tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post7355818600912197683..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: The 75% SolutionDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-48205468966399026102008-12-22T02:35:00.000-08:002008-12-22T02:35:00.000-08:00Yes. And the students are the targets of education...Yes. And the students are the targets of education. The reason we do anything in school is to enable the STUDENTS to learn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-85907552430903366372008-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:002008-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:00So the problem with letter grades is that *student...So the problem with letter grades is that *students* won't consider anything else?Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-5808475599193551552008-12-21T11:21:00.000-08:002008-12-21T11:21:00.000-08:00Quoted from my last comment..And as for putting bo...Quoted from my last comment..<BR/><BR/><I>And as for putting both, the evidence and experience shows that if a grade AND comments are put down, only the grade is actually looked at, especially amongst the higher end kids, who might well be recieving As and thus believe that they have no need to improve.</I>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-37463822612347135972008-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:002008-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:00You create a false dichotomy. Who's to say you ca...You create a false dichotomy. Who's to say you can't write *both* on the paper? <BR/><BR/>I certainly do.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-77269197832296778982008-12-21T02:13:00.000-08:002008-12-21T02:13:00.000-08:00Why? What is the value of a letter grade? It adds ...Why? What is the value of a letter grade? It adds nothing at all to the learning process, which is, after all, the reason we teach. The point of education is not to know that you know 80%-65% of the material, it is to be told what parts you dont know, and how to improve. The best way to mark work (other than final summative assesment) is with formative comments. Reading "You need to put a title on your graphs" gives far more useful feedback than simply "3/4". And as for putting both, the evidence and experience shows that if a grade AND comments are put down, only the grade is actually looked at, especially amongst the higher end kids, who might well be recieving As and thus believe that they have no need to improve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-41659669597095180402008-12-20T10:37:00.000-08:002008-12-20T10:37:00.000-08:00Letter grades are just fine with me.Letter grades are just fine with me.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-73923303648874685452008-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:002008-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00The best blog to read on the subject of grading is...The best blog to read on the subject of grading is <BR/><BR/>http://repairman.wordpress.com/<BR/><BR/>He is a big advocate of moving away from letter grades and towards formative assesment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-19260554013941964312008-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:002008-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:00I never quite understood the obsession with giving...I never quite understood the obsession with giving out grades as often as Americans seem to do it. I, for instance, do not give homework a grade as I do not see a value in doing that. And the only grades that *matter* in the UK systems are the final grades you get at the end of your five (and seven) years of high school in that round of exams. There is no equivalent of the GPA here..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-44533459797457190972008-12-16T16:32:00.000-08:002008-12-16T16:32:00.000-08:00I would love to see this happen. But sadly, too ma...I would love to see this happen. But sadly, too many parents would complain about their children failing. I have groups of high achiever, high income kids who have no idea what it means to do more than you are asked. They have no goals, no ambition except to make lots of money. Let's see what Obama will do with those voters.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.com