Grading for high school classes

[linders]

How to address a grading issue? I don't agree with it, but grade inflation is a fact, and high school gpa's reflect it. Colleges and scholarship committees expect it.

 

DS12, in Honors Algebra 1, has a 94 average as he nears the end of the quarter. That is the highest score in the class by 3-4 points, in other words, the only A (just barely) out of 20 students. His teacher, who has 30+ years experience, is excellent and challenges them, but he is very old school - no "extra credit" opportunities, points off for every minor error. Part of me likes this - DS is learning - but I have also joked with the teacher that he is launching the kids on their high school career with a low GPA. His response? In his mind, A's should be rare, for exceptional students (he calls DS one such), and C's mean average and are perfectly acceptable. He wants to single-handedly fight grade inflation.

 

So DS will live, but a host of other quite bright, hard-working kids will be quite affected.

 

Worth pursing? Or let it go, recognizing that there will always be that one class that dings you.

[AggieMama]

Since the class is labeled honors DS should get extra GPA points. There will be several honors teachers throughout his career that will go against grade inflation. There are other ways to compare him to others like SATs and ACTs. I'm not sure I would push it.

[regentrude]

Kudos to the teacher for upholding standards. I have high respect for him, since it must be difficult being pressured from both administration and parents to lower his expectations.

 

I see no reason to complain. If more teachers were like that, we did not have to deal with students in college who are expecting that we will just hand them an A on a platter for "effort", demand "extra credit", and whine when they lose points for mistakes.

 

 

[mathwonk]

reminds me of the student (whom i have told of before) in my college "honors" calculus class who, when she got a 94 on the first test of the quarter, said "i don't like the way this is going", and dropped out.  In particular I want to argue against the idea that teaching people more, while giving them lower grades is "hurting" them. 

 

I realize there are other situations, such as honors based on grades, but e.g. when a professor assesses a student for admission to an advanced class, he/she usually just interviews the student to see what they know, rather than mindlessly looking at their gpa.  and it is for precisely the reason we are discussing here that the gpa does not carry useful information.  sorry, getting down now from stump.

[Tsuga]

I had such teachers in late high school and college. They were the best. They pushed me further.

 

If I got a C in that class, I would ask that teacher for a letter of recommendation. Then when they see the transcript they can link it to the teacher and realize that the grade is really meaningful.

 

Or they can study more and try harder to be exceptional. Go in more during office hours. That's what I learned to do.

[Reefgazer]

Let it go - it's the teacher's class and I also think he is spot on with his methods.

[quark]

After wading through a bunch of easy profs (rate my professor can be misleading!), mine finally found an old school teacher this semester. We are both SO happy. DS is learning, like really learning. It's wonderful news to me that these teachers still exist.

[kiwik]

I think he is right an A should be rare (one or two a class) but i do see your concern.

[Bootsie]

Not all colleges expect grade inflation from all schools.  Universities that are familiar with your son's school will be aware if it is one that is trying to fight grade inflation.