Kohn Reflection




     I think Kohn isn’t wrong, but my main issue with this piece is that it presents as a “one size fits all.” For example, under the section titled “Around the School” and under “Possible Reasons to Worry,” it states that the display of trophies and awards is a concern. The reasoning behind this is that displaying these things promotes triumph over community, but in reality, I believe it strengthens community. In high school, I was a part of both the soccer team and the basketball team and have won trophies for both. My teammates and I worked incredibly hard to win those championships, and those trophies represent our hard work. In addition, the fantastic thing about sports is that when your team wins, you, as a fan, also win. When we brought home the championship, it wasn’t just our win. We represented our school, thus celebrating a win for our community. By having our trophies displayed, it was a way to invoke school pride and bring the school together. The same applies to if the school won an award. Displaying it in the hallway represents all the work both students and teachers have put in to earn that recognition. 

Another example of why this list doesn’t fit every school is shown under the “On the Walls” section. It stated that a sticker chart or any indication of students receiving rewards was worrying. However, in elementary school, we had a system called “Highlander Bucks.” If you did certain tasks, you would receive a Highlander Buck, and at the end of the quarter, you could use your money to “buy” a prize. For me, this was an incentive to do well because if I did, I would earn money I could use to buy a sticker or a small toy. I understand that some students could potentially feel left out if they don’t earn enough to get something; however, if done well, providing rewards for younger students is a great way to motivate them.

Overall, this piece doesn’t leave room for different types of students and school environments. Not all students are the same. For some students, having a quiet classroom helps them focus, while for others, it causes them to lose motivation. Another example of this is seen in the Delpit reading we read previously. Delpit wrote about how, for some students, a warm tone of voice is effective, while other students need a stern correction. It is important to view students as unique individuals who all need different things in order to learn, and yes, there are some things that are proven to hinder students, but it is important to avoid making such large generalizations about what is harmful to students because it can rob a student of a tool that could help them be successful in school. 

Comments

  1. Olivia HarrisOctober 13, 2024 at 12:33 PM

    I really like how you brought up the point that Kohn presents a "one size fits all" fix, when in reality, there is no one solution to making for an effective classroom. I had a similar reaction to the "Around the School" section regarding trophies and awards. In my high school's gymnasium, we had a large case displaying many of the awards won over the years, as well as banners that depicted each of the years a championship was won in a sport. If anything, I thought that these awards and banners offered a sense of school pride more than anything else and represented the amount of dedication and hard work that students, coaches, etc. put in to earn these awards.

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  2. JordanTaylorOctober 13, 2024 at 5:23 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. JordanTaylorOctober 13, 2024 at 5:24 PM

    Hi! The whole awards being concerning was interesting because, in my high school, it was the same way there were prizes, accomplishments, and many other awards all over the hallways and in glass cases. It could be taken as showing off, but if I saw a school with a lot of awards, I would be impressed and feel a sense of recognition and appreciation for being a part of such a successful school. Sports tend to bring people and communities closer together, so I think seeing a successful school is such a positive!

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  4. maryanndoeFNED246October 13, 2024 at 5:33 PM

    acquire point, on the school you attended urge kids to do better and earn a buck, but on the other hand, it also demonstrates how other students may feel differently about the buck earned.

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  5. Michelina IronsOctober 13, 2024 at 7:19 PM

    Hi Joanmarie! Your personal experience with team sports shows how such displays can unify students and celebrate collective achievements. It's clear that for many people, these symbols of success aren't just about individual triumphs, but they are about the shared effort and pride.

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  6. Nicole NunesOctober 13, 2024 at 8:36 PM

    Hi Joan Marie! I enjoyed reading your reflection. I agree with your point about trophies and awards not being seen as a negative in the classroom and in the school as a whole. Trophies should not be used to put students against each other, but as you said, it invokes a sense of pride because as a fan, you win too. I remember back in my senior year of high school, our football team won the RIIL Super Bowl. I remember the trophy being front and center in the case outside our cafeteria and instead of seeing it as a negative as Kohn describes, I remember feeling so proud to be a member of the high school because it felt like I had won, too. Trophies and other awards has its positives; they just need to have the right intention behind them.

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