Honor Rolls Damage Self Esteem of Students Who Don't Make the Cut?
The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Underachievers' parents deny honor students
The school honor roll, a time-honored system for rewarding "A" students, has become an apparent source of embarrassment for some underachievers.
As a result, all Nashville schools have stopped posting honor rolls, and some are considering a ban on hanging good work in the hallways — at the advice of school lawyers.
After a few parents complained their children might be ridiculed for not making the list, school-system lawyers warned that state privacy laws forbid releasing academic information, good or bad, without permission.
Some schools since have put a stop to academic pep rallies. Others think they may have to cancel spelling bees. And schools across the state may follow Nashville's lead.
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Good point about the references and the balance of activities and work etc Dr. Jerz.
Sidebar: Interestingly enough I have also found that most of the post-college "real world" jobs I have been applying for have not once asked for my cumulative college GPA. It is almost kind of disappointing. The only jobs that have asked were government based.
Leslie, I agree.
Making the honor roll is nice, but demonstrating that your GPA rose steadily, stating that you paid your own way through college by worked X hours a week (while also attaining a GPA of Y), and of course having good references and good portfolio of writing samples all far more important than that extra .04.
I know that it really doesn't mean much to people if they don't value the honor of being on such a list. I think locally they even publish that list in the paper. I felt similarly about the deans list at Seton Hill University. It wasn't the end of the world if I didn't make it, but it was nice if I did. Could I do the work? Yes. Does the deans list mean anything to future employers? I doubt it.
I don't think that the elimination of the honor role would deter nor enlighten students who "breeze" by, in their studies. I am a little miffed though; I studied very hard this past semester and received a 3.66, now that is 4/10ths of a point from not making it. Should I have tried harder? I don't think that I could have tried any harder than I did. Now I think that is totally unfair, seeing that the honor role, in most universities, is 3.6 or higher. Or am I wrong? I feel that SHU should recognize students who work full-time jobs and attend college full-time as well. I don't think that they, SHU, see it as I do. Where is my recognition? I've have been waiting a long time!!!
That is the silliest solution I have ever heard. Next they will outlaw grades.
Good Question!
Tiff
Kids who aren't making the honor rolls likely don't care. So whose problem is this really?
Kids who aren't making the honor rolls likely don't care. So whose problem is this really?
I didn't know that part-time students aren't eligible for the honor roll at SHU. I enjoyed the fall convocation exercise, where the academic awards are presented in front of the freshmen class. I'd like to see more opportunities to make a public spectacle of our students' best work. (I must say that our network of weblogs is doing a pretty good job publicizing the work SHU students are doing...)
On a lighter note... the battle of the bumper-stickers. I've seen "My kid is an honor student at X School," "We honor all our students at Y school," and "My kid can beat up your honor student."
I think eliminating the honor roll for students who excel in school would be a mistake. Or to eliminate the spelling bee! Oh please! What about the college dean's list which in many cases is printed in the local newspaper? Should this also not be printed so as not to embarrass those who have not made the list. Recognition of a student's achievements should not be squelched all because of the student who may choose not to devote the time and energy necessary to get good grades. Then there are those of us in college who are part-time students and are, therefore, not eligible for the dean's list, even if we obtain a 4.0 after an accumulation of the required 15 credits. No, we don't necessarily have it easier, as many of us attend classes at SHU as well as other area schools such as St. Vincent, work one or several jobs, raise families, etc., etc. But even though I do not agree with the policy for part-timers, I DO feel that those students who make the dean's list deserve to be recognized.