Pricipal decides all students should be included in 'honors' awards.

[PokerGuy]

Do you think motivational speakers are needed more by honors recipients or poor-performers?

I think both groups could potentially benefit from listening to a good motivational speaker.

 

[zsdersw]

I think both groups could potentially benefit from listening to a good motivational speaker.

I agree... which is why I don't see the harm in doing exactly what it (the article) says will happen.

 

[cubby1223]

And you know that this was intended to be part of the reward how, exactly?

And how is it less "rewarding" for these people to be honored in front of a much larger audience?

At my high school there was a school-wide awards presentation, then a separate honors night banquet for just the students who met both a gpa level and so many hours of school involvement. It was a dressed up even with formal dining and such.

Hmmm, let's show special appreciation for the shy nerdy bookworms by celebrating along with the loudmouth braindead jocks!

An exaggeration but you should get the point.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Nope, not misleading anyone, only leading the idiots who can't read and comprehend astray apparently.

so admit that you were purposely spreading mis-information...Charles was correct!!

 

[PokerGuy]

so admit that you were purposely spreading mis-information...Charles was correct!!

No, sorry but you're simply wrong. I haven't spread any misinformation. If some of you are unable to read and comprehend, that's on you, not me. I provided a link and commentary. Anyone who read the article and the comments should not be at all confused about what was being said.

 

[cubby1223]

so admit that you were purposely spreading mis-information...Charles was correct!!

If Charles had simply pointed out the ambiguity in the wording, PokerGuy probably would have immediately edited the post. Instead a fight was picked and both sides dug in their heels. Fun life lesson learned by none

 

[PokerGuy]

I agree... which is why I don't see the harm in doing exactly what it (the article) says will happen.

The harm isn't in letting everyone hear the motivational speaker. If they set up some motivational speaker for the whole school sometime, that's perfectly fine. The harm is in the fact that in order to make sure the students who don't 'make the grade' are not "devastated" by being excluded, they've taken away a part of a reward for those who do make the grade. That's plain stupid, and the principal is getting correctly ridiculed for it.

 

[zsdersw]

The harm isn't in letting everyone hear the motivational speaker. If they set up some motivational speaker for the whole school sometime, that's perfectly fine. The harm is in the fact that in order to make sure the students who don't 'make the grade' are not "devastated" by being excluded, they've taken away a part of a reward for those who do make the grade. That's plain stupid, and the principal is getting correctly ridiculed for it.

Nothing has been taken away from them, though. Getting awarded in front of only those who are also getting awards is less special than getting awarded in front of everyone.

 

[PokerGuy]

Nothing has been taken away from them, though. Getting awarded in front of only those who are also getting awards is less special than getting awarded in front of everyone.

No, that doesn't make sense. The ability to attend the exclusive event is part of the reward. Making it no longer exclusive lessens the value. If not, then why would those who could not attend be "devastated" by not being able to attend? If the exclusivity added no value, then why would anyone be upset that they couldn't attend? After all, that's what they were trying to 'fix' by no longer having it be exclusive.

No amount of logical pretzel twisting can change the fact that in order to make sure some of the non-high-achievers didn't get their feelings hurt, they removed the exclusivity of the event for the high achievers.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Honors night is weird as it is, I remember always having honor roll in front of the whole school anyways. Stupid kids stayed in their seat and non-stupid kids got honored.

We didn't have honors night either. I was top of my class.

Even though it feels like this principal is 'taking away' for some, he's bringing things inline with what MOST schools do (and what I remember having), and the end result doesn't offend me (like the original reports did).

 

[zsdersw]

No, that doesn't make sense. The ability to attend the exclusive event is part of the reward. Making it no longer exclusive lessens the value. If not, then why would those who could not attend be "devastated" by not being able to attend? If the exclusivity added no value, then why would anyone be upset that they couldn't attend? After all, that's what they were trying to 'fix' by no longer having it be exclusive.

No amount of logical pretzel twisting can change the fact that in order to make sure some of the non-high-achievers didn't get their feelings hurt, they removed the exclusivity of the event for the high achievers.

I think the simplest explanation tends to be the right one: the guy is a first-year principal. He obviously hasn't learned to read the tea leaves.

Middle-schoolers aren't interested in exclusivity as much as they are in showing their peers that they're getting something that their peers don't get: awarded. As someone who has worked in K12 schools almost my entire career, believe me.. they don't think in a sophisticated way about "exclusivity" like us adults usually do.

You're placing too much importance on the event and not enough on the award itself. Middle-school-age kids don't care about events.. they care about awards.

 

[silverpig]

They should reward the smart kids with an opportunity to hear some motivational speakers.

They should punish the stupid kids by making them listen to some motivational speakers.

They should save time and money by doing it at the same time


It's just like in the Simpsons:
- All honor students will be rewarded with a trip to an archeological dig!
- *cheers*
- And all detention students will be punished with a trip to an archeological dig.
- *groans*

 

[CLite]

lol, I went to the honor awards ceremony every year in high school and most certainly didn't consider them an "award".

Are you kidding? They don't get the award. Try to manuever out of all that all you want. OK, so why in the hell would you post this thread? "Kids go to award ceremony to witness other people getting awards." HOLY FUCK WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY!?!?!

exactly........


If anything the principal is a dolt for thinking that a high-school honor awards ceremony is going to turn some kid's lives around with shoddy motivational speakers.

 

[sunzt]

I don't know about you guys, but back in my day having to listen to an inspirational speaker at a school was never perceived as an "award" for anyone... even on the honor roll....

 

[cubby1223]

I don't know about you guys, but back in my day having to listen to an inspirational speaker at a school was never perceived as an "award" for anyone... even on the honor roll....

Ha!

Back in high-school I would schedule the orthodontist appointments to get me out of any special assembly to listening to speakers.

 

[ch33zw1z]

uhoh, someone's special little kid didn't make the cut...

 

[Gardener]

I have a feeling there's more to this story as well.

Damn you Charles Kozierok and your logic!

Go back to the abyss of the new forum.

 

[nextJin]

Honors night is weird as it is, I remember always having honor roll in front of the whole school anyways. Stupid kids stayed in their seat and non-stupid kids got honored.

This.

I've never heard of the way this school was doing it. Did they have seperate graduations too where the exceptional kids graduated at another event?

Even in SoCAL they just have the honors go first or last.