It has been a hot debate topic for a while now, since most of the teachers and parents nowadays have lived through this experience themselves, when they were young. Some loved it, others just hated it.
“The parents should come to school to find out their children’s results, in a report” said Ana-Nela Popoveniuc, teacher. She mentioned that what she supported wasn’t the entire rewards process to be eliminated, but rather to congratulate each student privately, just as it’s done in more civilized countries, without making those with poor results feel embarrassed.
In western countries, nobody knows anybody else’s results, there are no such classifications and hierarchies. She spoke to Wall-Street.ro about this and mentioned that students do have this type of celebrations, as well, they are happy that the school year is over, but without standing outside, in the summer heat to clap for their colleagues, for hours on end. For some, this is reminiscent of the communist parades and just as the baccalaureate results have been turned private, so should the students’ end of school year grades, she added. In short, competition is healthy, yes, but children should compete against themselves, not their colleagues.
While the same teacher thinks that children should be encouraged to make friends, have healthy relationships and increase their confidence and self-esteem levels, the journalist Cristina Bazavan got herself loads of negative comments only because she tried to state her piece of mind on the topic: “Allow the children who work to be rewarded for their effort. And let the lazy students understand that they cannot be equal to those who do work. It’s the only way for us to make progress”.
Several teachers agreed with her and reacted on Wall-Street.ro by saying that at this stage, students don’t learn with their future in mind, but with their eyes stuck on the immediate prize, test results and grades. Once this disappears, what are they going to be motivated by?
But what should unite us all should be the next question: What is the best way to reward children, so that they can feel appreciated? In other words, To Laurel or Not to Laurel? Is it helpful, for students, to hear everybody’s grades at the end of the school year?
Who does this process motivate? The good students, to get even higher grades? Or the ones who need to learn more, to catch up with them?
Is this healthy competition? Or is it the one bringing about bullying, envy and hate?
What say you?
