To think this is not "emotional abuse"?

[PeckhamPauline]

This school (in a deprived area) instituted a token system for good behaviour, attendance, etc throughout the year, with the promise that 100 tokens could be exchanged for a special reward party at the end of the year. Sounds fair, right?

But no! Apparently this is "emotional abuse" of the children who didn't earn enough tokens and the school has been made to apologise.

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/st-michaels-school-bath-party-1808319

The article says around 30 children didn't attend, which must surely be a significant % of the year group, so not just an unfortunate few.

If, as pp local to the school suggested, the parents were indeed advised about the system, and points were awarded simply for attending and reading, then I don't necessarily think it is a poor system. But as usual the impact will be diluted by all the whinging parents who can't bear to see their snowflakes missing out. The fact that they themselves could've helped their child earn enough points to attend will pass them by of course.

RainySeptember, it looks like about three quarters of the year group attended. Definitely not 30 who missed out, maybe 10?

But yes, it looks like those parents are taking no responsibility for helping their child simply meet the bare minimum.

I'm all for a form of reward system where reward is due, and you're never going to win with one which is the same for everyone frankly. HOWEVER, perhaps each child should have their own personal progress chart, which may make it 'fairer', and would incorporate SEN, and challenging behaviours. Make them realistic, but something each child can work towards?

Sorry, misread, it says 30 angry comments on the school's social media. Think I jumped to the assumption that each comment represented an angry parent!

.... But no, I don't think it's emotional abuse, FFS!!!

Definitely not emotionally abusive

However a party is a bit of a bad reward as it isn’t very inclusive for the people that miss out. The tokens should just be traded for something else perhaps

Actually, what I've noticed working in schools is that the children rewarded most heavily are the naughty ones who need more praise and incentive to behave. The others, especially the quiet-always-good ones, and in particular the occasionally-naughty-then-teacher-comes-down-like-a-ton-of bricks ones, DO NOTICE THIS and resent it in a sigh-what-can-you-do-life's-not-fair way.
So I don't agree with the policy either.

Twillow
I agree.
It's why I always try to give my awards to conistently good children who tend to get overlooked.

Even at secondary students hate seeing Timmy and his gang on a reward afternoon bowling because they did 5 days not verbally abusing their peers and staff.

I agree Maisy . Children are very acute to fairness and really struggle if the system stinks.

It sounds kinda shitty and unfair, but not 'emotional abuse' FFS. Some people are too melodramatic.

yikesanotherbooboo
I'm very vocal and side with students in those situations.
Always polite and would never undermine colleagues, but I do empathise with students and am vocal behind the scenes.

When 20 members of my group are bleeding amazing day in day out, why the hell should they miss out because the rewards are going to students who've dicked about, ruined other people's education and seem to think staff should negotiate with them?!
Reward those who do the right thing day in and day out. The majority of children in school behave. The majority of children are polite and friendly and don't bully. They need rewarding and to feel valued.

Sure, support those who may have a real reason to struggle managing their behaviour, but don't direct all the resources into those who are hell bent on ruining learning for others. Could you imagine the workplace: 'Tina, you can leave at lunch on Friday for a spa day becayse you've done a whole week without telling a client to fuck off'.

And how would this system be fair to children who have lots of medical appointments so are at a disadvantage to everyone else? Or kids who have a chaotic home life and their parents don’t get them to school on time/read with them at home. Kids like that are having a hard enough time without the school adding to it.

A reward system is abuse? I always thought that praise was supposed to be a good thing.

PorkFlute, in year 6 the children are expected to be responsible for their own reading. They probably have to fill in a diary to show that they have done so. But harder if a parent isn't reminding them, yes.

And they'll still get an attendance point if they turn up late due to an appointment, or have to leave early.

But tbf reading and attendance were just two examples. I expect they could also earn them for doing homework, volunteering to do a job, singing well in assembly, underlining the date, completing up to q5, working silently while the register was taken, loads of things.

I have a child in year 6 and while they no longer read to me I’m still expected to sign the diary to say she’s read. I imagine it differs from school to school.
The target obviously hasn’t been set to be so easy that everyone achieves it as some haven’t. So it’s unfair if some children are at a huge disadvantage. Poor attendance in primary is rarely the fault of the child.

In my day you went to school to learn things.

Token systems for awarding attendance. Hooray, well done for punishing children with diseases and illnesses.

Token system for "confident, contributing in class, and being organized." Tough shit on the kids who are a bit quiet (cause we know teachers dont have time to filter those who are bold and up front from those who are capable and doing the work. After all, why is it the same kids who get selected for school plays. Its the ones the teachers see the most).

Token system for managing behaviour - kids are manipulative little shits. See the posts on here about teachers being unable to stop bullies or the really odd teachers that give rows to the pupils not playing with the bully. Imagine not getting a token because you didnt want to get hit in the playground.

A token system needs teachers to be able to manage that properly. They dont have the time to do that.

Its a stupid idea and is abusive but also a life lesson. Schools are not there to play fair because life is not there to play fair. Often lifes rewards dont go to those who deserve them. So this is a good lesson I suppose.