Some schools stop giving F's

[Are_grits_groceries]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Some schools in the United States have stopped handing out failing grades, or at least are delaying them while students get a chance to improve.

In Grand Rapids, Mich., work that would justify an "F" will get an "H" for "held," ABC News reported. The school superintendent, Bernard Taylor, said students will have several choices -- including retaking a course, doing additional work or agreeing on another plan with teachers -- but the grade will become a failing one if nothing is done within 12 weeks.

"I never see anyone doing anything but punishing kids," Taylor said. "If the choice is between letting kids fail and giving them another opportunity to succeed, I'm going to err on the side of opportunity."

Taylor and many other teachers and administrators say they believe many children quickly become discouraged and failing them contributes to the country's high dropout rate. He argues that children need to see a way forward.

Critics say the practice is amounts to coddling children.

"The task is to change the reality, not the labeling of it," said Alan Kazdin, a child psychiatrist at Yale.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/06/Some_schools_stop_giving_Fs/UPI-69741228542879/

How in the world would you keep up with what is due when??
It doesn't work this way when you leave school.

[SoCalDem]

1. It's time to go to a numerical method anyway..

A,B,C,D,F & the plusses & minuses have outlived their usefulness..

[Midlodemocrat]

2. There are often teachers where there is no gray area at all.

Case in point. My daughter's Earth Science teacher who refused to take any late work of any kind for any reason.

That's not the real world. Stuff happens. A mature, reasonable teacher would be able to discern the con artists from the truthful.

I'll never forget when I was teaching HS and there was a kid in my AP European class. Great kid. Loved him to pieces, but reading and responding to questions were essential parts of the class and reading and being prepared was an every night thing.

He approached me before class to tell me he hadn't done the work and could he please turn it in late? I asked why?

He responded that he had been up all night with a terminally ill brother because his mom was exhausted.

How could any human being say no. You can't turn it in late.


My dear friend lost her husband when her kids were 12, 14. The 12yo, TWELVE year old, fer fuck's sake, was given no leeway whatsoever by his teachers, until I got involved as his therapist and mom got an attorney. :wtf:

And, truthfully. There is no profession on earth where the teacher gets a pass because they're 'having a bad day'. Did it for 10 years. Most of the people interacting on a daily basis with our children have no business there.

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. I've seen teachers that were that rigid.

However, they were not the majority in any school I taught in. I taught in several areas for 13 years.I don't think it's good to make certain things policy. I don't

agree with your conclusion about most people who are interacting with children having no business there. However, that is based on my experience.

[pnwmom]

4. Let's keep the F's . . .

and get rid of the A's, B's, C's, and D's. And no numerical grades either -- they're even worse.

I hate grades.

I hate them for top students -- they reward unhealthy perfectionism and discourage risk-taking. And I hate them for struggling students -- they punish kids who are trying as hard as they can. And I don't see the benefit for the kids in between, at least, benefits that wouldn't better be provided by individualized teacher comments.

Don't worry. Grades will never go away, much as I would like them to.