End of the School Year Awards

Most schools have some sort of award program at the end of the year. It is usually celebrated through Recognition Day and/or Graduation Ceremony. Most of the students received an award, but there were always some who didn't receive anything at all.

So, a lot of teachers are deciding that in their classroom there would have its own awards program and that every student would get some type of award.

I as a teacher also, was not trying to lessen the importance of the school wide awards, but simply to appreciate that all of my students were special in some way and deserving of some type of award.

There are a lot of researches that explain what are the benefits of this end-of-school-year awards however there are few studies that describe the pitfalls of using it. This is the reason why we need to know what is the right way of doing it.

There are cases that teacher make this end-of-school-year award funny but it ends up being inappropriate because it become hurtful, humiliating, and damaging to the students who received them.

There is an article that a first-grade student in Louisiana, USA was presented with two awards: “Most Talkative” and “Class Clown,” along with a red clown nose. The boy’s grandmother described the incident as bullying.

Schools should be a nurturing environments where students feel safe, exploring their individuality, and learning from mistakes. Unfortunately, this type of award have the opposite effect.

Here’s how to manage an end-of-school-year awards in your classroom that is significant, fun-loving, and positive experience for all involved.

EVERY STUDENT MUST BE GIVEN

If you choose to give end-of-school-year awards in your classroom, be sure to it is inclusive to all students. Everybody likes to be acknowledged and honored.

The objective is to celebrate what is unique about each child, not to leave anyone feeling awkward. Create a non-competitive honoring that ends the school year on a positive note.

POSITIVE CHARACTER TRAITS SHOULD BE THE FOCUS

These are the following examples of good personalities:

• Enthusiasm

• Adventurous

• Ambition

• Compassion

• Confidence

• Cooperation

• Courage

• Creativity

• Generosity

• Imagination

• Kindness

• Patience

• Perseverance

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Trustworthiness

In your classroom, give every child the chance to shine in their own special way.

Show students that their effort and qualities like cooperation and kindness matter too.

Kids are much more than their exam scores and report cards.

Since in this year 2020, we have the so called "COVID-19 Pandemic" wherein a lot of establishments have been closed including schools and everyone is opt to stay at home, we might not have this end-of-school-year award.

As a teacher in a private school that has a capacity to reach their students and to have all the students continue the learning through online, it could still happen.

In my case, I have my Culminating Activity through the use of technology.

We had our proper good bye's and they receive their individual certificate-awards for the end of the school year.

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