Lara Maupin, Associate Director of the National Schools of Character, reflects on her son’s feelings about end-of year awards. We welcome your comments on the value of awards and how best to foster intrinsic motivation. Click on the comment button below to responds.
It is that awards assembly time of year again, and many schools with an interest in character education, such as the public elementary school my own children attend, are giving out awards to students for exemplifying core values such as honesty, respect, and responsibility. In my work at CEP, I have encountered many such programs that I would consider effective and thoughtfully implemented.
My 10-year-old son received such awards for most of his years in elementary school but did not last year or again this year. Spurred by recent debate over the possible unintended negative consequences of such awards on young children, I asked my son how he felt about not receiving an award for honesty or one of the other values again this year.
He said, “It makes me feel like my teachers don’t notice the good things I do. They focus on the bad.”
That really made me think. Not because I worry about my son’s self esteem or because I think every kid should get a trophy for just showing up. Because I don’t. My son plays baseball and is an actor: he’s resilient. But I also know he struggles each and every day to do his best and be a good kid, and if these awards make him think his teachers don’t see this in him, I have to question their value.
So I ask, what is the impact of such awards or other “caught being good” programs on students, some of whom may be struggling with issues that make just keeping it all together at school an accomplishment? What are the best ways to foster intrinsic motivation and commitment to core values in students? For those who value and implement such recognition programs, how do you reflect on these issues and ensure that your programs do not unintentionally cause harm?
We had a Character Honor Roll for several years at Westwood Elementary that served to heighten awareness of our new character education efforts, spotlight the Pillars of Character, and honor students whose behavior brought these Pillars to life. What we found over the years, however, was that the same children were being honored and parents of those who didn’t make the monthly roll call were asking the question, “does this mean my child doesn’t have good character?” and, in some cases, actually asking for conferences with our teachers to see what their child could do to get on the Honor Roll. We realized that it was no longer serving its purpose and, to the relief of many of our teachers and families, we voted to discontinue the monthly award.
What we do instead is catch kids making good choices right when it happens in the classroom and use that as a teachable moment. When Jimmy helps Suzy pick up her crayons, for example, the teacher can say, “Jimmy, that shows great caring; thank you for being such a bucket filler.” There may be a caring poster where Jimmy can go sign his name. Or he may get to put a puff in the class bucket. Or add a marble to the class jar. Or he may just get a good feeling inside. We encourage our school community to affirm one another for their good character choices. We’ve found that sincere compliments can go a long way with our little learners as well as with our faculty.
Because I, as a parent, would LOVE to hear good things from my child’s school, I’ve proposed with my Administrative Team something new this next school year. When we catch someone doing something good (even when they don’t know anybody’s looking), we plan to make a character call to their parent(s)/guardian(s) right then and there to share good news. We think that will be meaningful and make a nice school-to-home connection. No awards ceremony, no certificate needed.
The issue of awards can be controversial–with many legitimate (and passionate) arguments on both sides (or maybe more accurately all sides)! As a teacher and later a principal I tried to highlight the talents and accomplishments of all children. Doing so, I found, helped children appreciate their strengths and understand that no one does everything well.
When it comes to recognizing good character first it’s important to set the stage that any process is only highlighting examples of how someone (not just the students) can show good character and how that can make a difference for themselves and other. But getting all adults on board with how to establish that atmosphere is difficult.
One option that expands a school’s desire to have weekly, monthly or annual award ceremonies is to invite everyone to submit character recognition notes when they “catch” someone doing the right thing. We had a special bulletin board devoted to that strategy. Notes were read over Morning Announcements and then posted on the board. That way parents, bus drivers, other children and adults in general all have the opportunity to recognize postive acts and at the same time broaden the “awards” from being “controlled” by a specific ceremony.
As a Life Management Skills Educator, that is now interested in the formative years – after working years with adults… I realized when working with adults, I was working with a lot of little boys and little girls in adult bodies. I was helping adult see their value, to believe in themself and to understand the most important conversation of the day, the one in their own head.
Therefore, when it comes to character building and recognition I too, struggle with how do we best accomplish this? When do we miss the mark? And, what conversation do we cause and help to develop within the “heads” of those children we work with? When a child thinks, “I care” “I like and appreciate what Sally does” “That’s nice what Bobby does for Jimmy.”
I think it’s important to catch the acts when they happen. To give “thank you” and “praise” for the gift of help, kindness, consideration, understanding… we also need to teach those lessons early on. This is key to what I, as a Life Managment Skills educator am about- we have to establish these thougths early on, for positive EQ/Emotional Intelligence is hardwired into the very architecture of the brain – meaning, kids will follow this course of recognition, acceptance, appreciation, understanding if they begin that early.
One thing that might be of great value is a simple “thank you” box in the classroom – TEACH THE CHILDREN TO MAKE THE RECOGNITION AND BEGIN THE PRACTICE OF SAYING “GREAT JOB!” “THANK YOU!” AS WELL AS THE TEACHERS… a box, with a slot that notes can be slipped into… simple note cards available that the children can write a “thank you” to someone who has shwon them kindness. The notes (can be checked by the teacher so no negatives are written or received) can be passed out to the students at week’s end. To actually receive a thank you, from a peer, that acknowledges that kindness was done/shown is powerful.
That’s just one example of ways in which we can establish charcter and recognition. It is human nature to wish to feel good about who we are… I would rather error on the side of recognition then to error on the side of doubt.
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