Awards and recognitions, incentives and rewards

Maribel C. Pascual

In support of the holistic development of Filipino learners, it is important to veer away from valuing only academic achievement based on high grades and move toward valuing and celebrating a wide range of student achievements.

Awards aim to acknowledge and promote student excellence in various areas and to provide formal recognition of student achievements that can motivate learners to strive for excellence in academic, leadership, and social responsibility.

In effect, the Policy Guidelines on Awards and Recognition for the K to 12 Basic Education Program encourage all learners to remarkably and skillfully perform specific kinds of tasks critical to their success in school and at work. Consequently, the policy will include all learners and encourage them to be proactive members of their school and community.

These guidelines are anchored in the Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program (DepEd Order No. 8 s. 2015), which supports learners’ holistic development in order for them to become effective lifelong learners with21stcentury skills.

This policy aims to give all learners equal opportunity to excel in relation to the standard set by the curriculum and focus on their own performance rather than to compete with one another. It recognizes that all students have their unique strengths that need to be identified, strengthened, and publicly acknowledged.

In addition to acknowledging and promoting the development of the learners’ unique cognitive and other skills that underpin success in school and at work, the awards also aim to nurture the formation of the learners’ values and attitudes anchored on the core values of the Department of Education.

The giving of awards and recognition is but one of the many ways by which teachers and schools provide students with positive feedback and affirmation, which can improve the learner’s confidence, self-awareness, and enthusiasm for learning. Other ways by which teachers can provide learners with information about their competence or the value of their accomplishments can be explored. A motivating environment that promotes respect for student diversity and dedication to learning contributes to the creation of a positive school climate that supports the well-being and achievement of all students.

Meanwhile, motivating students to learn and to participate can be very hard. To stimulate learning and to motivate good behavior, lots of teachers use rewards for students which lead to appropriate behavior, increased motivation, boosted selfesteem, and improved results.