Is anyone else ambivalent about "Most Improved" awards?

[dogluva]

I agree, it's kind of like saying "hey, you used to really suck but now you're doing okay...."

I don't think of it like this at all. I think it is given to a student who worked hard to improve. My daughter got it and she did not "suck". Rude.

 

[minkydog]

My oldest son got Most Improved in basketball when he was in 3rd or 4th grade. Not a surprise at all. We had worked with him all season just catching the ball when we passed it. As the coach told me privately, he had nowhere to go but up.

Don't let it get you down. I'm sure your daughter was happy to get the award and I wouldn't want to rain on her parade. I'm glad someone noticed how hard she's trying.

 

[debster812]

DS came out of residential pre-season soccer camp being named the Most Improved/MVP of his team. He was placed on this team provisionally in the Fall, was granted his permanent position right around Christmas-Time, and is now working his way into the starting line-up.

His coach has told us on several occasions that he's not the fastest, biggest, strongest, or most talented kid on the field, but he gives 100% all the time, and is developing great soccer instincts which are harder to teach than skills.

DS was OVER the moon with the award from camp, and it has really helped with his confidence on the field as they head into the main part of their schedule.

For us, it was a good thing, and DS took it in the manner it was intended, to reward his hard work and effort, not to point out he started out at a lower level than his teammates.

 

[MushyMushy]

I don't think of it like this at all. I think it is given to a student who worked hard to improve. My daughter got it and she did not "suck". Rude.

Exactly.

Some kids just seem to wake up one day and want to get better and improve themselves. For some, it might not even be a matter of choosing to do better, but everything all of a sudden starts to click for them.

Why not award them for that?

 

[Liberty Belle]

I agree, it's kind of like saying "hey, you used to really suck but now you're doing okay...."

Yep. Why not figure out another appropriate award to give out? Like saying "I love your new hair cut. It's gorgeous!" vs. "I love your hair cut. It looks so much better."

 

[LuvLDM]

I don't think of it like this at all. I think it is given to a student who worked hard to improve. My daughter got it and she did not "suck". Rude.

Oh get over yourself, I wasn't talking about your daughter.

 

[hereyago]

I handed out Most Improved Student once and had the student cry - I was the first adult who'd noticed she was suddenly making an effort and the first one to make a big, huge fuss about it and about her. She was about 5 months pregnant and had been flunking out when she suddenly woke up one morning and did a 180, all on her own. She went from straight F's to the honor roll and kept it up. Her goal was to change the future of her child. I have no idea what eventually happened to her, but I won't forget her crying when I put her name up as the "Most Improved Student" of the entire year (along with A honor roll). Of course, I'm sure part of it was hormones. But still.

I think a Most Improved award can be given out in the right way or the wrong way. It's not a consolation prize if it's an acknowledgement of a very serious change in a student's life for the better.

ITA with this being the right way for the award. It can show that student and other students who may not be doing so well that it can be done. DD is in middle school now and they don't do it. They also don't do the "everyone gets a good citizenship unless they are really bad award".

They only do A and A/B, B honor roll. No most improved, no good citizenship except they do have 1 person out of each class that has shown above and beyond citizenship.
The principal is excellent as are the teachers. The principal will tell the kids who didn' get any type of honor roll it's not to late to bring up their grades, for the ones who have B and A/B honor roll, he tells them they have the capacity to reach higher, he tells the A honor roll to keep the momentum up.

 

[Magpie]

Well, I'm feeling a bit more confident about this today!

My daughter's homeroom teacher just told me that several teachers had noticed an improvement in her "efforts and achievements" and that's why she's getting the award.

So I've got my fingers crossed that for once I won't see "... is encouraged to complete her work to the best of her abilities and be sure to submit all work on time" in her report card. Oh, and my other favorite, "... would benefit from using her agenda more regularly." Agenda? What eez this Ah-genda, of which you speak?

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback.

 

[Tiger926]

Well, I'm feeling a bit more confident about this today!

My daughter's homeroom teacher just told me that several teachers had noticed an improvement in her "efforts and achievements" and that's why she's getting the award.

So I've got my fingers crossed that for once I won't see "... is encouraged to complete her work to the best of her abilities and be sure to submit all work on time" in her report card. Oh, and my other favorite, "... would benefit from using her agenda more regularly." Agenda? What eez this Ah-genda, of which you speak?

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback.

Exactly what I said! Us teachers do know what we are talking about.

Glad you are feeling better about it. Congrats to your DD! Tiger

 

[Magpie]

Exactly what I said! Us teachers do know what we are talking about.

Glad you are feeling better about it. Congrats to your DD! Tiger

Yes, thank you! I found your post particularly reassuring.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Just had my DD's 8th grade awards ceremony and I still have such a bitter taste in my mouth. My DD got an award for her achievements in Art. That was great and well deserved.

A former basketball "teammate" got an award for Student of the Year for her 8th grade acedemic team. I wanted to toss cookies. When they read this girls achievments and how "helpful" she was and what a "team player" she was I was just so annoyed. This girl doesn't know what being a team player is. When she was on my DD's high level basketball team, she'd tell her teammates to "eff off" and was just plain nasty. She then showed up to a tournament in another team's uniform! HUH? Team player? Which team? (and to boot, she played for our team the next day. Girls were very upset!)

I agree totally with the awards for kids who have shown marked improvement in their grades at school. Or who have shown great interest and improvement in art, band, chorus, etc. But, the award for Team X Student of the Year awards was just too hard to swallow this time.

And no, I was not looking for my DD to receive this award in anyway shape or form, so I'm not bitter about that. I just think a bit more thought and attention needs to be made before those awards are handed out.

 

[Magpie]

Just had my DD's 8th grade awards ceremony and I still have such a bitter taste in my mouth. My DD got an award for her achievements in Art. That was great and well deserved.

A former basketball "teammate" got an award for Student of the Year for her 8th grade acedemic team. I wanted to toss cookies. When they read this girls achievments and how "helpful" she was and what a "team player" she was I was just so annoyed. This girl doesn't know what being a team player is. When she was on my DD's high level basketball team, she'd tell her teammates to "eff off" and was just plain nasty. She then showed up to a tournament in another team's uniform! HUH? Team player? Which team? (and to boot, she played for our team the next day. Girls were very upset!)

I agree totally with the awards for kids who have shown marked improvement in their grades at school. Or who have shown great interest and improvement in art, band, chorus, etc. But, the award for Team X Student of the Year awards was just too hard to swallow this time.

And no, I was not looking for my DD to receive this award in anyway shape or form, so I'm not bitter about that. I just think a bit more thought and attention needs to be made before those awards are handed out.

Isn't it possible this girl has changed this year? Or maybe she's shown a different side to herself in the Academic team, as opposed to the side of herself she showed in the basketball team (last year?)?

Kids do change, and it sounds like this girl had LOTS of room for improvement.

 

[bdoyledimou]

I always thought the "most improved" award was a thinly disguised "teachers favorite, but can't really say that" award.

 

[Tiger926]

I always thought the "most improved" award was a thinly disguised "teachers favorite, but can't really say that" award.

No, not at all. At my school, our Student of the Year is usually a student liked by most teachers, and he/she is awarded for academics, behaviour, work habits and attendance.

At my school, Most Improved is what we have been discussing - student growth in one area, or overall. I write out the award category descriptions, and post them around school, so students, parents and staff know exactly what each award entails.

Tiger

 

[dogluva]

Oh get over yourself, I wasn't talking about your daughter.

obviously. But still rude.