Active participation is an important part of having a successful academic career. By being present in class, students are better able to learn more. School attendance, or lack thereof, can have a lasting impact on academic performance. In addition to the academic benefits, kids who attend school regularly also develop the habits and work ethic essential for future success.
Chronic absence has a negative effect on academic achievement, which is apparent as early as kindergarten. Kids who are chronically absent during kindergarten show decreased levels of achievement in reading and math. If unaddressed, it can have a negative impact future academic performance. Not only does the absent student suffer consequences, other students miss out when teachers have devote extra attention to helping him or her catch up. If chronic absence continues by the time the student is in sixth grade, there is a greater likelihood of dropping out of school.
As you can see, good attendance is more than just “showing up.”By making sure to attend class every day, students not only improve their academic skills, they gain exposure to greater opportunities. This is especially true for older students because they get to learn more about college and potential scholarship opportunities. This better enables them to set academic goals relevant to their college and potential career plans.
Good attendance is also vital for students who don’ speak English as their first language. When kids who have a first language other than English, exposure to the English language on a daily basis allows students to master the skills they need more quickly and accurately. With regular attendance, there are more opportunities to practice; with more opportunities to practice, the greater chance of developing fluency.
Although academics are a big part of attendance, there are other benefits as well. Attending regularly and actively participating in class teaches students learn to get along with others, be a part of a larger community, develop social skills and broaden their worldview.
Other benefits from good attendance are the values students learn. By making a point to be present in the classroom, students learn accountability and responsibility. For success in any endeavor, one must make a point to show up on time, be able to work with others and practice self-discipline.
The key to improving school attendance is to address the causes behind chronic absence. Throughout the country, school districts have been implementing their own programs to address this issue. One example is the Check & Connect student engagement program developed for the Minneapolis School District. This is just one of the many being implemented, for more information visit Attendance Works.
But how do we go about encouraging good attendance? Although we know it will serve students well in the future, positive reinforcement is essential for promoting good behavior. There are many approaches different schools take towards incentivizing attendance. Some will post students names, give certificates or hold pizza parties.
The good news is that incentives for good attendance don’ have to be expensive. Trophies and medals are ideal for rewarding good attendance. At K2 Awards, we have a selection of affordable and high quality good attendance trophies and medals. These are ideal for distributing during a school assembly or you can host your very own awards ceremony. If you need assistance with choosing the best award or design support, our responsive customer service team is ready to assist you. With our guaranteed fast delivery and 100% customer satisfaction, K2 has the good attendance awards students will want to show up for!