Should we reward outstanding students or improving students — discussion essay

Schools have long debated whom they should give recognition to. Some think that only top performers deserve to be celebrated, while others argue that students who get better are the ones most worthy of praise. This essay will look at both positions before giving my view.

Those who support rewarding the best students often say that excellence should be held up as a public standard. Visible top achievers make ambition in their peers and give schools with a clear measure of academic success. In addition, scholarships and prizes for top results help get talented students into competitive universities and careers, which helps society as a whole.

On the other hand, a lot of educators believe that rewarding only the top ignores the big effort behind personal growth. A student who moves from a failing grade to a passing one has often done greater obstacles than a classmate who consistently scores highly. Saying this kind of hard work can make the confidence of struggling learners and stop them from giving up entirely.

In my view, schools should do both approaches. Outstanding achievement deserves recognition, but so does meaningful improvement. A balanced reward system teaches to every student that both excellence and effort are important, which leads to a healthier learning culture.

In conclusion, while celebrating top students has good benefits, ignoring those who get better risks discouraging the majority. Schools that use dual recognition — for both raw excellence and meaningful improvement — make classrooms where every student feels their effort matters. The best approach gives both achievement and progress. Recognition systems that reward only the top performers risk leaving the majority of students feeling that their efforts go unseen, which over time hurts the motivation schools depend on.

Schools have long debated whom they should award recognition to. Some maintain that only top performers deserve to be honoured, while others argue that students who make progress are the ones most worthy of recognition. This essay will examine both positions before presenting my view.

Those who support rewarding the highest-achieving students often argue that excellence should be celebrated as a public standard. Visible top achievers inspire ambition in their peers and provide schools with a tangible measure of academic achievement. In addition, scholarships and prizes for top results help attract talented students into competitive universities and careers, which benefits society as a whole.

On the other hand, many educators believe that rewarding only the elite ignores the substantial effort behind personal growth. A student who climbs from a failing grade to a passing one has often overcome greater obstacles than a classmate who consistently scores highly. Acknowledging this kind of perseverance can boost the confidence of struggling learners and prevent them from giving up entirely.

In my view, schools should adopt both approaches. Outstanding achievement deserves recognition, but so does meaningful improvement. A balanced reward system signals to every student that both excellence and effort are valued, which leads to a more inclusive learning culture.

In conclusion, while celebrating top students has legitimate benefits, ignoring those who grow risks discouraging the majority. Schools that implement dual recognition — for both raw excellence and meaningful improvement — cultivate classrooms where every student has reason to feel their effort matters. The fairest approach honours both achievement and progress. Recognition systems that acknowledge only the top performers risk leaving the majority of students feeling that their efforts go unseen, which over time erodes the motivation schools depend on.