There is a movement in the education world to change teacher grading policies so that students can't make below a 50 - even if they don't do any work or don't come to school. Please read this article from Las Vegas Sun and look at the arguments from both sides. What you think about this concept? How might it affect your education? Give specific reasons for your position.
52 comments:
I think this could be the most absurd proposition they have come up with. Yes, the kids who try, but can't comprehend the lessons have earned a "c," but to compromise the challenge for all of the students is just ludicrous! Awarding 50 points for no effort, whatsoever, teaches kids nothing except that slacking is acceptable. Sure, for the kids who try, this would be a passable grading scale, but that should be to the teachers discretion.
I thinkn this is an outragous idea, and I don't even know why they would be considering it. If kids just don;t have to turn in anything to get a 50 why would they want to turn thing in half the time? They would just not do the work that they didn't feel like doing or the harder stuff and that teaches them nothing about growing up which is why we attend school.
I think this idea is crazy. Giving students an automatic 50 points for doing nothing is unexceptable. Students then would be more likely to do nothing because they know they can no longer make a zero. Those who work hard in class to keep a consistant grade it would be unfair to because those who don't even try could still pass the class.
I would have to agree with with Haley and Erika this is ridiculous! If students are giving points then why should they try? I wouldn't do anything if I knew I could slack off and still receive a decent grade. I do see where they could say thats boosting their confidence, but like the article said kids need to know whene to grow up and take responsibility. So I believe this could be a very bad decision on the school board to even consider doing something like that!
I personally think that this is the most ridiculous idea that I have ever heard of. If a student doesn’t want a failing grade then they will try. Any student can keep at least a “C” and pass the class they are put in. Students are put in classes by how they learn and if they understand things more easily. If they children don’t have to try then they won’t even see a reason for coming to school in the first place. It is not fair that the people who actually try to make good grades don’t get an extra grade for maintaining their achievement, much less the people who just don’t care.
This is outrageous. Doing this would affect everyone in the class. If students don't have to try in the class, then the teachers won't try hard either. For the students who want to learn I feel sorry for. It's just rediculous that kids can come in the class and sleep and receive credit for it.
I absolutley do not agree with this idea. Letting a student earn a 50 without even showing up is absurd and should not be put into play. It isn't fair for the students who DO try. The principles at Thurman White Middle School (mentioned in the article) need to re-evaluate their thinking. Sure, this proposition sounds wonderful for the people who don't care or don't try, but technically is not fair. In the end, it clearly won't help anyone succeed because in college, teachers won't just hand out a 50 for doing nothing, or not even showing up.
Wow,I cant believe this is even a debate. Why would 50 points be a big difference it is still a failing grade. What do you achieve from giving a worthless student 50 points. Does it make you sleep better at night or something? This is not a debate it is ridiculous, get over your selves school board.
This is the stupidest idea. I can't believe they would even consider this. It makes me mad because I do all my homework and the students that don't do thier homework would still get credit. Yes there might be hardships in that persons life but we all have our problems. Our world would be full of slackers if this was passed.
At first glance this may very well look like an insane idea. I did think, however, that there were some very good points presented for both sides. I for one would not be opposed to enacting the fifty percent minimum. Consider this, if a student was to make a failing grade like twenty-five percent on a paper, that twenty-five percent is not added onto fifty. That grade would be below the minimum and therefore be a fifty percent. In either case the grade is still failing, appearing the same way on the grade sheet. Think of the positive side too. If a student was to go through the first half of the semester not caring about their classes, taking zeros, it would allow them to be able to recover if they turned a new leaf.
I think this idea is pretty ridiculous, even though they tried explaining their reasoning behind this idea it did not make sense. I don't see why you should 'earn' 50 points for doing nothing, i mean if it's going to be that easy some people will think 'well why bother showing up?'. This would almost be a slap in the face for students who go to school to learn and actually try their best. I know their intention is to help kids who are falling behind, but are there really so many that are failing that they are willing to make a change as huge as this that will effect everyone?
