Retired elementary teacher here. I’ve seen kids transfer in with A grades. Some earned them by having an average of 90% or higher. Some earned them by handing in every assignment, Some earned them by trying hard. Some earned them by being nice.
In the decades of the 30’s to 60’s, the grade system in many schools were fixed at A-95-100, B-88-94, C 80-87, D 75-79. Making the honor roll was difficult and demanding, but getting there built pride and confidence.
Then came the 10 point/grade scale. The bell curve shifted focus, and somehow 60 became an acceptable grade. It was justified by some as following the standard system for many liberal arts colleges. Mediocrity became the norm.
Pass/fail saw total collapse of the scale.
Since then the bell curve for educational scales seems to resemble the shape of a lemon.
As noted by several people above, a kid may have a natural flair for math, writing, art, music, geography, history, etc. and be good at it. The very same kid could struggle with one or more of the others. But, when you’re in grade school, you don’t get to pick and choose between the individual subjects. The entire year is pass/fail. So, inevitably, some kids go on to a grade where they’re expected to learn about fractions when they still don’t have a good grip on long division. Or they’re expected to compose complete sentences when they haven’t figured out that some words can be used as both nouns and verbs. And so on. If you’re deficient in the basics, you have an extra hard time picking up on the more advanced stuff that’s built upon the basics. We don’t generally offer “remedial” classes until 7th grade or higher, at which point some kids have just given up.
I suspect that the underlying problem isn’t grading per se but rather the idea that the most important determinant of what kind of elementary education you get in anything isn’t your ability but your birthday.
I heard yesterday on NPR the the SAT’s are optional now at some universities. the reasoning at one is that the SAT eliminate whole groups of students. Whatever your racial biases are, and we all have them but we try to keep them in check, if whole groups of any color are being eliminated by a test, then by any metric, the test is flawed. Switch it up if you’re skeptical. What would you say of the SAT if it eliminated not only your child/grand child but mostly everyone in their color group?
HappyDog/ᵀʳʸ ᴮᵒᶻᵒ ⁴ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶦᵗ Premium Member 3 months ago
Always Be Creative?
Concretionist 3 months ago
I bet it won’t take root.
Uncle Kenny 3 months ago
Retired elementary teacher here. I’ve seen kids transfer in with A grades. Some earned them by having an average of 90% or higher. Some earned them by handing in every assignment, Some earned them by trying hard. Some earned them by being nice.
Grades mean nothing.
ChukLitl Premium Member 3 months ago
The only pass/fail course I took was basic electricity. It can’t pass until you fix it.
sandpiper 3 months ago
In the decades of the 30’s to 60’s, the grade system in many schools were fixed at A-95-100, B-88-94, C 80-87, D 75-79. Making the honor roll was difficult and demanding, but getting there built pride and confidence.
Then came the 10 point/grade scale. The bell curve shifted focus, and somehow 60 became an acceptable grade. It was justified by some as following the standard system for many liberal arts colleges. Mediocrity became the norm.
Pass/fail saw total collapse of the scale.
Since then the bell curve for educational scales seems to resemble the shape of a lemon.
Slowly, he turned... 3 months ago
He is a little “Johnny Appleseed”, just sowing the apple seeds of discord everywhere!
brick10 3 months ago
Go to a Mastery based system?
markkahler52 3 months ago
Desire begins with a D
Richard S Russell Premium Member 3 months ago
As noted by several people above, a kid may have a natural flair for math, writing, art, music, geography, history, etc. and be good at it. The very same kid could struggle with one or more of the others. But, when you’re in grade school, you don’t get to pick and choose between the individual subjects. The entire year is pass/fail. So, inevitably, some kids go on to a grade where they’re expected to learn about fractions when they still don’t have a good grip on long division. Or they’re expected to compose complete sentences when they haven’t figured out that some words can be used as both nouns and verbs. And so on. If you’re deficient in the basics, you have an extra hard time picking up on the more advanced stuff that’s built upon the basics. We don’t generally offer “remedial” classes until 7th grade or higher, at which point some kids have just given up.
I suspect that the underlying problem isn’t grading per se but rather the idea that the most important determinant of what kind of elementary education you get in anything isn’t your ability but your birthday.
MrWolf Gamer 3 months ago
Smart
suelou 3 months ago
Always Be Curious??? That’s how you learn things!!
Cactus-Pete 3 months ago
Pass/Fail? Won’t help you get into college. Though I don’t see any of these kids as college marterial.
mrwiskers 3 months ago
I heard yesterday on NPR the the SAT’s are optional now at some universities. the reasoning at one is that the SAT eliminate whole groups of students. Whatever your racial biases are, and we all have them but we try to keep them in check, if whole groups of any color are being eliminated by a test, then by any metric, the test is flawed. Switch it up if you’re skeptical. What would you say of the SAT if it eliminated not only your child/grand child but mostly everyone in their color group?