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THAT would not work. Grades are the only power the teacher holds. If there are no grades, there will be no incentive for 90% of our students to do anything. I think the top 10% who value education will stilll want to learn but I think you'll see dismal results on state tests if you tried this. The threat of failure does work on some kids. Good grades entice others. What motivation do you think kids will have if they aren't graded?
I do agree, to a large extent, that grades are meaningless but they are a carrot or whip for some kids. Most kids, at least, don't want to fail. Take the threat of failure away and you'd demotivate many of them.
I would have no issue with no grades IF we went to exit exams that students had to pass to pass the class.
If the school loses the lawsuit, it opens the door to more lawsuits over contested grades. Should that happen, why wouldn't a school district protect itself by simply not issuing grades? I don't agree with that course of action, but I can see where it could happen.
If the school loses the lawsuit, it opens the door to more lawsuits over contested grades. Should that happen, why wouldn't a school district protect itself by simply not issuing grades? I don't agree with that course of action, but I can see where it could happen.
The school will lose the lawsuit (if the facts in the article are accurate) because they didn't follow the district policy regarding makeup work for excused absences. If they had, and the student didn't earn an A at that point, they would have nothing to worry about.
Aside from that this young man was in court for his sister's adoption according to the article. That would certainly be an excused absence.
So we have a student who is involved in something very important to his family. His court appearance is within the boundaries of an excused absence. He's there for his sibling on his/her special day. He's involved with his family. He's in on the official welcome of his sibling into his family.
Gee. Anyone else think the student did a GOOD thing? Yet he's punished by his teacher and his school.
So we have a student who is involved in something very important to his family. His court appearance is within the boundaries of an excused absence. He's there for his sibling on his/her special day. He's involved with his family. He's in on the official welcome of his sibling into his family.
Gee. Anyone else think the student did a GOOD thing? Yet he's punished by his teacher and his school.
What's wrong with this picture?
Like I said, we don't know the school's perspective. We need to know what the school did/didn't do. I don't disagree that it was a nice event for the young man to attend- but the school has rules, and he needs to follow them.
If the school loses the lawsuit, it opens the door to more lawsuits over contested grades. Should that happen, why wouldn't a school district protect itself by simply not issuing grades? I don't agree with that course of action, but I can see where it could happen.
Because if you don't grade students, you don't know if they are learning what they should. As a teacher, what do I do about students who don't do their labs or don't do the work if I'm not giving grades? Just pass them on good looks?
Without grades, what will be the pass/fail criteria?
Like I said, we don't know the school's perspective. We need to know what the school did/didn't do. I don't disagree that it was a nice event for the young man to attend- but the school has rules, and he needs to follow them.
"and that he had failed his final"....Um, if you failed my final, you'd be lucky to get a C+ in my class.
My guess is the school increasted the grade to an A because of the lab but the failing grade on the final killed any chance of an A in the class. I find that students often perform worse on the final than they did in the class.
The article is pretty much from the parents point of view. The fact that the administrator threatened to have the parent removed from the premises and claimed the teacher harassed her son during the final exam gives you a good perspective, but still waiting to hear from the school district on the accusations.
Because if you don't grade students, you don't know if they are learning what they should. As a teacher, what do I do about students who don't do their labs or don't do the work if I'm not giving grades? Just pass them on good looks?
Without grades, what will be the pass/fail criteria?
I agree with you- grades are important. But if grades are going to suddenly be subject to lawsuits, school districts won't be able to afford giving them.
There will not be lawsuits if they just follow their own policies. I do not understand why people think schools should not be subjected to lawsuits over grades, as if they walk on water or something.
There are psychotic teachers out there, to state teachers are all angels is ridiculous.
I agree with you- grades are important. But if grades are going to suddenly be subject to lawsuits, school districts won't be able to afford giving them.
They'll give them, they'll just have to be very objective....like end of year exams (which this student, apparently, failed) that are 80% of the grade. Subjective grades like lab reports could be an issue.
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