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This week is almost here/already here for most of us. For those unaware, many teachers/instructors get this question on the last week of school from students.
How do you respond to this question?
Depending on the student, I have a different response. If the student was a pain in my ace, I usually come up with some smart response like "find a time machine" or "sorry, that bus left the station weeks ago".
If the student tried really hard and is only a point or two away from the next grade up, I will usually give it to him/her.
Depending on the student, I have a different response. If the student was a pain in my ace, I usually come up with some smart response like "find a time machine" or "sorry, that bus left the station weeks ago".
I never used sarcasm when students would ask an earnest question because I wanted to model the behavior I wanted to see from them.
To me, if a HS student took the initiative to come up to me and ask instead rather than slinking out of the room every day and not caring about their grades, I would offer SOME kind of goal.
It often wouldn't be enough to raise it a letter grade, etc, but I tried to see it as a reward for their effort, even if it was late and "half-aced" effort.
I also advised them on the benefits of working hard consistently throughout the term vs. trying to stage late-term heroics.
Here is what I do: "Yes of course you can bring your grade up. Come in tonight after school, can you stay for about 45 minutes?, I'll go over your grades, and we'll come up with a plan to raise some of those lower assignments, make sure you bring some paper to record our plan". THEY NEVER SHOW UP. case closed. And of course now I have documentation of a conference between us, and when they fail, if asked I always include this conference that they did not attend as one of the reasons for their failure.
Panic in the last week of classes isn't taking initiative, though. It truly IS too late to do anything at that juncture that will raise a grade.
Put in your syllabus that there is an earlier deadline for any bonus assignments, opportunities to earn extra credit through the semester (if you do that sort if thing), and when a student comes in late in the game, you can refer then to the policy in writing that states that they missed the deadline.
Panic in the last week of classes isn't taking initiative, though. It truly IS too late to do anything at that juncture that will raise a grade.
Put in your syllabus that there is an earlier deadline for any bonus assignments, opportunities to earn extra credit through the semester (if you do that sort if thing), and when a student comes in late in the game, you can refer then to the policy in writing that states that they missed the deadline.
Exactly. It's like trying to buy car insurance after you've already gotten in a wreck and driven illegally for months.
I tell my students from day one that I will not even discuss "raising" grades during the last week of school. We do grade checks every other week in class, so grades should be no surprise.
I offer extra credit through French and German club. Interestingly enough, those students never show up to events.
Panic in the last week of classes isn't taking initiative, though. It truly IS too late to do anything at that juncture that will raise a grade.
Put in your syllabus that there is an earlier deadline for any bonus assignments, opportunities to earn extra credit through the semester (if you do that sort if thing), and when a student comes in late in the game, you can refer then to the policy in writing that states that they missed the deadline.
A written deadline given at the beginning of the session is a great way to set expectations and fend off workarounds.
If a student came up to me and asked, I always gave them SOMETHING to do, with the expectation (and hope) that the next time they panic (because they will) they would not procrastinate AS long.
I also stated clearly that the assignment given would not necessarily change their grade substantially, but my goal was to have them connect effort with results, even if the effort was made late.
If I were doing it today, I would probably stand firmer on the deadline, but I would never use sarcasm when dealing with a "business" issue like this with a student. I would just remind them of the deadline and move on.
...how about, "do the work when it was due the first time around?"
"Do you have any extra credit I can do to bring up my grade?" Me: "How about all the regular credit you did not do the rest of the year?"
The time to ask why you have a failing grade is NOT two weeks before the marking period ends, when there is very likely nothing they can do.
That being said, if, after a big test or quiz, a student comes to me asking when they can do to bring up their grade, I usually offer them the chance to come in on their lunch / after school / study hall and make corrections to their test/quiz for half points back. I have offered this all year to all students when I pass back tests, and I can count on one hand the number of kids who have come to do that. And of course, it's usually the ones who already got a 90-something.
A written deadline given at the beginning of the session is a great way to set expectations and fend off workarounds.
