I never knew grading policies could be so controversial until today. After the longest meeting ever, I now know--it seems that no two teachers agree on exactly how students should be graded.
I used to think I knew how to grade the students I teach. They work hard, study hard, understand the material and they receive an A. Students who are lazy and who refuse to learn get F's. Not so much.
Evidently, students who are lazy, don't do their homework, skip the studying, and disrupt class rather than complete classwork don't deserve to fail. Supposedly, they have not had a chance to show how much they do or do not know, and so they should be given a grade based on the few assignments that the teacher managed to wrangle out of them--or either assigned an "incomplete." No more zeros in the gradebook. Giving these students F's for missing work is grading their behavior, not their knowledge, and we can't have that.
If an assignment is turned in late, should there be a penalty? No. They completed the work and mastered the objective, even if the assignment is so old that you have to dig out the answer key in order to grade it. (Real life translation: Kids, as long as you pay your cell phone bill sometime before you die, it'll be ok. We won't bother penalizing you with any of those pesky late fees, and we most certainly won't disconnect your phone service.)
If a student fails a test, should he receive an F? No. He should be allowed to re-take the test. Not only does he get to re-take the test, but the teacher should come up with a new test to give to him. How many times does that student get to re-take the test, you may ask? As many as he wants.
Grading = boo. I'm so flustered.
4 comments:
That is the most ridiculous load of crap I've ever heard. Yes, if they are lazy and don't turn in homework then there are probably other issues that are going on but that doesn't mean that they should be treated like the golden boy. BOOOO!
Why is it that in America we believe firmly in the policy that the squeeky wheel gets the grease? Even if it is at the expense of all of the perfectly fine working wheels?
What a crock? I can't believe these ideas are actually being perpetuated. A world without consequence? What a shame. Why don't we babysit, silver spoon feed, and hold these students hands all the way through college, marriage, and raising children, because really they are just "misunderstood," right? I can see your frustrations and they are justified.
That is some serious BS! The only reason they're doing this crap is because it makes the school district look bad when kids aren't passing. Someone should protest this crap. Grrrr! No wonder we've got so many stupid people invading the workforce!!!
I so feel you on this. I want to meet the people who come up with these ridiculous policies. Obviously, they have never set foot in a classroom. Hang in there!
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