Education and the Grading System

[LGBR]

The grading system is something which I feel very strong about, it is flawed in nearly everyway and does nothing but hurt. All across the world there are teachers with favorites, extra credit and a bit of corruption. How does this affect us?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is it that your entire future and life depends on the attitude of a teacher? All throughout high school I had teachers who were different personalities, nice,mean and even senile. Some teachers would give out loads of extra credit, others would take off points if you didnt sit up straight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 2nd example comes from a math class which I had to take twice because I failed it the first year. I hated my teacher and he hated me, he was one of those teachers who favors girls over anyone else and everyone knew it. If you showed some decent cleavage and sat in the front row, you got an A. Even the stupidest people in the school got an A in that class because they wore certain outfits, I even knew 3 girls who changed into a revealing outfit just for his class. I got an A on every test and did all of my homework, there was no way I could fail. I was wrong, he said that the class was too easy for me so I got harder test and got graded more strictly, I told him he couldnt do this but said he could. These test put me down to an F so I went to the principal and she said he can do what ever he wants. This event was one of the worst things to ever happen to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These kind of incidents were just a few, which brings me back to my original point, the grading system isnt fair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachers need to be guided by strict guidelines, which means they cannot give out extra credit, take away points for insubordination or take away points for anything not in the curriculum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am tired of teachers teaching and grading differently which makes it all easier for some people. I can easily name a few classes who rarely have test and never get homework, everyone in that class is passing. In my classes we always have homework and have weekly tests, I am struggling to get a B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing should be able to ruin a students chances at being successful at life just because of their attitude. No student should have it any easier than anyone else.

[zeekyhbomb]

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think colleges even look at Middle or Elementary School grades.

[wakka102]

 

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think colleges even look at Middle or Elementary School grades.

they don't.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I go to a private school so I don't have this issue as much. But, I managed to pass German with a 70 for the semester because my teacher liked me and bumped my grade exam grade. However, another boy in my class still failed. This was not flawed though, the reason she did it was because I actually came for extra help and studied. I still managed to fail but it was not due to lack of effort. My friend however did not go for help, missed many days and didn't make up the homeworks, still got a higher grades then me but still managed to fail with a 67 (this was the actual grade he got). I believe as long as effort is put in effort you should be able to pass no matter what your grade is. Everyone is different, some are bad at tests but do all there homework, some are the other way around. I for one am bad at tests but do all my homework, and since I put effort in I passed.

[weezcake]

Psh. College is rough if you're an engineering or science major. You'll find yourself studying for hours on end and still end up with a curved C. :?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate grade inflation in middle and high schools. It ruins the system by giving students a false sense of accomplishment. And then when they get that first F in college..

[crimsonking]

Lets see, where to start....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st grade teacher: Threatened the whole class if they did not obey every word she said, if she said single file line, and there were a few kids out of the line, the class would be threatened that if they didn't do it, they would have their hands stapled to their backs, and she was good friends with the principle, so she got away with it, though after me and to other kids went to the principle about it, and the principle told parents it was all made up by us, my mother got involved, cause, though I probably don't sound like it, I was a innocent well behaved boy at the time, and really couldn't make that up, she finally caught the teacher at it and other parents got involved, though the teacher retired the next year without consequence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Substitute teacher: For some reason, throughout my time in school there was this really mentally disturbed sub that kept popping up, I mean this lady was really disturbed, she named her cell phone and talked to it constantly, and no, she wasn't talking on it, she was talking to it, she never could seem to find her glasses, even though she was wearing them, while taking attendence, she read 'Joe' as 'Joesephina'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really can not make this up, the lady was seriously messed up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophmore English teacher: A true feminist, no matter how horribly a girl did, she passed her class, unless they really got her angry, though the same can't be said for males, every male that took her class, failed, no matter how good they did.

[LGBR]

 

 

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think colleges even look at Middle or Elementary School grades.

they don't.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I go to a private school so I don't have this issue as much. But, I managed to pass German with a 70 for the semester because my teacher liked me and bumped my grade exam grade. However, another boy in my class still failed. This was not flawed though, the reason she did it was because I actually came for extra help and studied. I still managed to fail but it was not due to lack of effort. My friend however did not go for help, missed many days and didn't make up the homeworks, still got a higher grades then me but still managed to fail with a 67 (this was the actual grade he got). I believe as long as effort is put in effort you should be able to pass no matter what your grade is. Everyone is different, some are bad at tests but do all there homework, some are the other way around. I for one am bad at tests but do all my homework, and since I put effort in I passed.

