Have to vent, feel free to ignore me

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Okay, today something happened that just really irritated me but extends to something that has been bugging me for some time now. My kids' school was hosting a breakfast for the kids as a treat. My oldest child's teacher assigned to me to bring in fruits. When we brought the tray into the classroom the teacher was like thank you and then proceeded to tell me how she had to be very specific in who to pick for that because it had to somebody who'd really do it. But the way she phrased it, well, it came out like she needed somebody who'd be dumb enough to put in all the work for a fruit tray. I was taken aback. I thought I'd misheard and proceeded to go with my kids to awards assembly where they also had other activities going on this morning. I kept pondering what that teacher had said. I came to the conclusion that I had heard correctly but that I should let it go... Well, then I saw who the teacher picked for student of the month. I had heard before from my daughter that kids had gotten those awards who are not good students and often misbehave. And there again, a kid had been picked who falls into that category. I do volunteer in the classroom as time allows and know the kids. There have been other actions in the past by this teacher that made me question why she would reward bad behavior. It's come so far that just last month my daughter said that she never gets any real reward, much less an award, from this teacher and that maybe she should just misbehave and start to get bad grades in order to get something. She was quite frustrated because she works hard to maintain good grades. I do understand that a teacher might want to give those students an incentive to try harder, or something to give them self-esteem. But if those who do the right thing are ignored that causes me to question that practice. Just like student of them month. It's to honor good academic achievement and good citizenship. The school also has awards for kids who improved their behavior, and for those who need self-esteem building and an incentive to try harder. But this teacher has refused to give anything to those students who have been academically in the top quarter of the class and have a good behavior record. Although after today's remark (not the first weird one like that either), I'm not sure she has the right mindset to teach children... Okay, where am I going with this? It seems our society has moved towards rewarding bad behavior and not those who are normally good. It doesn't surprise me that kids act up more and more. There seems to be a reward in being bad and then good again, in behavior and academically. Those who are academically good and behave well, well there is little room for improvement and by now little recognition for their efforts. I have long questioned the everybody gets a trophy mentality. But it looks like we are taking it to the extreme now, and we are starting to give kids the idea that it is better to misbehave and not study so hard (just like my daughter is starting to think). For me as a parent, well, I find it extremely difficult to counteract that thinking and to make it clear to my child that it is better to remain responsible, to study hard, regardless of whether there is public recognition for it or not. Well, if you made this far. Thanks for listening to my rant;) Just being extremely frustrated with the rewards system in public schools, and well, my daughter's teacher in particular. It's difficult to tell a kid in elementary school that the true reward for her hard work will come when she graduates from high school, because only then good grades count. A kid with straight As and none of those awards is still more likely to get into college, get a scholarship, and/or find a good job, then a C/D student with thousands of those awards. Of course all the kid right now sees is the trophy that's handed out, lol. Thanks for letting me rant;)