Susan in TN Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 We have to report letter grades to our umbrella school, and a "C" was the best grade I could give him in good conscience for 1st semester English 1. It was a gift in many ways since I let him turn in his major writing assignment late. Ugh. He's generally a diligent worker - good attitude, intelligent, etc. He just didn't get some of the work done. I waffle over guilt that maybe his work load was just too difficult even though I frequently cut back and made adjustments. We've made some changes in his lesson day that are helping him with keeping on task and accountability. Does it seem silly that this bothers me so much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 It would bother me too. Would you be able to give him an I for incomplete instead and allow him to complete the assignments? Or maybe it would be motivation for him to get the work in on time with a C. Or maybe it's just too much and the workload has to be reduced, as you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 My oldest son was an A student in public school, but I can't tell you how many times he was allowed "extra credit" to make up for various things. Not every teacher allowed extra credit, but the majority did. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam L in Mid Tenn Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I've given some C's. :) If that is the earned grade, then that is the earned grade. I don't think a few semesters of C's on a transcript is terrible. And, IMHO, I think it gives the A's and B's more credibility. YKWIM? I did "inflate" a grade for my LD dd in Algebra a few years ago. She earned a 66 and I gave her 4 points for "e for effort" because she HAD worked hard! I did not want a D on the transcript. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in TX Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I waffle over guilt that maybe his work load was just too difficult even though I frequently cut back and made adjustments. We've made some changes in his lesson day that are helping him with keeping on task and accountability. Does it seem silly that this bothers me so much? I could have written this. I can never decide whether I'm too demanding or dd is not working diligently and efficiently enough. That said, I wouldn't be afraid to give him a C if that's what he earned, especially for a mid-year grade early in high school. It's hard, isn't it? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanna Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 We have to report letter grades to our umbrella school, and a "C" was the best grade I could give him in good conscience for 1st semester English 1. It was a gift in many ways since I let him turn in his major writing assignment late. Ugh. He's generally a diligent worker - good attitude, intelligent, etc. He just didn't get some of the work done. I waffle over guilt that maybe his work load was just too difficult even though I frequently cut back and made adjustments. We've made some changes in his lesson day that are helping him with keeping on task and accountability. Does it seem silly that this bothers me so much? Susan, it's funny you should post this b/c I'm kinda having the same struggle in a similar circumstance. My ds 13, 8th grade is averaging a "C" at best in Math exams. If he continues, I feel bothered by having to put a grade like that on his report card that I will be turning in to my local school board as part of our state's requirement. I'm considering "beefing up" his grade using the scores from his daily assignments (which average 70 - 90). I haven't decided if this is "kosher" for me to do. On the one hand, I feel it gives a more complete "picture" of his work in this subject. On the other hand, I'm only considering doing it to "beef up" his grade, YKWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Susan, it's funny you should post this b/c I'm kinda having the same struggle in a similar circumstance. My ds 13, 8th grade is averaging a "C" at best in Math exams. If he continues, I feel bothered by having to put a grade like that on his report card that I will be turning in to my local school board as part of our state's requirement. I'm considering "beefing up" his grade using the scores from his daily assignments (which average 70 - 90). I haven't decided if this is "kosher" for me to do. On the one hand, I feel it gives a more complete "picture" of his work in this subject. On the other hand, I'm only considering doing it to "beef up" his grade, YKWIM? Kids in school don't get graded only on tests--things like daily work definitely count. You can do it different ways--give a score based on whether it was done or not (I had teachers who just gave checkmarks--if it was done, that was successful), or give a score based on the grade of the assignment. I'd feel very comfortable giving credit for daily work as part of my overall grade. I have also been known to make my kids re-do a test if their score was not acceptable. Even in high school, there were teachers who did this--sometimes they averaged the first and second grades. I haven't decided if I will do this in high school, but I have no qualms about totally retaking a test in Jr. High. (Just gave my son the "check your work before you turn it in" lecture yesterday & handed his test back to him!). Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I could have written this. I can never decide whether I'm too demanding or dd is not working diligently and efficiently enough. That said, I wouldn't be afraid to give him a C if that's what he earned, especially for a mid-year grade early in high school. It's hard, isn't it? :) :):iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I would have no problem with giving credit for daily work in less mastery-based subjects. My kids' English credit, for instance, is based on ALL their essays and books and assignments, it does not make sense to give one final exam. In math, however, I feel the grade needs to reflect how well the student has mastered the material not just of that particular day or week, but the complete material of the semester/year - because the next year's material is heavily based on this. My kids get one cumulative math exam at the end of the semester. I know schools handle that differently - and that's how I end up with college students who had an A in algebra and have no true command of the material; so that grade was completely meaningless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Dh and I decided before dd began her high school work, what we required for an A in any given subject. We then explained these expectations and issued