INDIANAPOLIS -- Sixth-grader Matt Porter didn't enjoy getting "Most Likely Not To Have Children" and "Sir Clowns-a-Lot" awards from two teachers at his school.
Hey, kids are allowed to do whatever they want with no consequences, they can never have their feelings hurt while they cause a living hell for teachers...I say good for them...
A nice dose of reality might do some good
Hey, kids are allowed to do whatever they want with no consequences, they can never have their feelings hurt while they cause a living hell for teachers...I say good for them...
A nice dose of reality might do some good
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3 comments:
I gotta disagree. To arrest the child's behavior as it is happening is one thing. There may be others around to witness his scolding, but one must nip in the bud bad behavior particularly if it is harmful or disruptive. Holding him over after school for a talk is also acceptable, even if that means the last day of school to give him one last piece of advice. But to publicly humiliate him with these "awards" that will surely provoke laughter and mockery by his peers, that's just cruel and abusive. He's still a kid, despite his behavior, and as such is still vulnerable to the harmful effects of such actions. The teachers were absolutely wrong and the child is deserving of apology.
Marshall
I don't know . There was a time when potential societal scorn was a very effective tool against bad behavior, one of the "guardrails" as was discussed in an earlier post. With today's just about anything goes (or is excused) attitude that's one tool that's measurably less effective (try talking to a teenager today, who has been bombarded by symbology experts and subliminal messages since an early age).
That being said the "Sir Clowns-a-lot" award doesn't seem so bad. But I can't quite get my mind around the "Most Likely Not To Have Children" award, what's up with that?
I'm not so sure that the awards "will surely provoke laughter and mockery by his peers", hell, knowing kids nowadays, it might be considered some kind of badge of honor.
It's true. One can never tell how a kid will respond, whether recipient or observer. But because we're talking about kids, one must err on the side of caution. I find a distinction between this type of action, and the various tortures of old, such paddling, sittin' in the corner with a dunce cap on, being led out of the room by the ear, etc. All those happened in direct response to a specific infraction as it occurred. This end of the year stuff is JUST humiliation. As a lesson, it's too loosely connected to any specific violation to have the proper effect. All the kid will be thinking is how the teacher and anyone laughing are big dicks. Vengeful thoughts might be coarsing through his embarrassed mind (I could see this happening even in the kid who thinks such "recognition" is a badge of honor.
As to talking to the kid, in this day and age, I have to think some level of psychology should be part of basic teaching education. Maybe Game and other teachers here can comment on that. Around here, there's a radio commercial for a program designed to make bratty kids listen and obey. I don't recall the name or the guy pitching it, but I'd like to get it myself. My kid's a pretty good kid, but her and her mother go at it like, well, a couple of women. I'd like to see if it could have a beneficial effect on our low level situation, as well as save it for use on the grandkids, should we ever have any. My oldest is a teacher and I thought she'd like to check it out. But I digress.
Can the award. Take the kid aside and quietly and privately tell him, "Hey look, anyone can be an asshole..." or words to that effect and be happy he's not coming back.
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