Awards I might give out if I can think of a few more:
- The Heat Seeking Missile - for the Best Pattern-Noticer
- The Bulldog - for the Most Tenacious Problem Solver
- The Honorary TA - for the most prolific/effective peer tutors
- The Librarian - "Sshhh! You guys! I'm trying to LEARN!"
- The Scion of Pythagoras - for the most beautiful compass and straight-edge constructions
- The Helpdesk - for the angels I can put on tech support duty on computer days
- The Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A - for the nerdiest t-shirts
I am still working on it. I have two whole days. I'll get there. But I had lots of other ideas.
Awards it would be impolitic to give but amuse me nonetheless:
- The Your Tutor Gets an A+ Award - for the highest discrepancy between grades on in-class and take-home assignments
- The Draco Malfoy - for s/he with the parent that made the most threats
- This is Not the Phone You're Looking For - for the stealthiest texter
- The Deanna Troi - for the Cleverest Hans
- You Make Me Die Inside A Little - for the kid who tells me things like 0 is a solution to (x+3)/2x = (x-2)/x because undefined = undefined.
- Are You Taking a Class Called 'Advanced Field Trip'? - for the most excused absences
- The I Love You Man - For the girl who writes something like MISSNOWEEZIE IS THE BOMBDIGGITY on the whiteboard every freaking day.
My school year ended yesterday, but I wanted you to know that I got a good laugh from your list.
ReplyDeleteMy first year, the English teachers gave practically everyone an award and the math teachers were stingy. So second year I had students nominate their classmates for awards (and let them give me some categories.) Actual awards I gave out included:
ReplyDeleteNASA award--for spacing out
That's Entertainment--for the class goofball
Good Morning Award--for always greeting me in the hall
Most Vocal--true story
Most Unique--for the student who had no classmates
Worker Bee--which I like better than Struggled Your Way Through
Strongest Finish--guy was awesome
Top of Her Game--for the sporty girl who was also top of her class
Team Captain--was called that all year, only fitting for an award
Graphing King--because he caught on to the graphing lessons quicker than the rest of the class
Warm-up Journal Queen--she ALWAYS volunteered to work the problem on the board
Senior Member--for the senior in a class of freshmen and sophomores
Cannon's Club Award--for being such a teacher's pet (and making me a pet teacher)
Hope these give you inspiration for the last few awards. (Also, highly suggest the nominations. Give everyone a roster of the class. Some of the ones above were self-nominations, but still felt good to give.)
I did this too. I used powerpoint to create fancy looking certificates and signed them and everything. My awards were not mathy and were most likely to's.
ReplyDeleteMost likely to: have more than one hair color, never have a pencil, know the answer to every problem, blame me for a bad grade, sing random song lyrics, borrow headphones every day, sleep through class wake up and still ask the question that somebody else asked...etc. They were really fun and the students loved it. Each class wanted to be the only class that got them and some students came to me and said they had never won an award before.
Good times.
The Mr./Mrs. Einstein Award, for the parent(s) who most strongly believe (without compelling evidence) that their child is the next Einstein. (not to be awarded publicly)
ReplyDeleteThe Technicolor Rainbow Award, for the student who completes his/her work in at least (but usually more) three colors.
Re technicolor award: I actually had a student who wrote using three colors. He alternated for each letter.
ReplyDeleteThese ideas are great! At my school we give out academic awards for the top 10% in the class. It gets boring because the same students get awards in every subject and 90% of the kids are ignored...I am keeping these in mind for next year. Have a great summer!
ReplyDeleteAs I read through the list I could picture students for each award. Great list! Have a great summer!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea - a low pressure way to recognize each student and end the class with some circumstance. I wonder if we could do this at camp (60 kids). Maybe in small groups...
ReplyDelete