Questioning the Value of Monthly Attendance Awards

[Math Is Hard]

This morning I saw a bumper sticker touting "My child won a Monthly Attendance Award at blah-blah elementary school." Do we really give scholastic accolades these days for just showing up for all the days in one month of school?

I know this is all rooted in the effort to boost a child's self-esteem, but is it going too far? Should we send the message that all you have to do to be an exemplary student is to show up for one month straight?

More importantly, should I notify my boss that I am due for special recognition for my perfect attendance at my job in March?

 

[LightbulbSun]

This morning I saw a bumper sticker touting "My child won a Monthly Attendance Award at blah-blah elementary school." Do we really give scholastic accolades these days for just showing up for all the days in one month of school?

I know this is all rooted in the effort to boost a child's self-esteem, but is it going too far? Should we send the message that all you have to do to be an exemplary student is to show up for one month straight?

More importantly, should I notify my boss that I am due for special recognition for my perfect attendance at my job in March?

They give out perfect attendance awards at the end of the year. It seems rather stupid. Shouldn't learning be the ultimate purpose?

 

[scorpa]

I think it is pretty ridiculous, sure recognize the kid for trying very hard and doing well but attendence awards seem pretty silly...almost as silly as those stupid bumper stickers.

 

[Cyrus]

I think schools should teach kids competition and not 'self-esteem' anything. You're worthless until you deomonstrate something good in competition. Welcome to the real world kid.

Everyone wins! yay! = Everyone loses,... their jobs to china, where there actually is competition.

 

[Adeimantus]

I used to get a perfect attendance ribbon nearly every semester in middle school. It did not work wonders for my popularity with the other kiddies. I would counsel against handing them out. Only OCD parents gain satisfaction from that kind of award.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Personally, I think that self-esteem building is over-emphasized. I don't have the specific studies to cite, but I seem to recall that self-esteem ratings are found to be quite high in bullies and prisoners.

 

[Cyrus]

I think kids should have competition. Sports, science, music, whatever the area. If you're not competing to be the best, there is no drive to be better. Because hey, were all special yayyy! Group hug!

 

[LightbulbSun]

I think kids should have competition. Sports, science, music, whatever the area. If you're not competing to be the best, there is no drive to be better. Because hey, were all special yayyy! Group hug!

Lets not keep score because some kid realized he really sucks and is too lazy to improve. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

 

[Cyrus]

Lets not keep score because some kid realized he really sucks and is too lazy to improve. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

YAYYYY GROUP HUG!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Heh, yes, what's some people call children with high self-esteem, I call spoiled brats. But then again, it was once acceptable, or at least legal, to beat the hell out of a kid as punishment [back when kids were seen and not heard, or else!] so maybe its just a pendulum seeking the center.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Heh, yes, what's some people call children with high self-esteem, I call spoiled brats. But then again, it was once acceptable, or at least legal, to beat the hell out of a kid as punishment [back when kids were seen and not heard, or else!] so maybe its just a pendulum seeking the center.

Too many extremes. People go too far with concepts.

 

[LightbulbSun]

YAYYYY GROUP HUG!

*Starts Kicking* I didn't get a trophy!

 

[Cyrus]

Sorry, we gave it to the kid in china.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Sorry, we gave it to the kid in china.

 

[usahockey]

Schools receive more funding based on their rates of attendance. Somebody on the school board probably worked out that they could distribute various prizes, one being said bumper sticker, to students for attendance, at some low cost that would generate more revenue. I remember at my high school one year they actually handed out Borders gift certificates to those with perfect attendance...

 

[Danger]

When I was in high-school, you were punished for not attending... detention, extra homework, etc.. The only excuses were illness, family crisis such as a funeral, or weather.
Public school was a bit different. When I was out with measles, mumps, chicken pox, or whatnot, a classmate would bring each day's lessons to me after school and I would have to complete them for return the next day. That wasn't possible if I was simply snowed in, of course, but I sure had to do the catch-up work once the thaw came.
On the face of it, this 'perfect attendance' reward seems to punish kids who get sick once in a while through no fault of their own.

 

[LightbulbSun]

When I was in high-school, you were punished for not attending... detention, extra homework, etc.. The only excuses were illness, family crisis such as a funeral, or weather.
Public school was a bit different. When I was out with measles, mumps, chicken pox, or whatnot, a classmate would bring each day's lessons to me after school and I would have to complete them for return the next day. That wasn't possible if I was simply snowed in, of course, but I sure had to do the catch-up work once the thaw came.
On the face of it, this 'perfect attendance' reward seems to punish kids who get sick once in a while through no fault of their own.

The more and more I hear about stories of how school was 50-60 years ago, the more it sounds like a detention camp rather than school. Seriously, if you're sick you should be sleeping. Not doing homework that day cause the nuns had a hard on whipping small boys.