Bragging Rights

I think awards ceremonies at school are weird.  I can't tell you why but it is just weird.  Maybe because some of the awards are a little sketchy.  Like perfect attendance, they should just call it, "You Send Your Kid To School Sick" award.  Because the year Patrick won it, that's what I should have gotten an award for, convincing my sick kid that a little hot chocolate could cure anything.   And why am I always in the dark about the 3 (reading, math, and writing) grade level awards.  Should I know that my kid didn't meet one or any of these BEFORE the awards are handed out?  Does everyone else know and I'm just missing the memo every semester?

Kevin is reading a book called Not Everyone Gets A Trophy about Generation Y, not my kids generation or my generation but still a relevant concept.  Almost every kid in the room got some kind of certificate or ribbon or whatever.  That's cool but there are some top kids (not necessarily mine) that work their little butts off and deserve big trophies.  Super smarties who not only show up to school but work really really hard, and they get lumped in with everyone else.  Also, they get grades and no one talks about the kids with straight A's (still not necessarily my kid).  And that's what's weird about our academic awards.  The majority of the kids are performing at grade level, so the majority of the kids get an award (the same award).  It is kind of a mediocrity award if you think about it.  You are proficient!  Here's your certificate, I can't think of any other reason you should try harder because that's good enough!  Good luck, that certificate should get you into the college of your choice.

Yep.  That's it.  You helped me figure it out.  Maybe it is just in the primary grades and things will shift next year but we are perpetuating this culture of cheering on every effort, even when we should be pushing our kids to do better.  I'm nuts.... I know it.  This is a post about Patrick and I am ranting about the school.  But if you think about how competitive college entrance and employment are and will be in 10 years you will be a little nuts too.  Patrick wants to go to Hillman or CSU Monterey Bay.  I told him that he should go to the imaginary school and I would write an imaginary tuition check.  WINNER.

HERE I COME HARVARD!  I GOT MY CERTIFICATES!

So he got some awards.  Yay!  He really does work extra hard in Math so DOUBLE YAY.  Notice the writing award is missing.  Turns out he's too creative for the district writing standards.  He free writes, goes off-topic, and makes jokes...... hmmmm..... no comment. 

He set a big reading goal for the first semester: 200 Accelerated Reader points.  He met it and exceeded it (3rd grade students need 20 points for an award).  He got pizza (top 4 third grade readers), donuts (25 points?), and tomorrow lunch at Carl's Jr. with the principal (top 2 primary and top 2 upper grade readers).  As much as I disliked (and continue to dislike) AR this is an area that he really loves and the rewards aren't even just the junk food.  His new reading level jumped up a full grade level (and a half?  I can't remember, I'm horrible with numbers) to just above a seventh grade level.  This is a direct result of the time he invests in reading (in the car, late at night, in the bathroom, at the table, every waking moment).



My friend (who is also a teacher at my kids' fantastic school) posted this on Pinterest and it is so true.   He's absorbed in a new series and already has almost 50 points for the second semester goal.  He's really a great kid, I love his heart and his mind.


 I am going for the Vacuum Master Award this semester, I'll let you know how it goes.