I really hope this idea doesn't ever get passed.
This does sound crazy,but I think that the school system should be applauded for trying to think of a way to "save" those who are failing. Their motives are great, but the concept needs a little work. I think they just need to add an extra credit work assignment to the coursework that would guarantee the extra 50 points. In this way, no one would be getting something for doing nothing.If the student didn't turn this work in, then he/she is admitting that they're not serious about their education, and then they deserve to fail.I feel,however, that 50 extra points should be offered to all students so that even those with an "A" could benefit. How many times have students had an "A" all through the course and then at the last grading period ended up with a "B" because of the final? This extra 50 points would help them as well. I'm for giving 50 extra points (earned from an extra work assignment), but not for using "50" as the baseline for an "F" without working for it.
Looking at the way reality really is and this "everyone is a winner" idea, it kind of makes me sick. No one deserves a a free score of 50 for just not doing anything. Marvin did make a point saying that it does give a chance for change, but without this new policy it still teaches a better lesson. If a person gets the opinion that they can change at anytime and still make a passing grade then they are learning that they can slack in society and be wealthy. That is not true. The current policy teaches the students that make 20s and 30s on report cards that you can't go half in. Like life, you half to give everything or nothing and school should be the same.
I think this is a bad idea because it's not fair for students who actually try hard to make decent grades in their classes. What are they going to do when they get a job? Think it is ok just to not do some of the work, or none of it. Cause thats what they will be taught in school.
Ok no work and get a 50 come on i am going to take that at a momemts notice. Putting this out there is just askin for trouble. If i had to choose between work and no work im takin the easy path. Think i do nothing and joe schmoe works hard and has barly a higher grade. THats no fair at all. This is crazy. The scale we got now works. Keep it!
This idea is absolutely crazy. What good would it do to give students who don't even try 50 free points. This makes no sense, all it is doing is encouraging students who don't try to continue not to try. All this is doing is ruining what little work ethic that a very few students do have. This whole idea is absurd and should not be allowed in schools.
I think this idea is ridiculous and should not even be considered. Why should the kids who don't try be rewarded and make 50 points for no effort when the students who are actually trying make a grade that could be just twenty points or so more? Why reward kids for not doing anything? We should work for the grade we recieve. This idea should be put to rest.
I think this idea is a poor one. Kids should work for their grades. We've always had to work up until now so why change it? Our grading system works fine now, we don't need changes like this one. Work is an important lesson in life. Handing out free 50's is not giving students the 0 they desserve for not doing anything. I say eliminate this proposal.
I believe that approving this idea would cause many problems. A 50 is still a failing grade; however it will encourage students not to do all of their work by giving tem half credit. Lazy students will receive credit for work they did not do. While this gives troubled students help it is also encouraging laziness.
I can see how you could argue both sides. Its not like its taking rewards or recognition from the ones who do great in school. Although its teaching kids who dont do so well that its okay to slide under the radar with no repercussions. this idea is a terrible one.
This is really stupid. It doesn't make sense to give kids 50 points for not doing a thing. It's not fair to the kids who actually try because normally the people who make grades that are F's are normally the ones who don't care, not that don't understand but care. If you don't understand then you need to come in and get help. You should be rewarded more for that then giving 50 points for doing absolutly nothing. It will also not prepare those kids for college. It will also give a bigger incentive to slack off because you will still make a 50 for doing nothing. It's a pointless proposal even though it would benefit us and make school easier on us. I have to say I would enjoy it, but it's stupid and absurd to even be thinking about doing it.
I think this is an awful idea. Students can slack off and still end up with a good grade. This does not teach the students anything. They should be taught you have to work hard for what you get.
