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At a growing number of middle schools and high schools across the country, students no longer receive failing marks when they fail. Instead, they get an "H" — for "held" — on their report cards, and they're given a chance to rectify their poor performance without tanking the entire semester.
Educators in schools from Costa Mesa, Calif., to Maynard, Mass., are also employing a policy known in school hallways as ZAP — or "Zeros Aren't Permitted" — which gives students an opportunity to finish the homework they neglected to do on time.
I don't agree with this. I think the grading system works just fine, provided the curriculum is solid, which at times it is not. Then there are some vindictive teachers who want to send a message to certain kids (don't say it doesn't happen...I know firsthand that it does, and have a story about that).
Fix the problem, then if students aren't understanding the material, maybe the course materials need to be improved or the student needs to be relocated to another class, or given tutoring, or something. My point: fix the source and stop laying teachers off that are desperately needed.
I do believe everyone should get at least a second chance at making the grade. It may be a good idea if the parents join various school groups so they can see first hand how their child is progressing. Books are the main issue here because when a book of 10 years ago is uissues in class the subject matter may have dramatically changed. What about TV schooling in classrooms?
Review the course at the beginning of the year and invite all parents to every class their child will be taking. Sort of like a movie review. Then we may not need as many teachers arguing about who is certified or who is not certified to teach class.
We do need to change a lot about teaching our children and I believe it really should start at home then their ideas are refined to a commonality of a subject that everyone should agree will be taught.
Also I believe we should remove the "no child left behind" problem and just give the kid a second chance by having them attend summer school and attend class after normal school hours during the new semester....
If a kid is not making the grade he should get an "F". Kids need to know that if they don't do what is needed to EARN the grade they will fail. Yes teachers need to be flexible, but when grades are turned in give them what they EARN.
Unfortunately there are failures in life, kids need to know that. You get what you give. It is unfair for a student to work their tail off and receive a bad grade, and then have someone F for being lazy and getting a "redo". I can not stand that policy, because it is not practical in the real world. As far as summer school is concerned, that is a joke! I know kids who are on the sumemr school plan, that is they fail all year and go to summer school every year. It's called social promotion folks, and it sucks for the kids that really try.
This already happens in a number of colleges. You are strongly advised to never give a student an F in case the student loses their scholarship, the school looks bad, the parents get involved etc.
If a student does not do what is required to pass, then that student should be failed and made to retake the class. Quit lowering the bar!!! ~ Quote the college junior maintaining a 4.0 cumulative GPA
If we lower the bar then we fail......If we fail those that do not make the grade then who fails? The student, the parents are the ones who really fail so then do we mark the parents too? Let's just fine each parent and the student a $1,000 for taking up a teacher's time. Rediculous I say...Make it hard for the kid but make it so he can pass. Not a pass/fail course a pass or else course. Or else you will go to the "new summer school", you and your parents will be fined $1,000 and the child will need to be tested once again to pass the grade.
Here is another truism. The American unions have contracts with the management that provide the employee with a second, third time to correct the problem the employee produced. What if we go strict with everything including unions and people should fail in life if they do one wrong or do not make the mark the first time....Here is another one. Sports can only have winners and no loosers and what about Olympics. Just the Gold. Get rid of Silver and Bronze cause they are wanna bee repeats................
Think about what you guys are saying next time and if we continue to fail those kids who just didn't quit make the grade to stay another year then we just suck as Americans and our educational system is gonna go down the drain. In America people who persue higher education are taught to think outside the box. Plain Jane academemia just doesn't work anymore. However, we have the right to express our opinions too so lets just be fair...
God Bless our Veterans and Troops.
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