My Thinking About Grades
I am not too fond of grades--they have come to distort the true
emphasis of education: learning and developing the ability to learn.
That being said, I do find that grades serve a social purpose: they
are a mechanism for me to communicate with the rest of society what I
believe you have learned and what your capabilities are.
Reflecting on my beliefs and past experiences, here are attributes that
I have found in students to whom I have assigned particular grades.
Behaviors of students who have earned a A
- Understands all material encountered in the normal course of the
class.
- Regularly synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual)
and correctly evaluates their effectiveness.
- Evaluates own work and typically knows which solutions are correct
and which are incorrect.
- Shows up for class every day.
-
Consistently works on homework from when it is assigned until it is
completed.
- Completes all work regardless of whether it is graded.
- Asks questions of me after realizing their thinking is in a rut.
- Reads material in the text *before* discussion in class.
- Works some material that was not assigned.
- Shows initiative in extending material covered in class.
- Capable of suggesting alternative solutions to problems.
- Turns in homework that is stapled neatly without ragged edges,
essentially demonstrating a level of pride in the accomplishment.
-
Regularly does one's own cognitive work and independently tries to develop a deeper understanding before looking for support in doing so.
Behaviors of students who have earned a B
- Understands all material encountered in the normal course of the
class.
- Occasionally synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual).
-
Rarely evaluates their effectiveness.
- Shows up for class most of the time (misses 2 days per month).
-
Begins homework early, but then lets it slide until one or two days
before it is due.
-
Completes all work that is assigned to be graded.
-
Stops by my office for assistance.
- Recognizes solutions to problems that are clearly correct.
-
Regularly does one's own cognitive work and looks for support in order to develop deeper understanding.
Behaviors of students who have earned a C
- Understands most material encountered in the normal course of the
class.
- Rarely synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual).
-
Does not evaluate the effectiveness of solutions.
-
Misses class 3 or more times per month.
-
Begins working on homework one or two days before it is due, and, thus,
-
Turns in partially completed homework.
-
Rarely asks me for help.
-
Cannot tell if a solution to a problem is correct.
-
Does not understand the importance of doing one's own cognitive work.