Awards for attendance encourage students to go to school every day. Attendance in school is important for a student’s success. In addition, educators are aware of the importance of attendance to keep students engaged in content and the learning process. Parents and students must understand the importance of attendance beginning in the early grades and through high school. Even one or two day absences can be disruptive. And, they eventually add up. Teachers and parents must make sure students develop the habit of regular attendance. But, is a reward necessary?
Most schools give attendance awards for children who attend school every day. However, should students and parents feel the pressure of perfect attendance and send students when they are sick? Is it appropriate to punish children for an absence when they are not feeling well? This system praises only healthy students. It even encourages parents to send children to school when they are sick. Some schools are telling parents to medicate children and send them to school anyway.
According to many doctors, children should be kept home if they have a fever over 100 F, have a runny nose, are coughing, vomiting or have diarrhea. These spread to other students and eventually make their way back to the original child. Otherwise, a stomach ache or a slight runny nose is not an excuse to stay home.
Attendance Awards Punish Students
Students that have an authentic illness, chronic illness or medical challenges are punished by not receiving the Perfect Attendance Award. This also means, no absences, no tardiness, and no leaving early. Awarding good health is a bad practice. Especially in the flu season when it is important for sick students to stay home. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 5-20% of the population catch the flu every year. If this is the case, the flu is able to spread to millions of school districts. Sick students cannot focus on lessons.
Perfect attendance sounds like a great idea to get students to school. However, the students that normally enjoy school, do attend every day. Instead of recognizing perfect attendance, recognize good work. Recognize participation in class and on projects.
Schools value attendance as a method to increase graduation rates. In addition, district funds allotment is based on the number of students attending school each day. Schools should not put pressure on students to go to school when they are not feeling well. Health takes priority over a simple award.
Blog Attendance
