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Develop Your Child Into a Award-Winning Student

By Maria Bickel, Cornwall-Lebanon Education Association May 20, 2015
The end of the school year is coming quickly. One thing that teachers must do at the end of the year is nominate students for various awards given out at graduation. Whether your child is having preschool, kindergarten, fifth grade, middle school, or high school graduation, one thing remains in common with all end of the year awards. Students who are ALL-AROUND nice kids ALWAYS stand out in the crowd.

What makes an award winning student?  Well, here are some common traits that all teachers look for in students:  
  • Kind and respectful to all peers
  • Shows appreciation and respect for all adults in the school and community
  • Works to his fullest potential
  • Leadership qualities
  • Effort in all areas of the school
  • Good manners
  • A role model for others
Think about how you are raising your child. Do you model these traits in the community and in your household? If you model and encourage these traits in your child, your child WILL stand out among his peers.

You have to TEACH and MODEL these skills every day for them to become second nature for your child. Praise your child for his best effort -- even if his best effort is a B on a report card. Praise your child for his respect when he allows another child to step in front of him in line or gives him another chance on the basketball court. PRAISE and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the skill builds more of the same!

Not every child will win an award at graduation, but every child needs to be taught these skills and traits that will make him a winner in LIFE! People want to be around kind, caring, respectful individuals. Make sure your child is growing towards that goal and you will also be a winning parent!