Hyper-Inflated Grades.....(warning: ps rant)

[ereks mom]

Will they cut the intelligent child a break? No, but the lower functioning student gets his grade padded because he struggles but his effort is there!

 

Here's a perfect example of what Delaney said:

 

ER took an 8:00 AM history class this semester, against his better judgment--he's NOT a morning person, and history is NOT his best subject--at the insistence of his advisor. He should have dropped the class when the professor announced at the beginning of the semester that students would lose a letter grade for every 3 absences, AND 2 tardies=1 absence, but ER decided to stick it out. Add that to the fact that the only possible grades in the class were the mid-term, the final, and an arbitrary "class participation grade".

 

ER really studied, but made only a 72 on the mid-term and only a 77 on the final, but had 100% for class participation. I'm not sure how those were weighted, but at the end of the semester, when grades were posted online, ER was delighted to receive an 84.7, which is a B at his school. BUT the professor dropped his grade by 5 points because he had 2 absences and 3 tardies, which equals 3.5 absences--0.5 more than allowed. So ER wound up with a 79.7, which is a C at his school (the very first C he has EVER had in his entire LIFE! :(). ER asked the professor if he could round the grade to an 80 so he would have a B instead of a C, but the professor said he "had to follow policy".

 

But the story doesn't end there. ER's friend was also in that history class. The other kid is a mediocre student who skips class regularly and almost never studies. This kid had a 58 on the midterm and had 9 absences, but actually managed a B on the final. That still wasn't enough to bring up his grade to passing (70). But the kid emailed the professor and said, "I know I goofed off this semester, but I really studied for the final, so can you help me out?" The professor emailed him back and said, "Merry Christmas", and posted his grade as a C. YES, HE GOT THE SAME GRADE AS ER, from the same professor who "had to follow policy". SHEESH! :mad:

Edited December 29, 2010 by ereks mom

[Tammyla]

I would be tempted to speak with the professor again.

 

Here's a perfect example of what Delaney said:

 

ER took an 8:00 AM history class this semester, against his better judgment--he's NOT a morning person, and history is NOT his best subject--at the insistence of his advisor. He should have dropped the class when the professor announced at the beginning of the semester that students would lose a letter grade for every 3 absences, AND 2 tardies=1 absence, but ER decided to stick it out. Add that to the fact that the only possible grades in the class were the mid-term, the final, and an arbitrary "class participation grade".

 

ER really studied, but made only a 72 on the mid-term and only a 77 on the final, but had 100% for class participation. I'm not sure how those were weighted, but at the end of the semester, when grades were posted online, ER was delighted to receive an 84.7, which is a B at his school. BUT the professor dropped his grade by 5 points because he had 2 absences and 3 tardies, which equals 3.5 absences--0.5 more than allowed. So ER wound up with a 79.7, which is a C at his school (the very first C he has EVER had in his entire LIFE! :(). ER asked the professor if he could round the grade to an 80 so he would have a B instead of a C, but the professor said he "had to follow policy".

 

But the story doesn't end there. ER's friend was also in that history class. The other kid is a mediocre student who skips class regularly and almost never studies. This kid had a 58 on the midterm and had 9 absences, but actually managed a B on the final. That still wasn't enough to bring up his grade to passing (70). But the kid emailed the professor and said, "I know I goofed off this semester, but I really studied for the final, so can you help me out?" The professor emailed him back and said, "Merry Christmas", and posted his grade as a C. YES, HE GOT THE SAME GRADE AS ER, from the same professor who "had to follow policy". SHEESH! :mad:

[Dana]

I would be tempted to speak with the professor again.

 

Or the department chair with an eye to a formal grade appeal.

Your son doesn't really have grounds, but if he had a copy of the email... then he does.

[justamouse]

anyone read the NY Times article about this?

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/education/26grades.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=us

[tex-mex]

Also...

 

1. Parents complain.

2. Administrators don't support the teacher.

3. Administrators tell the teacher to inflate grades or dumb down the curriculum or both. I personally have been ordered to do both.

4. NOT ONCE in well over a decade's worth of teaching have I ever, ever had a parent or administrator get in my face over giving a class or a child a grade of A or B. However, I have had many administrators and parents get in my face for the opposite reason.

 

For many teachers, they just. get. tired. They get tired of fighting all the time to teach a decent curriculum at an appropriate level of challenge for most students. It's just too easy to pass everyone because there is NO blowback, no consequence. In fact, there are negative consequences for doing it the "right way."

:iagree: This is why I retired from teaching... LOL!!! ;)