashion and I think it's great. Her teacher last year picks up on what's important to kids and includes it in their birthday celebration. For our daughter, her teacher last year also mused that the world became a lot funnier and a lot blonder the day she was born. She loved it. She 's also in to top math and reading groups, and had a very close to perfect (all 9th stanine) ERB report. She cares, though, about being fun, and loves playing with her very blond long hair very dramatically while playing pretend games. Same thing with her red-haired close friend.

Yes, it's sexist. No, it has no place in school.

I really wish teachers would stop doing this stuff. Too many opportunities for bad judgment to prevail.

Anonymous wrote:

It gets worse than this. At my son's sixth grade graduation, they read prophecies. I was there to volunteer for the party. They read that my son was going to be a famous writer and then the teachers all laughed (because he has a hard time writing). I was livid, but didn't say anything. It really spoiled the party for me. I'm not sure how my son felt as I didn't bring it up later. I just wanted to forget that moment, but as you can see, I didn't.

PLEASE please please bring this up to the school principal. It's so over the top terrible. I am pissed at people I don't even know because of this post. Argh.

I like to presume the best, but the fact that two or three adults who had ample opportunity to question themselves and each other about whether this was appropriate didn't conclude that it wasn't, sends up a big bright red flare.

I always got "funniest" or "class clown," while my best friend got "best writer," which is what I wanted to be. I would make a joke about it, of course. But it hurt.

I don't understand the benefit of choosing one kid to be the "best" at something that several kids in the class are probably very good at. And trying to find something different for each kid is just silly -- and almost certainly leads to categories that are only marginally positive.

Fashionista is not something I would want my 1st grader to be or to be proud of.

My DD is in 2nd grade and is CRAZY about fashion. Her idea of fashion. She dresses herself, and looks CRAZY most of the time: polka dots plus cheeta print plus stripes plus tie dye made all the better by bedazzling. But she doesn't brush her hair (?). She draws fashion all day long when she's not reading or Mine Crafting.

If this crazy, sloppy-haired girl didn't win a Fashionista Award, if she lost to a primly dressed-by-her-mom kid, she'd wonder what the heck? Not sure if she'd be devastated, but definitely confused... Good thing they don't give out such a silly award at my DD's school.

Just "best mathematician" "reading award" "most improved" and so on, so that she can simply wonder if she's not smart enough. (sigh)

Anonymous wrote:

It gets worse than this. At my son's sixth grade graduation, they read prophecies. I was there to volunteer for the party. They read that my son was going to be a famous writer and then the teachers all laughed (because he has a hard time writing). I was livid, but didn't say anything. It really spoiled the party for me. I'm not sure how my son felt as I didn't bring it up later. I just wanted to forget that moment, but as you can see, I didn't.

Jeezus. Present them a sewing pin in a shadow box frame and tell them the won the prick award.

I would think, "Huh." And then I would throw it in the trash and forget about it.

It gets worse than this. At my son's sixth grade graduation, they read prophecies. I was there to volunteer for the party. They read that my son was going to be a famous writer and then the teachers all laughed (because he has a hard time writing). I was livid, but didn't say anything. It really spoiled the party for me. I'm not sure how my son felt as I didn't bring it up later. I just wanted to forget that moment, but as you can see, I didn't.

Really - elementary teachers do this? Where? Fwiw I never encountered anything like this in my 2 kids' elementary schools in MCPS over 7 years.

Honestly? I would dial back the emphasis I put on dressing my child for awhile.
Unless your daughter is going to school in 100% "her choice" creations that are really expressing imagination/creativity (thinking of a little boy who wore rainboots every day for an entire school year, or a little girl who wore mismatched purple outfits every day that only went together in her sweet little mind, examples like that)

I would be kind of irritated about it. I guess teacher ran out of better superlatives. I would also think I she must have found my kid particularly unmemorable or not outstanding in any way if that's the best she could come up with. Not saying that about your kid, it's just the impression such a throwaway non-category gives.

Anonymous wrote:I hate things like this. I got "guinea pig" award when I was in 1st or 2nd grade (I guess I volunteered a lot?). I had no clue what it meant, but thought it meant I was fat like a pig. I cried at night for weeks. I didn't tell anyone that I was upset or they would have explained what a guinea pig was.

This just breaks my heart. My son also thinks troubling things that bother him but I can't get him to tel me what they are. I suspect that a lot of times, if I can just get it out of him, I could help. I wish you could have mentioned to someone so they can explain.