This is probably one of the most ridiculous school suggestions ever. Not turning in any work means none, nothing, ZERO. Students should not be given half credit for doing nothing. It ruins the determination of actually doing your work. I think that the thought of changing the policy is ludicrous and I disagree.
thanks -- ashley
This idea is absolutely preposterous! Even though a zero and a fifty are both a F. A fifty is a lot easier to raise than a zero, therefore causing a student who would be getting a zero to maybe still catch up even though they have done nothing to work toward that fifty. This technique is not going to help students who plan on going to college nothing is just given to you in the real world! A grade above zero should be earned not just given to you!
I think this idea is wrong. children should get what they deserve. If we are going this far why dont we step it up a notch and just get a communist idea and no matter how hard the children try the all get a C. the students with A's counter out the students with F's. both ideaas sound horrible.
This idea has to be one of the greatest attempts to help students through school since "No Child Left Behind". Our county needs to think more like Thurman White Middle School. If this grading policy happens then school would not be so stressful and hard for my peers and I. Plus, people that are sick and cant complete there work would at least have a grade instead of a zero. The teacher who thought this up is brillant and needs to be credited. Allowing this to happen would trastically improve our grades and more importantly our lives.
I feel like this grade change would affect more than the kids themselves, but the whole community. Kids are our future and they would always try to find an easier or lazier way of doing things. Allowing a 50 to be a minimum grade is only telling them that they don't need to work hard as they should.
I feel that this idea can go either way. to be honest it does give a slacking child the opportunity to earn points even without trying and that isn't fair to the students that do try. There is the point however, that the student should be able to bring their grades up the second have with these points instead of accepting failure because their first term was less than a 50%. I really can't choose a side for this debate because i have been on both sides of the issue.
I think this is absolutely ridiculous. Students that do nothing deserve to fail. High school is preparing students for college where things aren't just handed to them and they have to work hard in class and do their homework on their own. Allowing students to receive half credit for no apparent reason when they do nothing is contradicting what the whole high school experience, education wise, is about.
Personally I do not support this idea.I mean yes it may help the kids who aren't as advanced as the other students but will it really solve the problem.Should those children even be in that class then?Obviously not.Besides this will only make the kids more vunerable to laziness which in itself is a struggle.So,the principals at Thurman White Middle School need to re-evaluate their plan of action.
I think this is a horrible idea. It just tells students that you can slack off and still pass. It doesn't prepare the students for the real world. In college they aren't going to say oh well you did nothing so here is a 50. Also, it is not fair to the students who try really hard.
The article states that this idea is created for students who are weaker or "lazier" then all other students. It is supposed to help them pass more classes and such. But, having a 50% is still an F. Still a failing grade.
Its much easier to pull a 50 up to a C then it is a 0 by all means. All children should see their own potential in succeeding in highschool. They should want something for their lives.
I believe this idea is absolutely unacceptable. Its ludicris. It teaches kids nothing more then to be lazy and slack off; and yet, they are still get rewarded for it.
Personally I think that this is a horrible idea. It just tells the slackers that they can slack off even more and still get half of what they don't deserve! I know i'm not an A student and there sure are times that i have chosen not to do what I'm supposed to but never once would i tell you that i should deserve half credit for something that I didn't do.
The idea that children get away with everything was taken to a whole new level with this award of 5o points. Youth of this genertation really do slack way more then our elders ever even thought was possible. Giving the students more of a reason to slack is not helping the cause. This may be a great reward for the students who are trying in class but just gives the students who do not care more of a reason to care less.
I disagree with this policy 100%. It's ridiculous! Kids would think they could slack off and still pass. That's not how it's supposed to be. What about the kids who work hard and actually try? They should be rewarded for trying. And this policy is actually kind of saying that its ok to not turn a few assignments in, it'll only be a 50%. It's not a good idea and I really hope it never comes into effect at our school.
This idea is pretty far out there. What are kids going to do when they go off to college or get a real job? Colleges aren't going to give them 50 points for doing absolutly nothing and not showing up for class. If they don't allow that in college then they shouldn't let them do that in high school.
