Making the Grade: Who Gets the "A"

I can remember the feeling I had at midterm when I saw my grade. "98%! Yes!" I thought to myself. But as my eyes wandered to the letter printed next to it I felt my elation drop sharply. "B+? Really?" I could hardly wrap my mind around it. On what planet is a 98% a B+?

This is the dilemma teachers face. How do you grade students fairly, while maintaining a high standard? How many students should get A's? How do you control grade inflation? In the above example, enough students achieved in the top two percent to bring up the curve to an unreasonable level. This is a textbook example of norm-referenced grading. Experts find that it is detrimental to the relationships between students, as well as the relationship between students and teachers. Anita Woolfolk, author of Educational Psychology, mentions that the curve arbitrarily limits the number of good grades that can be given. The normal curve has no sacred meaning in education. Is the goal not to see all students succeed? Therefore, when only a handful of students are considered "A" students, we have failed them. Norm-referenced grading is an inefficient method of grading students, which, to some extent, breeds hostility and learned helplessness in the classroom.

Another method of grading, seen as superior to norm-referenced grading, is criterion-referenced grading. If a student meets clear objectives set out by the instructor, then he or she will receive the correlating grade. In this way, students can work towards the grade they want by meeting the criteria. If in my example I had been graded according to the criterion-referenced method, I would have received my "rightful" A, since I had answered correctly the test questions.

There are more ways to grade than just the above examples. Despite this, it is important for teachers to choose the best method for the activity at hand, not a one size fits all grading pattern. For indeed there might be times when the norm-referenced grading system may be appropriate. Keep in mind the goals, which are for all students to learn and excel.

Miss Gabbert

Recess Deficiency Disorder

I was recently reading an article from the New York Times about the watering-down of recess time. It mentioned how games like tag and dodgeball are being considered too rough for children. I see this as a major shortcoming of our educational system.

With many schools cutting recess altogether, it is alarming that in these instances they are beginning that process. It has been concluded that play is children's work, that they learn and grow, make social bonds, and gain exercise. When recess is eliminated, or even watered down, the children have lost an outlet for energy, creativity and imagination.

Also, let us consider the nature of the game tag. It does not involve checking (hockey), tackling (football), or any other potentially serious bodily injury. It involves a simple touch. Now when our children's wellbeing is endangered by a game of tag, what else could we possibly save them from?

Miss Gabbert

The article can be found at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/education/14recess.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=recess&st=cse

Lost and Found

I experienced a strange cultural phenomenon this morning while at Church Youth Fest Sunday service. Usually, as have been all my observations, children and adolescents will embrace the "cool" or "pop" music if presented to them, rather than traditional music, such as hymns. Well, today I have dropped all of my stereotypes. The band Lost and Found, a quasi-Christian worship-leading band, was up on stage and singing an upbeat chorus. The kids in the audience were singing softly, not getting into the music. However, when the band left the stage and the hymn started to play, the result was magical. The kids were singing with gusto, creating harmonies and truly embracing the message.

I think this strange phenomenon translates to teaching as well. Fads in teaching may come, and kids very well might embrace the style or technique. But genuine instruction based on research and results will always prevail. Teachers who put their students' learning first will never go out of style.

Miss Gabbert