Many schools have complicated systems of rewards and punishments. My son's school, this week, had an awards ceremony, where my son grumpily accepted an award for Geography and we parents sat, sweltering in a boiling hot hall, listening to an ex-pupil (aparently a success) who bored us about his work for BT and how he had learnt about perserverance from failing his A levels at the school. The headteacher gave his usual, although uncharactaristically short speach about how wonderful he was. The next day, I heard many parents complaining, "how did that person get that award? My child is top of the class, why didn't they get it?" There was a feeling that such random awarding of rewards was actually a demotivator, "why should they work so hard when it's just given to the scruffy oik, who only managed to hand his homework in once and that was on the back of an envelope?" My son was more phlegmatic about the whole thing. He felt that he'd already worked hard by the time of the Award Ceremony and if you got it it was......well, just something for your mother to dust." They also sent a letter, this week, stating that pupils now had nine lives, like the mangy moggies they are, which they can lose by being late, ill, scruffy, etc. The letter said that there would be cash rewards for well behaved children. My son, was equally scathing about this, pointing out that we had a letter about uniform last year and how the school were "definitely losing the uniform battle." My daughter had worked it out at 4 years old. When I visited the school I saw her name on a golden apple on a tree display and said, "Oh, well done, you've got a golden apple reward." She looked at me as if I was possibly the stupidest person alive and said, "Mummmmm, everyone gets one by the end of the year!"
I tend to agree with my children. The best reward is the feeling you get when you know you've done a good job. I've had this feeling a lot this week, with concerts, a church service, pupils doing really well in exams and the phone call from Sing Up.
My school found out that we have received the Platinum Award from Sing Up this week. This is the highest award they give and makes us an ambassador school for singing. Although, I have driven us getting this award it was a true team effort and so I had to find a way to reward the staff who had worked so hard to get it. My reward of choice is always cake. I think people like cake and it shows that you've put a bit of effort in.
During the inspection visit my headteacher said that if we got the award we'd have to celebrate, maybe have a Platinum themed party. I said that I was thinking that a small piece of platinum jewelery would be nice and she said she was thinking more of platinum coloured paper plates. I'm still waiting to see which she chooses.
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| $240,400.00 |
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| £1.75 for 8 |
This is the time of year when I usually get a weed letter from the allotment nazis. The stick that is meant to make me keep my allotment in better condition. I am now resigned to the fact that the letter will arrive because end of term concerts, assemblies, church services, weddings, award ceremonies all take up valuable weeding time. I am also resigned to never winning the 'best kept plot' award so I think that getting the letter is at least something. After all, who wants to be average?
When I arrived at the allotment today, I was surprised to see that I appeared to have been awarded a golden heart.
On closer inspection it turned out to be a balloon that had got caught on my 'protect the cabbages from the birds' frame. It is quite a sad little gold award, as it has messages attached to it to a recently deceased grandfather.
I was even more surprised to find that my allotment looked as though it deserved an award. It was lush and watered and almost weed free. The Long Suffering Husband said that he knew I was busy and so had been popping over every evening, while I was teaching or practising to water. That is the best reward I could have asked for and a sign of true love.
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