All hail mediocrity

[cbelt3]

Diana Moon Glampers is coming for us all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron

[Acer]

vision63 wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]
Ah, the memories. I remember fondly back in 1968 at the football banquet when I won the Award for "Most Improved" for the 3rd year in a row.

If this is for real? You must have kicked butt.
By the third year, he had water to the players before they even thought about being thirsty.

[SteveG]

swampy wrote:
Steve, why are you so hateful? Do you beat your dog to train it or offer rewards instead? I know middle school kids that would run circles around you in math and geography.

I'm actually AGREEING with your main point, swamp.
The thought that anyone would hold public 'achievement ceremonies' for middle schoolers is ridiculous. It's nothing but an attempt to laud the commonplace and foist 'feel-good' pomp on some kids.
(How'd your genius kid do at the High School graduation awards ceremony? Don't notice you bragging bout that.)

[Lemon Drop]

It's fine, worthy and important to honor middle school academic achievement. Many kids are already studying high school level stuff by then anyway, they should be acknowledged when they do unusually well. I'd bet this principal mentioned in swampy's link will realize the error of his ways and bring back the honors night thing. If he's concerned that kids in the more advanced classes are unfairly penalized, then he could institute weighted GPA for honors classes. (sort of like the state of California does for college admissions)

I do not however think that failing to issue such awards somehow damages kids or leads to mediocrity. It's just a nice public acknowledgement for people who already know they are doing very well.

[vision63]

Lemon Drop wrote:
It's fine, worthy and important to honor middle school academic achievement. Many kids are already studying high school level stuff by then anyway, they should be acknowledged when they do unusually well. I'd bet this principal mentioned in swampy's link will realize the error of his ways and bring back the honors night thing. If he's concerned that kids in the more advanced classes are unfairly penalized, then he could institute weighted GPA for honors classes. (sort of like the state of California does for college admissions)

I do not however think that failing to issue such awards somehow damages kids or leads to mediocrity. It's just a nice public acknowledgement for people who already know they are doing very well.

It's also okay to acknowledge other areas of achievement such as volunteerism and other character based accomplishments which really should be sprinkled in.

[Lemon Drop]

vision63 wrote:
[quote=Lemon Drop]
It's fine, worthy and important to honor middle school academic achievement. Many kids are already studying high school level stuff by then anyway, they should be acknowledged when they do unusually well. I'd bet this principal mentioned in swampy's link will realize the error of his ways and bring back the honors night thing. If he's concerned that kids in the more advanced classes are unfairly penalized, then he could institute weighted GPA for honors classes. (sort of like the state of California does for college admissions)

I do not however think that failing to issue such awards somehow damages kids or leads to mediocrity. It's just a nice public acknowledgement for people who already know they are doing very well.

It's also okay to acknowledge other areas of achievement such as volunteerism and other character based accomplishments which really should be sprinkled in.

I agree completely. My kids' middle school has awards that focus on character traits: integrity, kindness, generosity, etc, in addition to the usual academic, artistic, and athletic stuff.

[Dennis S]

What have we learned here?

[Uncle Wig]

swampy wrote:
Steve, why are you so hateful? Do you beat your dog to train it or offer rewards instead? I know middle school kids that would run circles around you in math and geography.

Swampy, you objecting to someone being hateful?! That's rich!

[Dennis S]

I didn't know you had a dog, Steve. What kind is it?

[SteveG]

Looks to me like the swamp's middle school ceremony is an effort to humiliate the vast majority of the students attending.
Some 'feel good' exercise!

As to the others postings...exactly how do you determine whether one kid displays 'generosity', 'kindness', integrity etc? Who nominates them? Are they ones that the teachers have seen? Appeared in local newspapers? Lobbied by church groups? Rescued swamp's puppies after she dumped them off a bridge? Seems like a bunch of total nonsense to me.

Why not just leave the children to be children and not hold ceremonies to please adults with selfish agendas?