If a student came up to me and asked, I always gave them SOMETHING to do, with the expectation (and hope) that the next time they panic (because they will) they would not procrastinate AS long.
I also stated clearly that the assignment given would not necessarily change their grade substantially, but my goal was to have them connect effort with results, even if the effort was made late.
If I were doing it today, I would probably stand firmer on the deadline, but I would never use sarcasm when dealing with a "business" issue like this with a student. I would just remind them of the deadline and move on.
I think it is important to give them something to do, even though it won't change their final grade. Otherwise, these kids are going to create havoc for the remaining days of the school year in class. Why behave when you are going to get a D or F no matter what you do. Might as well have some kicks by acting obnoxiously until the last day-that's the teenage mindset.
There is no such thing as extra credit in real life. Try asking a college professor for extra credit. Better yet, try asking your boss for extra credit when you fail to turn in a report or complete a task. Doctors can’t ask for extra credit when their incompetence kills a patient. Do not ask it from me.
My students learn very quickly not to ask me this, as I give each one of them a copy of this list. Here are the rest of them:
Reality
Life is not fair; get used to it.
The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
You will NOT make $50,000 right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with an exotic foreign sports-car until you’ve earned it.
If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He doesn’t have tenure.
Flipping burgers is NOT beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for flipping burgers; they called it opportunity.
If YOU screw up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.
Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how great you are. So, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents’ generation, try delousing the closet in YOUR own room first.
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they’ll give you as many times as you want to get the answer right. This, of course, doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
There is no such thing as extra credit in real life. Try asking a college professor for extra credit. Better yet, try asking your boss for extra credit when you fail to turn in a report or complete a task. Doctors can’t ask for extra credit when their incompetence kills a patient. Do not ask it from me.
Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. In real life, drama and conflict is not staged, encouraged and amplified for 60 minute segments. Nor is it entertainment for mature, well-adjusted people.
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one some day.
There are 7,000,000,000 people on this planet. About 50-100 of them know, love and care about you. This means that 99.99% of the rest of the world neither knows nor cares about your existence. Therefore, learn some humility and remember – the world does not revolve around you.
You may have seen such a list before. This is My personally amended one. Feel free to utilize to your heart's content.
There is no such thing as extra credit in real life. Try asking a college professor for extra credit. Better yet, try asking your boss for extra credit when you fail to turn in a report or complete a task. Doctors can’t ask for extra credit when their incompetence kills a patient. Do not ask it from me.
My students learn very quickly not to ask me this, as I give each one of them a copy of this list. Here are the rest of them:
Reality
Life is not fair; get used to it.
The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
You will NOT make $50,000 right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with an exotic foreign sports-car until you’ve earned it.
If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He doesn’t have tenure.
Flipping burgers is NOT beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for flipping burgers; they called it opportunity.
If YOU screw up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.
Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how great you are. So, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents’ generation, try delousing the closet in YOUR own room first.
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they’ll give you as many times as you want to get the answer right. This, of course, doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
There is no such thing as extra credit in real life. Try asking a college professor for extra credit. Better yet, try asking your boss for extra credit when you fail to turn in a report or complete a task. Doctors can’t ask for extra credit when their incompetence kills a patient. Do not ask it from me.
Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. In real life, drama and conflict is not staged, encouraged and amplified for 60 minute segments. Nor is it entertainment for mature, well-adjusted people.
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one some day.
There are 7,000,000,000 people on this planet. About 50-100 of them know, love and care about you. This means that 99.99% of the rest of the world neither knows nor cares about your existence. Therefore, learn some humility and remember – the world does not revolve around you.
You may have seen such a list before. This is My personally amended one. Feel free to utilize to your heart's content.
Umm actually yes there is such thing as extra credit in real life. In fact there is no such thing as grades in real life. If you complete a project for your company they don't say "Lets see you get a B-.." Its either pass or fail. The extra credit is networking, ass kissing, favoritism etc. You teachers love to spout things about the real life but most of you havent worked a day in the real world.
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