Today we had an awards ceremony where students receive certificates and money for best attendance, best effort, best overall and most improved. While I think that is a nice incentive, it seems crazy to give all the kids $50 if they attended 50% of the school year. When is 50% something to celebrate? To me, that is just squeaking by! All of the students also got promotion certificates for passing their grade and moving on to the next. Again, a sweet idea, but the teachers are not allowed to fail students in the elementary because it's important to keep them with their age group..apparently. We wouldn't want kids to be embarrassed because they are one year older than their classmates! Let's just let them be embarrassed later when they don't know how to read because they only attended 20 school days out the whole year.
So these thoughts are going through my head, while I watch the kids jump, scream, wrestle, ride bicycles around the gym, try to tear down the decorations and completely ignore all that is going on, on the stage. At no point does the Education Authority or our Principal attempt to establish order or quiet anyone down. So..I'm sitting there thinking "Wow, this situation is seriously f*ckd!" and they announce that I've won teacher of the year. After shaking off my disbelief, shock and slight guilt for thinking those things just before being honoured, I go up to accept my plaque. As I go to shake the board member's hands to thank them, they say: "Congratulations! See you next year!" All the guilt rushed out of me in that moment as I smiled and said "Thanks" even though I notified them in February I would not be returning and I didn't sign a contract.
Even though I was having a grumpy moment today as I won, I am really honoured and touched to be chosen by my colleagues as teacher of the year. I share this title with a fellow high school teacher who worked his butt off this year as well. The majority of my colleagues are fantastic teachers and wonderful friends to have and any one of them could of/should of recieved this award. Thank you to anyone who voted for me and/or has supported me this year. You are an amazing bunch of people :)
Our awesome daughter does it again....makes her Mom & Dad even prouder than they already are!
ReplyDeleteWe're so lucky to have such amazing girls, thankful every day.
Congratulations Honey.
DUDE! I totally agree with you about the failing elementary students. I taught a grade 9 locally developed class in the fall, and my students constantly put themselves down because they knew they were way behind their peers (some couldn't even multiply - in grade 9). It doesn't do a thing for their self esteem!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on teacher of the year. That is awesome! :)
Did your award come with money? Or cake? That would just be even more awesome.