Wednesday, November 12, 2008
In Our Schools - Minus zero
Well, I guess this is the new trend of adjusting the grading system, rather than improving the teaching system.
In the example cited, a student with three grades of 70 and a zero grade (adjusted to be a 50), ends up with a 65 average, a "D".
Enter the devil's advocate.
Suppose another student also has three grades of 70 and another grade of 65. Well, they end up with a 68.75 average, also a "D".
So, using this system, both students are equal; right?...
In the example cited, a student with three grades of 70 and a zero grade (adjusted to be a 50), ends up with a 65 average, a "D".
Enter the devil's advocate.
Suppose another student also has three grades of 70 and another grade of 65. Well, they end up with a 68.75 average, also a "D".
So, using this system, both students are equal; right?...
At NaplesNews.com, Katherine Lewis reports:
"Fifty is the new zero — if you are a Collier County elementary school student, that is.
That’s because the Collier County School District is taking a different approach to help kids succeed. In an attempt to help students learn while making it easier for them to succeed, district teachers will issue a score no lower than 50.
Beth Thompson, the district’s executive director for elementary school programs, said the idea is not new in the Collier district. Educators have studied it for years as the district looked to make grading practices more effective."