That is exactly what I hate, no offense but your friend is smarter than you and knows the material yet he gets a worse grade. College will show NO pity on you

[wakka102]

 

 

 

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think colleges even look at Middle or Elementary School grades.

they don't.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I go to a private school so I don't have this issue as much. But, I managed to pass German with a 70 for the semester because my teacher liked me and bumped my grade exam grade. However, another boy in my class still failed. This was not flawed though, the reason she did it was because I actually came for extra help and studied. I still managed to fail but it was not due to lack of effort. My friend however did not go for help, missed many days and didn't make up the homeworks, still got a higher grades then me but still managed to fail with a 67 (this was the actual grade he got). I believe as long as effort is put in effort you should be able to pass no matter what your grade is. Everyone is different, some are bad at tests but do all there homework, some are the other way around. I for one am bad at tests but do all my homework, and since I put effort in I passed.

That is exactly what I hate, no offense but your friend is smarter than you and knows the material yet he gets a worse grade. College will show NO pity on you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

she didn't drop his grade at all. He got the grade he got. He did not come for help, didn't turn in homeworks, didn't show that he cared at all about passing, so he did not. However, she bumped me like 2-3 average points (thats all I needed) for the time I spent coming in for extra help (and it was alot). I do fine in my other classes, I just have a tendancy to struggle with german. If people base it on whether or not they like you is a different issue but this wasn't the case here, it was a matter of effort.

[Bubsa]

Why is it that your entire future and life depends on the attitude of a teacher?

 

 

 

It doesn't mate, it really doesn't.

[tripsis]

 

A first example is my 8th grade social studies teacher. He was the worst teacher I had ever known and was a horrible teacher, yet I got an A in that class. 50% of your grade was what he thought of you, that means if he didnt like you but you got a 100% on every test, you would fail and ruin your chances at getting into Harvard. A very intelligent girl I knew by the name of Kelly studied all day and night, my teacher didnt like this about her so he failed her. She has now lost her 4.0 GPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think colleges even look at Middle or Elementary School grades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think he was just using that as an example. Things like this still happen in high school and college, he just used one in middle school to demonstrate that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be honest, I disagree with the entire educational system. (Keep in mind that this is all my personal outlook/opinion) School/tests don't measure your intelligence at all (in most cases). They just test how motivated you are to learn a bunch of stuff, which almost none of which will help you in the future, and you ability to memorize facts/equations/concepts/people/etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at my life, I hate how probably 90% of it is school. I spend ~7 hours at school a day learning a bunch of stuff that I don't care about, and most of it won't help me in the future. Then I go home and spend 1-4 more hours on homework for the same material - stuff I don't care about, that I'll just forget, that won't help me. Then count in all my other "dailies" (shower, dinner, family occasions). What time do I have to be myself? To do what I want? Not much, if I plan on getting a decent amount of sleep. And this same act continues for about 12-16+ years of my life. Then most people continue the routine anyway, but with work instead of school. The way I see it, that's no way to live. People really can't have fun in this world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School maps out your entire future (in most cases). Someone can be an amazing artist, but extremely lacking in school because they hate it and realize that it will not help them engage in an artistic future. They're not going to use math, religion, science and english, etc. to produce an amazing work of art. So they don't try very hard in school. Then when college comes around, their life could possibly be ruined. Most art schools still look at grades/SATs/GPAs even though it is an art college. If someone is getting Ds and Cs but is an incredible artist, the chances are very slim that they'll get into a good art college. Therefore making the chances of getting a good art job even slimmer. Obviously this isn't the case for all people, but it's just an example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just now realizing how off-track I've gotten, so I'll just stop here :P

[deloriagod]

I like it when teachers do things differently and they positively affect me. I don't, however, like it when the affect is negative. Example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Algebra (freshman year): My teacher didn't collect any of the homework until the end of the chapter and then only graded it on whether we did it or not. So, write down some answers and get an A. I actually did the work most of the time, but it was still nice to know I could fake an assignment if I didn't have the time to do it. During class she would spend a few minutes going over the assignment for the night before and a few minutes for the assignment for the current night. If we didn't want to pay attention we could work on our homework instead. At the end of the first semester I had a B. (Using 1st semester for comparison)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geometry (sophomore year): My teacher collects assignments in sets of threes. I'm busier this year than I was last year so I often skip assignments in order to work harder in a class I feel is more important (or I have a lower grade in). Well, skipping one assignment brings my A for that set down to a D. So while I'm working hard on another subject, I'm slipping in another. To make matters worse, I'm having trouble in geometry and I absolutely hate my teacher. I've always been given time in class to work on my assignment, and now my teacher spends the entire class going over what we're supposed to do. I could easily read the chapter and get to work on my assignment in the time it takes her to explain it, but if we don't pay attention to her we get yelled at. She will literally take 30 minutes to explain what I could read in 10 minutes. Then she'll let people ask questions and hold us after class to answer them. At the end of the first semester I had a C.