I completely disagree with that. It would make the high grades some kids get even less signifigant.The fact that they are trying to give a grade that’s not a zero for doing nothing is just encouraging laziniess.You deserve the grade you get and a fifty should not be the lowest.
I surely wouldn't give ANYONE fifty points who didn't earn them. The only somewhat good reason they have put into that idea is giving students who are failing the opportunity to change their grades and do better. If the student really actually wants to change their grade and actually starts to care, I'm sure most teachers are reasonable to an extent and would give them opportunities to get back on track. Obviously if someone is doing that badly in school, they don't deserve fifty points. Only kids that do work deserve credit.
I wonder what they will think of next to try and make school for the students easier and harder on the teachers. Teachers keep being asked to lower their standards, and their beliefs, and their expectations for students who could care less. It's not fair, and it teaches students nothing. If I understand correctly, the only students that that policy would affect are the ones who are probably not bothered by it in the first place. You cannot even really argue for that policy to be instituted for the students who are really trying their best because if they are trying that hard it will show in their grades. The teachers also, I believe, will know who is trying and who is not. I really do believe school is just preparation for the real world, and the real world is competition, and progress, and ability, and there are few exceptions. Therefore we should not begin to make exceptions at school.
Getting a fiftey on a homework grade could be the difference of a letter grade. the extra fifety points, instead of a zero is not earned. Giving fifety points instead of zero is probably a bad idea because students won't worry about not doing their homework because the still get half credit.
I think that it is unfair and unjust too award a grade for nothing. To give 50% for for not even coming to school, is ridiculous. Sure it would raise the failure percentage, but is it truly a raise in those passing? No, people are just slipping through the cracks!
I think this is a very dumb idea. Letting kids do nothing and still get credit for it is crazy. What are those kids going to do in college, if they make it, or when they are working expect whoever is in charge to reward them for no effort.
It would not change anything because people should not make below a 50 any way thats what I think.
This is an absolutely outrageous idea. If kids can't even come to school and try, they should'nt be awarded 50 points. They should get what they deserve. A zero.
I think this is a ridiculus idea. Yes, it does help the struggling kids, but they shouldn't just give away points. This just hurts the kids who already have high grades because they don't need these points.
I will play a devils advocate here. As many of you know i am not great at the "strait A's thing" so i know the feeling of being left behind with no hope of catching up. I believe many people did not read the article through. This system is for schools that have a class for an entire school year. It also is only in effect for schools that have seperate grades that cary over. So the situation they're trying to fix is a student failing the first semester, then trying to make up for it second semester. But falling that far behind actually promotes the lack of effort. By second semester there is no hope of even a c. the boost will give the student the oppertunity to pass despite his bad first semester. You may say that deminishes the value of an A that the other students worked so hard to obtain. Not at all all this does is give the students that have trouble keeping a steady grade the oppertunity to catch up with the students who accel. It bothers me to no end when 4.0 students think more highly of themselves then the others. with this new policy it will lower the drop out rate dramaticly due to the hope given to students. and that is why it is not absurd
oh and by the way out of the 47 comments 2 people said it could go either way and 2 said it was a good idea and 43 said it was absurd. lol i find it rather humerous
I think that is crazy to do something like that. it would make those who slack off do it more. I have to work for my grades and that makes me learn. If i didnt have to do my work and make a 50 you wouldn't see that much of me
I am outraged!All the hardwork that students put into their school work is almost a joke if this comes into play! Those who don't care can not do their work and still get a grade for it! It is not fair! To me it is just another way for someone to make money and they are using us to do it! This goes to show how gullible out school systems have become! It seems they will do just about anything someone recommends!
The ZAP program is an absurd idea to allow students who dont do thier work to get a better grade. Some may state that this will give students who are absent a better chance to pass. However, when students abuse the program it will cheat students who work hard of the chance to shine.
This is insane! Students who don't even try recieve 50 percent credit?
This seems to me like this is a feeble way of a school attempting to improve its graduation rates.
Only the students who do half the work should recieve half of the credit.
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