Honor Roll? Should We Care?
A Florida mom was really upset when she received notice from her son's middle school when he was named to the school's honor roll.
Why?
Because he received a C and a D and she didn't believe he deserved it.
From Gawker:
"The bottom line is there is nothing honorable about making a D," the Pasco County, Florida mom told a local news station. "I was not happy, because how can I get my child to study for a test when he thinks he's done enough."
Why?
Because he received a C and a D and she didn't believe he deserved it.
From Gawker:
"The bottom line is there is nothing honorable about making a D," the Pasco County, Florida mom told a local news station. "I was not happy, because how can I get my child to study for a test when he thinks he's done enough."
In addition
to the D, Douglas also got three A's and a C, giving him a GPA of 3.16 —
more than enough to be counted among the school's best and brightest.
But thanks
to his mom, the Pasco County schools superintendent has announced that
the honor roll policy will be changed to allow only students with all
A's or A's and B's to be considered for inclusion.
"It makes my job at home so difficult," Tillack said of the current policy.
What does your school do (or not)? When my older son was at Eckstein, no honor roll because "it hurts the other kids' feelings." It made a comeback when my younger son was there.
I don't think they did it at either high school they attended (but there was the Honor Society).
I think in some ways having an honor roll DOES matter because (1) school is about academics and (2) we celebrate other achievements at out schools, why not academics as well?
Thoughts?
Comments
Does a school have the right to release this infromation on every student? Doesn't this require parental authorization?
But good question on whether parents should be asked if they want this posted. It's unclear for the story if the parent just got a notice or it was up at the school.
-sleeper
It's probably relevant that I'm not a fan of report cards. I think labeling a child as an A student or a C student cheapens the educational experience. I want my children to be excited about learning. I don't want their motivation to be getting enough points on an assignment to maintain a particular grade in the class.
I want the report card to tell me if my child has mastered the material covered in a class. I want to know if he was helpful and kind to his classmates, and actively participated in discussions. Those are the signs of a successful school experience (for both student and teacher.)
Though times are a bit different now because people seem very cautious about the idea of a school releasing any information about a student.
A research project that she did introduced her to many studies about how subjective grading is not just around gender & race but also class, affect, disabilities and even the color of your pen. That just made her more disillusioned.
She does find grades demotivating. The assumption that she is a performing monkey who must be bribed instead of a motivated learner, makes her feel that the system is very disrespectful of students & is not really about learning.
I'm with Lynn on this one.
-HS Parent
Out of all the ways student data is misused, honor roll is for me the least worrying. Sure, families should have the chance to opt out before they're posted. Maybe they could post the names of those students who are willing to be named, and add how many anonymous students there are?
I do like to see academic success honored.
My high school posted honor roll along with the GPA next to each student's name. Students posted were generally proud of the achievement.
Children can choose not to participate in music, theatre and sports. Students do not have the ability to opt out of receiving grades, and if they're a hard-working C student, they don't have the ability to keep the school from announcing to everyone that they are not an A student.
I'm saying the whole honor roll thing is harmful to the children on the list and to the children who aren't on the list.
I think that is sweet that your partner is motivating your 3rd grader with his honor roll status. I am very sure it helps her to know that trying hard in school and applying herself to the tasks is going to be something that her dad will be proud of.
NEMom
-conflicted
-DuckQuack
Seriously Philippians disaster, what about all the suffering in the world too. Why are you even here reading the blog when you should be doing something for them.
Of course we should allow for an honor roll, only make it demanding academically. The kids that have worked hard should be acknowledged for their efforts, just like in th real world. I wonder how many kids in an average size school make it?
Maybe we should extrapolate that to adult life. Government leaders should be forced to remain anonymous. Sports stars should remain anonymous. Artists should not be allowed to sign their work. Authors shouldn't have their names on the covers of their books. Heaven forbid that we hurt people's feelings by recognizing others for superior performance.
The primary purpose of school is academics, and recognizing and rewarding academic achievement is excellent feedback to students. It's also good training for life.
I'm all for the honor roll.
Get real
-get real
If the answer is the first than I have to agree with Get Real. Outstanding academic achievement deserves loud applause from the community the same way than outstanding sport achievement.
HIMS mom
Realist Parent
And most kids know who's athletic, who excels in the classroom, who's musical, who's funny, etc.
I'm still waiting to hear why announcing who made the football team, scored the touchdown and the record for the team doesn't hurt other kids just as apparently learning that some kids get As and Bs does.
Either all students who achieve in an area get recognized or none. The school newspaper would be a lot less lively for this news.
Because students who are not going to make the football team, score the winning touchdown, or win individual music awards can choose not to compete in those areas. Students are required to attend school and I don't think it should be a competitive environment. I don't believe it creates an overall positive school climate.
We might just continue to disagree on this one.
Stop coddling your children, trust that you have done a good job raising them and let them experience some hardship and struggle. It will prepare them for being an adult.
As the father of two boys and an avid believer in the work of the Gurian Institute, it is my opinion that things like the honor roll can be done in a healthy way and keep boys better engaged in school.
--- bringing it
Abe
So what affect does increased academic competition have on boys like mine (not competitive) and girls?
Many bright kids don't excel because they never have had to work hard and then, when they do have to work harder, they don't have the skills.
Abe
What "innate ability" enabled Nelson Mandela to endure years of imprisonment fighting for civil rights in South Africa?
I think hard work and drive had something to do with it.
I think he deserved the Nobel Prize even though giving it to him reminds me that I probably am not as good as him.
Get real
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/sports/football/a-lesson-in-perseverance-for-giants-running-back.html?hpw&rref=sports&_r=0
It's a complicated story that dares you to think how you define success and honor.
reader
On a related note, and I say this not knowing you or your son, how do you know your son isn't competitive? Have you given covert and overt messages in your home that competition is bad? Could your son have internalized such messages? Brain research on boys would indicate that most crave healthy competition in some form.
--- bringing it
I don't think we have taught our children that competition is a bad thing. We just haven't expressed any interest in it. We are more in the mode of how can you improve - rather than how can you do better than someone else.
If the brain research shows that most boys crave healthy competition - maybe mine are just the exceptions. (I have more than one.) They are not competitive between themselves either.
A