[Faux]

I'm sorry if this is a bit offtopic, but I don't want a whole new thread for it so...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it matter what high school you come from? Does the university care about whether your high school has a 'better' program? Or is it all about marks?

[wakka102]

I'm sorry if this is a bit offtopic, but I don't want a whole new thread for it so...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it matter what high school you come from? Does the university care about whether your high school has a 'better' program? Or is it all about marks?

They do look at the school. It probably has a minor effect on it which is why I question why my parents send me to a hard private school. I'm sent here to take harder courses on things I'll never use in live, reduce my grades because they are harder, and then have a slimmer chance at a good college, way to go mom and dad .

[Devilsdragon]

I'm sorry if this is a bit offtopic, but I don't want a whole new thread for it so...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it matter what high school you come from? Does the university care about whether your high school has a 'better' program? Or is it all about marks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think they care too much about what school in a specific country you came from, as much as what country you came from. This is because counties have different grading scales because education is left up for the state to decide and isn't a federal branch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My view on education: Grades reflect effort(to an extent, I'm sure most will agree on this). Colleges want people who are going to try while there so they choose those who seem to have tried hardest(highest grades w/ extra curriculars). One teacher won't decimate your chance at getting into college if you try hard enough/it's the only class you did bad in. Everyone has bad teachers-I had the worst math teacher that I've ever had last year, I got a B+. The year before that I had the best math teacher I've ever had(although also the hardest). I got a C+. I had to teach myself in the former so I actually learned the material-I tried harder, I got a better grade.

[stan18]

I like it when teachers do things differently and they positively affect me. I don't, however, like it when the affect is negative. Example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Algebra (freshman year): My teacher didn't collect any of the homework until the end of the chapter and then only graded it on whether we did it or not. So, write down some answers and get an A. I actually did the work most of the time, but it was still nice to know I could fake an assignment if I didn't have the time to do it. During class she would spend a few minutes going over the assignment for the night before and a few minutes for the assignment for the current night. If we didn't want to pay attention we could work on our homework instead. At the end of the first semester I had a B. (Using 1st semester for comparison)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geometry (sophomore year): My teacher collects assignments in sets of threes. I'm busier this year than I was last year so I often skip assignments in order to work harder in a class I feel is more important (or I have a lower grade in). Well, skipping one assignment brings my A for that set down to a D. So while I'm working hard on another subject, I'm slipping in another. To make matters worse, I'm having trouble in geometry and I absolutely hate my teacher. I've always been given time in class to work on my assignment, and now my teacher spends the entire class going over what we're supposed to do. I could easily read the chapter and get to work on my assignment in the time it takes her to explain it, but if we don't pay attention to her we get yelled at. She will literally take 30 minutes to explain what I could read in 10 minutes. Then she'll let people ask questions and hold us after class to answer them. At the end of the first semester I had a C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

situation A: good style of teaching

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

situation B: as i see it, a set is only one grade. you should have worked harder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

there are two types of classes: ones that you understand, and ones that you work for. Math and some sciences (physics, for example), you either know or you don't. Its the responsibility of the teacher simply to give tests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the other classes are those that you know you have to study for (english, world language, bio, chem, hist, etc.) since stuff like this does not come naturally

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its the second type of class that ihave problems with. Not because i fail them, but because other students do, yet they pass the class. And its all because they can just retest their way back up, even in honors classes. It destroys the line between students that should be in that class, and lazy students who think they can get through school doing as little as possible. The teachers are not the problem, you can just drop the class if you really care that much. Its the need to pass everyone that is destroying the educational system

[Arch_Tyrant]

We don't even have D's at my school.

 

 

 

That's how lame we are.

 

 

 

70% or lower and sorry to tell you buddy, but you FAIL.

[wakka102]

We don't even have D's at my school.

 

 

 

That's how lame we are.

 

 

 

70% or lower and sorry to tell you buddy, but you FAIL.

same, 70 or below is an F, straight from a C to an F.