a course syllabus for each subject. It was a lot of work and the syllabus explained exactly what the consequences were for late assignments, etc. We offered two days of make-up without penalty for each sick day or really unexpected crazy day in which she might have needed my input but something happened and I didn't get to her to help her in time. That last situtation was not common, but we wanted to assure her that if she needed more of "us" in order to complete an assignment and it wasn't related to irresponsibility/procrastination, etc. she wouldn't be penalized. We talked about transcripts being final, our integrity as teachers to report exactly what she had earned and to not inflate grades, that the reason we homeschooled her was to give her a better education than what was available, and that an excellent education includes life lessons in responsibility and does not include grade inflation. If she wanted to get a 4.0, it would not be a gift, it would be well earned. She is a natural at everything except grammar. She had two semesters in which a B and a B+ was the best she could earn. So, no 4.0 which is what she wanted. It's really, really hard! I know, I get it....ARGHHHHH why do kids do this to us??? I knew how badly she wanted a 4.0, but I knew that with three younger ds's watching, that if I started offering extra credit, moved deadlines, got generous with grades, etc. I'd have nothing but trouble by setting that precedent. The one thing I did know was that if any college asked, I could produce proof to back up her earned G.P.A. and if anything, since dh and I are fairly tough, they'd look at her portfolio and say, "Wow....Why didn't you give her a 4.0?" ((HUGS)) Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat in MI Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Just checked my son's classes and it depends on the class how they weight each portion of his work, but each class does give a grade for daily work. Two examples are: Algebra 45% of his grade comes from homework and 55% of his grade is from tests. Biology (definitely a tougher teacher) gives Tests 35%, Homework 25%, Quizzes 20% and Labs 20% . This school does allow a student to re-take one test during a marking period. They are allowed to hand in work late, but the grade on the assignment is reduced by at least 25%. (They can hand it in anytime up to the end of a marking period) So even if my son were learning at home I would be giving him some credit for daily work and late assignments. HTH Blessings, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I graded hard/exact/whatever my first year of homeschooling when my boys were in 9th, 7th, and 5th grades respectively. I've since switched. Their competition (ps kids) get graded rather easily with some teachers even allowing non-coursework extra credit points (bring food to a canned food drive sort of thing). Now I don't focus so much on grades, but I do still focus on learning. If a test or paper wasn't completed to my satisfaction it might have been redone with corrections (also allowed at our local ps) or something similar. In the end, my grades match my boys standardized test scores. That's what colleges want to see (GPA matches SAT/ACT) anyway, so it works for me. In some classes I don't really give grades - except at the end. My middle son was rather annoyed with me when I told him to put down a 95% for English for last year. He was afraid it would lower his GPA too much. Granted, his test scores put him in the 99th percentile, but I didn't feel right having him put a 99 on a subjective course. He has similar high grades in math/science, but there's less subjectivity with those. He DID get them all correct (or mostly). My youngest gets a low B in math, but that's where his test scores put him too. We've run into summer completing courses (long after portfolios were submitted), but that's because I require far more than our ps requires and it just takes longer. We also do more "other things" (field trips and the like) in our school year, so we're kind of combining a typical school year with year round schooling I suppose. My two oldest, both of whom have successfully completed college courses, had no problems with "real" course deadlines even with having looser requirements at home. I don't really think homeschooling requires stress. It just requires learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I would have no problem with giving credit for daily work in less mastery-based subjects. My kids' English credit, for instance, is based on ALL their essays and books and assignments, it does not make sense to give one final exam. In math, however, I feel the grade needs to reflect how well the student has mastered the material not just of that particular day or week, but the complete material of the semester/year - because the next year's material is heavily based on this. My kids get one cumulative math exam at the end of the semester. I know schools handle that differently - and that's how I end up with college students who had an A in algebra and have no true command of the material; so that grade was completely meaningless. Yes. That's how I grade too. What a relief to know I'm not the only one! I don't weight grades either, as it seems to me the point of a grade is to reflect their overall quality of work. I also don't really care what schools do. If they were the model to follow, there wouldn't be much point to home schooling.;). So no, I don't give extra credit (well very rarely and certainly not enough to bring a c to an a) or let them redo tests or many other things that might be done in our local schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Just checked my son's classes and it depends on the class how they weight each portion of his work, but each class does give a grade for daily work. Two examples are: Algebra 45% of his grade comes from homework and 55% of his grade is from tests. Biology (definitely a tougher teacher) gives Tests 35%, Homework 25%, Quizzes 20% and Labs 20% . This. They give as much for "participation" as the final. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 Thanks, Everyone - I think he now has a better grasp on the importance of actually completing his work :) and hopefully can pull his grade up enough 2nd semester to warrent a "B" for the year. He's already working quite a bit in the evenings to finish his reading and he's asking questions about writing assignments and what should be done when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 The reality is that our kids are going to be average in some areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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