Poof! Gone is our Middle School Honor Roll

[hereyago]

When DD11 was in elementary school, they did have assemblies for a,b and AB honor roll. also citizenship, which unless the kid was really bad ,everyone would recieve.

This year she started in middle school. They have the same honor roll assemblies, but gone without everyone getting good citizenship. The principal gave a speech to the kids who didn't receive an award about they can strive harder next time and to the parents to work with their kids in seeing homework is done and to talk with teachers if they see the kid is doing poorly-we have a program that we can see how our kid is doing with grades and even what assignments they have. So to say you don't know how your kid is doing is not an excuse.

For the kids who recieved awards, the principal told them to strive for the next level of honor roll.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Does your child by chance go to Harrison Bergeron Middle School???

OP here!

Oh, that is great and unfortunately I feel we are heading there. I think that story catches the spirit of what many of us on this thread are feeling.

Thanks all the responses, it has been very interesting reading the reactions and comments, both pro and con.

 

[Stacerita]

That would irk me.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Sounds like you think that DNA testing should be done on the students and the ones that have smart genes should be punished? Or maybe given a educational handicap, in the sense of handicapping horses or golfers...

I guess I'm not sure what your point here is.

agnes!

I'm not either.

Interesting thread, though.

 

[Ceila]

I'm kind of tired of the "everyone wins!" mentality, too. Our elementary school decided it's unfair to judge a science fair. ?? So you can enter a big project or a collection. Last year a pencil collection won.

I'm confused...you said that the school decided it wasn't fair to judge to fair, yet they still judged the fair? That doesn't make sense to me.

I'm not big on the idea of judging a science fair, either. Our school has never had a judged fair, but the kids still have a blast creating their projects and they learn a great deal. Oh, but I really don't get allowing collections in a science fair at all.

 

[cheermom1]

I'm confused...you said that the school decided it wasn't fair to judge to fair, yet they still judged the fair? That doesn't make sense to me.

I'm not big on the idea of judging a science fair, either. Our school has never had a judged fair, but the kids still have a blast creating their projects and they learn a great deal. Oh, but I really don't get allowing collections in a science fair at all.

No I think she said that they pulled the name out of a hat???

 

[declansdad]

No one cares if an athlete doesn't have to try to play well.

You lost me.

 

[declansdad]

Sounds like you think that DNA testing should be done on the students and the ones that have smart genes should be punished? Or maybe given a educational handicap, in the sense of handicapping horses or golfers...

I guess I'm not sure what your point here is.

agnes!

People are arguing that we need to celebrate the achievement of all the students who score these high marks yet some of them do not have to do anything to score those marks. In that case, what exactly are you acknowledging them for, hard work or the luck of the draw?

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I haven't read any comments past the first page, but I wanted to share my brother's story.

He was in special needs classes because of a learning disability. He had an IEP and struggled every single day of school. EVERY day. He and my parents would sit at the kitchen table and study and they would fight and he would cry and then my mom would cry.

He hated school with a passion because he didn't understand and he got picked on.

There is no way that the person who wound up with a 4.2 GPA worked anywhere near as hard as he did.

No, life isn't fair and yes we need to understand that.

But I completely understand the desire to let the kid with a C- or even D average feel like he or she has accomplished something. Hard work should be rewarded. Getting an A in school isn't necessarily the result of hard work.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

People are arguing that we need to celebrate the achievement of all the students who score these high marks yet some of them do not have to do anything to score those marks. In that case, what exactly are you acknowledging them for, hard work or the luck of the draw?

I guess I don't see the point here. Why take a celebration away from a brilliant student simply because he or she has a genetic advantage? Sure, it's an "unfair" advantage, but nothing in life is fair. Not all athletes have to try very hard either; some have to spend hours practicing and improving, some are just genetically gifted. I don't see how one is any different from the other.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Always knowing that 2+2=4 is great.

Finally seeing the lightbulb and understanding WHY 2+2=4 is amazing.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I guess I don't see the point here. Why take a celebration away from a brilliant student simply because he or she has a genetic advantage? Sure, it's an "unfair" advantage, but nothing in life is fair. Not all athletes have to try very hard either; some have to spend hours practicing and improving, some are just genetically gifted. I don't see how one is any different from the other.

Because what did they have to DO to be brilliant? There would be hell to pay if the school decided to one day give a celebration to only those students whose names started with the letter M.

Mary, you get a celebration. You didn't have to work for it. We're just giving it to you.

Oh, sorry Tommy. You're not good enough.

 

[declansdad]

I guess I don't see the point here. Why take a celebration away from a brilliant student simply because he or she has a genetic advantage? Sure, it's an "unfair" advantage, but nothing in life is fair. Not all athletes have to try very hard either; some have to spend hours practicing and improving, some are just genetically gifted. I don't see how one is any different from the other.

The point is that you find ways to acknowledge people who deserve it. It isn't only the smartest or the most athletic that should be celebrated. You don't need to celebrate everyone but we need to be realistic.

In schools, there are many students who work very hard yet will never score marks in the 90s or maybe even 80s. Many of these students will work just as hard or harder than the honour students. In my opinion, they should be celebrated as well.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Because what did they have to DO to be brilliant? There would be hell to pay if the school decided to one day give a celebration to only those students whose names started with the letter M.

Mary, you get a celebration. You didn't have to work for it. We're just giving it to you.

Oh, sorry Tommy. You're not good enough.

What do some athletes have to DO to be great athletes?

Some work very, very hard. Some are naturally talented.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

But not everyone has to be an athlete. Everyone has to go to school.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

The point is that you find ways to acknowledge people who deserve it. It isn't only the smartest or the most athletic that should be celebrated. You don't need to celebrate everyone but we need to be realistic.

In schools, there are many students who work very hard yet will never score marks in the 90s or maybe even 80s. Many of these students will work just as hard or harder than the honour students. In my opinion, they should be celebrated as well.

I absolutely agree with you. I apologize if my previous post conveyed otherwise. But I do not feel that things like "Honor Roll" should be watered down so nobody's feelings are hurt.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

But not everyone has to be an athlete. Everyone has to go to school.

And not everyone has to be on honor roll.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

No, not everyone has to be on the honor roll. But why does the honor roll only have to be about grades? Why can't it be about hard work?

It's not always as simple as "work harder and you can be this amazing too".

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

No, not everyone has to be on the honor roll. But why does the honor roll only have to be about grades? Why can't it be about hard work?

It's not always as simple as "work harder and you can be this amazing too".

I agree. I just think it would be pretty difficult to measure hard work.

ETA: I do remember my elementary and middle schools giving awards for "Most Academic Improvement." If that's what you mean by rewarding hard work, then yes, I think that's a very good idea.

 

[cheermom1]

You are not going to please everyone and a line has to be drawn somewhere! I think the line should be drawn and people need to make that their goal to get to that line ...sure there are always going to be someone that works harder than others, there always will be no matter what! Frankly I think it is up to the teachers to let the ones that work very hard to let the kids know how hard they have worked ...how about this when I was in choir I worked my little tushie off b/c I did NOT have the best voice and I knew it!! the teacher knew how hard I worked and on the night we were to get awards only a few got them however I got recognized as working the hardest..sometimes all it takes is for the teacher to say it in front of the others and not give an award..trust me that went a long way with me ...did I get a trophy or an award NO, I just got the great job you are working very hard and keep it up...

My point is that the ones that got the line they were supposed to get to got their award and I didn't but I got the job well done. I promise you that meant more to me than an award...