[Viktorkrum77]

I'm sorry if this is a bit offtopic, but I don't want a whole new thread for it so...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it matter what high school you come from? Does the university care about whether your high school has a 'better' program? Or is it all about marks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It matters about the school too. I go to a semi-above average school where everyone cheats and the teachers are easy to persuade. Yet we are 'supposedly' smarter than everyone else, because we took a test to get in. Pfft, what a laugh! :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am tired of teachers teaching and grading differently which makes it all easier for some people. I can easily name a few classes who rarely have test and never get homework, everyone in that class is passing. In my classes we always have homework and have weekly tests, I am struggling to get a B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But also remember colleges look at what classes you took. They'd rather see a senor struggling in AP Calc than a senor acing Algebra II.

[Arch_Tyrant]

But also remember colleges look at what classes you took. They'd rather see a senor struggling in AP Calc than a senor acing Algebra II.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odd...my history teacher said those exact same words to us today.

 

 

 

Oh well...

 

 

 

AP US History and AP Calculus for lyfe!

 

 

 

(Ughh...i never wish i signed up for those)

 

 

 

History that is...Math is easy :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok im done being Off-Topic now

[punk4ever]

Well, you will be happy to know that in college you don't have to worry about the extra credit issue because there is no such thing (at least in the courses I have taken so far). However, this does not mean that corruption is nonexistent. Things like the curve make up for the extra credit and basically gives everyone a boost, even those who obviously do not deserve it. I have also found that 50% of whether or not you get an A, B or C is based on the professor you get and I am not exaggerating. For instance, I took the same calculus course as my roomate last semester and we had two different instructors. At my university, there is a strict code forbidding curving in the math and physics department, something which my instructor took very seriously. However, my friends' instructor ended up curving some of the tests and such, boosting his class' grades. Things like this should not be allowed at this level, but it is inevitable to say the least.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't see this as such a prevalent issue in middle school or elementary school because, at that level, it cannot prevent you from getting into a university of your choice or prevent you from achieving something. However, it does get more serious as you get up because grades do matter and can make all the difference in getting a scholarship, job, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that even with a strict curriculum corruption is bound to happen because instructors have things like tenure and distinction over a student. Even reporting it will, most likely, not make a difference with what the professor does next time unless there is a mass of people who come together and stand up. However, a lot of people, myself included, are hesitant in doing so for a wide array of reasons.

[Viktorkrum77]

 

But also remember colleges look at what classes you took. They'd rather see a senor struggling in AP Calc than a senor acing Algebra II.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odd...my history teacher said those exact same words to us today.

 

 

 

Oh well...

 

 

 

AP US History and AP Calculus for lyfe!

 

 

 

(Ughh...i never wish i signed up for those)

 

 

 

History that is...Math is easy :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok im done being Off-Topic now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next year I plan to (at my highschool) major history and global studies and take AP world history. Which equals about 3 1/2 hours of global studies/history a day. I guess you can say I've found my forte. :

[tzone92]

In my school it is almost impossible to get less than 4.0 GPA, with so many extra credit courses, as long as you stay on top of things.

[LGBR]

 

I'm sorry if this is a bit offtopic, but I don't want a whole new thread for it so...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it matter what high school you come from? Does the university care about whether your high school has a 'better' program? Or is it all about marks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It matters about the school too. I go to a semi-above average school where everyone cheats and the teachers are easy to persuade. Yet we are 'supposedly' smarter than everyone else, because we took a test to get in. Pfft, what a laugh! :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am tired of teachers teaching and grading differently which makes it all easier for some people. I can easily name a few classes who rarely have test and never get homework, everyone in that class is passing. In my classes we always have homework and have weekly tests, I am struggling to get a B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But also remember colleges look at what classes you took. They'd rather see a senor struggling in AP Calc than a senor acing Algebra II.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its the same class, the classes I find this the biggest in are math and foreign language. Im Struggling with Calc with my teacher, my friend down the hall taking the exact same class works a lot less than me and has an A

[paragon_JOMO]

lol where i'm from every test you do gets handed back to you with the marking schedule so you yourself can check to see how you did, everyone gets marked on the same schedule so none of this favourtism bull crap. Although the system does have heaps of flaws aswell....

 

 

 

when it was first implemented noone knew what the hell was going on and everybody failed during the first year...

[warri0r45]

After reading the examples given by LGBR and Crimsonking, it kind of makes me really dissapointed that teachers could be so ignorant and cruel. They ultimately have the power over whether we pass or fail as they have the potential to be corrupt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But no matter what happens or has happened to all of you, remember this: your sucess as a human being is never judged by numbers, letters or scores on a test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

[frizoid]

I guess this is why our tests are sent away to be marked by someone that doesn't know us, that way the marking is done fairly, seems a much better system than yours to be honest.