The article "Why some schools have ditched academic and athletic awards" by Caroline Alphonso discusses the reservations some school staff members have about the incentive programs used to inspire primary school students. The elimination of the academic and athletic awards is supported by some of the directors, including Jonathan Ferris, the principal of Strathcona Elementary School.
Giving prizes to kids or students in schools has been an effective strategy for increasing motivation in classrooms because it forces all students to concentrate on the prize—getting good marks in academics and sports. The issue regarding the awarding system has been criticized by Education and parenting author Alfie Kohn who argued that "awards undermine the quality of learning in a classroom when the point becomes to get high grades and defeat other students, not develop an interest in a topic." Therefore, the articles are trying to portray the adverse impacts of the academic and athletic awards with the references that it awarding the top achievers demoralizes those who did not manage to score high grades or become top in athletics.
Key Concepts and Ideas
The key concepts in the article include awarding system and motivation. Awarding systems that have been highlighted and remarked by various personalities in the academic sector. The awarding system is being negatively undermined by the personalities quoted by Caroline Alphonso in the article because the system is considered conventional. Teachers have been awarding students as one way of motivating them to perform better. Motivation can be either intrinsic or extrinsic, and in the article, intrinsic motivation is being criticized by the Chris Wejr, a principal in British Columbia and Principal Jonathan Ferris. Contrarily awarding concept is being embraced by people such as Chris Wejr, a principal in British Columbia who believe giving students the participation awards one way of drifting to mediocrity.
Equal treatment of the students is another idea included in the article considering the advocacy made by Chris Wejr, a principal in British Columbia. Giving participation award makes children feel equally treated thus they cannot focus on passing exams only instead children will focus on achieving general goals and objective that can make them efficient and effective later after school.
Critique
According to my understanding, it is essential for the students to be awarded as a way of motivating them. Intrinsic motivation can be mainly achieved through setting standards and awarding those who achieved beyond the set standards. Schools are just like any other institution; for example, as teachers, we are awarded for offering quality services to students as a way of motivating and eventually being good results in a particular school and the entire education sector. Academic and athletic awards to children or students are essential because it brings healthy competition among the students in class and even to a wider range where schools can compete through exams and athletics. Interschool exams and athletics act as the tools for making children socialize thus competition among the children should be started right from classes.
Awarding the best performers can also be a demoralizing factor as it was argued by as Jonathan Ferris a principle of Strathcona Elementary School advocate and Education and parenting author Alfie Kohn. Therefore, the article has a great substance that can help all the education stakeholders as far as academic and athletic awards in schools are concerned. Caroline Alphonso has brought to light the arguments of various stakeholders that should weigh by the parents, children among other education stakeholders to enhance performances and satisfaction among the students.
Application to education implication to the teacher
The entire concepts and ideas provided bring the arguments that criticize that motivation cultures that have been used in various schools. The education stakeholders will give mixed reactions because some can accept easily and some will not accept depending on the essence of academic and athletic awards.
Teachers and parents are supposed to motivate children as a strategy of using different strategies such awarding the best students or awarding students with partition certification. Based on the ideas which were shared in the article through quoting teacher and school principal, the time for relying on a single strategy in motivating students should be reviewed since some of the stakeholders are coming up with new suggestions that are supposed to be considered in the education sector.
Teachers are supposed to use other motivation techniques such as extrinsic motivation, where the children are encouraged to focus on certain fields depending on the forecasts and the standards that are needed by the entire world. Therefore, the article serves as a great tool that enlightens teachers. Motivating and enhancing performance at schools should not be undermined thus thorough evaluation on the essence of academic and athletic awards should be compared to the essence of participation as they were suggested by some teachers and head of schools.
Reference
Caroline Alphons. Why some schools have ditched academic and athletic awards. http://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/why-some-schools-have-ditched-academemic-and-atlethic-awards/article36159798/ 2017. Accessed on December 10, 2017.
