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Post by Rich Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 12:24:14 GMT -4
As some on here know, my wife is a teacher at one of the area elementary schools. The administration there straight-out tells her what to give for grades (no kidding) and while she strongly disagrees with that, it's a "my way or the highway" thing. In past years it has been "give them all A's", and my guess is that someone higher up than the school principal had a problem with that, so this year was "give them all B's". Apparently the parents are all ticked off and calling the school because their kids "only" got B's.
While I know that this method of "give them all B's" is very wrong, it's still a "B". Here's my question - Since when is getting a "B" a bad thing? It means the your kid is above average but still has some room to improve. An "A" means that they are so good, they don't need any improvement. Second, it's elementary school. No one will look at a child's elementary school grades and say "We were going to let little Billy into Yale, but I see that he got B's in a 4th grade class...". I can understand High School, and even Middle School, but jeez, lighten up parents. A "B" is pretty darn good, and it's elementary school.
Now the actual reason that they are all given that grade is horrible, but until something changes with the administration - it will continue to be this way. I won't go into how useless the teachers union is or the large amount of deaf ears at the top of the QAC school system... but I will get into that someday soon - there will be more information forthcoming.
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Post by RobMoore on Jan 31, 2011 12:33:40 GMT -4
That has to be one of the most disturbing things I have heard this year.
Giving kids grades they didn't earn! Despicable.
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Post by Rich Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 12:38:10 GMT -4
Yup. That's the principal.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2011 12:42:07 GMT -4
Why does education have to be so complicated?
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Post by Mike on Jan 31, 2011 15:04:22 GMT -4
That is because the people around here are implants and a different breed. When I was in school, D was passing!
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Post by shorti on Jan 31, 2011 15:40:09 GMT -4
Why i think that it's crazy for someone to tell a teacher what grade to give any student! Then what's their job? I think it's nuts! one thing I've found frustrating is the testing & then placing students in classes per those test scores. For example, my son doens't excel on those standardized tests & they placed him in almost a remedial math at the 6th grade level, when his teacher from 5th grade recommended him for an advanced math. I fought it & finally I had to sign this waiver saying that I was going against the school's recommendations per their standards for placement of students. Basically - if he failed, it was my fault. Well I will have to say that the head of the math dept was quick to tell me at the beginning of the following year, that I was right for fighting for my son.
However - to answer another part of your question -- in our house.. a B isn't great... lemme explain though... it's because we know they are all capable of A's - esp my son - he's a rush thru everything & make silly mistakes kind of kid. Not that he doesn't know the material - it's actually the opposite - he knows it well, so well he gets.. well... cocky & then rushes & makes dumb errors & then his grades reflect this. I've talked with all his teachers & they all agree.. now he's in 9th grade & it REALLY matters now... so it's important now... but at the elementary school level... really???
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Post by island tech on Jan 31, 2011 15:57:08 GMT -4
Why don't they just hand the kids their diplomas now and send them out into the real world.
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Post by deputy on Jan 31, 2011 16:43:49 GMT -4
When did a "B" become Bad? Answer: When someone other than the teacher dictates what grades are given. That person should be fired. |
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Post by Rich Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 16:47:04 GMT -4
Agreed. Unfortunately the useless teachers union wouldn't do anything and neither would the board. Basically the people who should care the most care the least.
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Post by pete1 on Jan 31, 2011 16:52:06 GMT -4
Why don't they just hand the kids their diplomas now and send them out into the real world. They are doing just that.....The standards were lowered in the late 60's to accommodate those who could not cut the mustard for the purpose of political correctness. We have harvested those seeds that were sown to the detriment of the nation. Too many kids graduate who can hardly read and write, or count change. |
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Post by bluecrabber on Jan 31, 2011 18:18:45 GMT -4
Lowest common denominator.. that's America these days..
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Post by Kryo on Jan 31, 2011 20:02:56 GMT -4
You can still get an A. Just have to be special-ed.
Its difficult to see your kid bringing home A's on their papers all marking period, doing the projects, doing well on their tests, and still get a B for no other reason than "well, you haven't walked on water yet. So no A for you!"
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Post by bchevy on Jan 31, 2011 21:44:51 GMT -4
............Kids graduate who can hardly read and write, or count change. SOME kids, Pete SOME KIDS SOME kids actually do good and go on to college, make a 3.0 GPA while wrestling all 4 years, or make the Dean's list in her 1st semester. (not the same kid) Fast food and other 1st jobs don't help either, they have pictures on the register keys..... no math required |
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Post by outlaw on Jan 31, 2011 23:46:05 GMT -4
Watch the school board meetings (which are better than a sleeping pill). The administrators are all so busy giving each other awards they can't be worried about such a trivial thing as grades. At least the school board can be voted out.
What if - gasp - kids actually got grades that they earned, rather than giving everyone a B, which is akin to a participation trophy.
Perhaps B is for Being there!
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Post by shorti on Feb 1, 2011 0:22:48 GMT -4
oh i've told my kids about when teachers could fail you on "principle" basically i was in geometry in 10th grade... my teacher was my tutor for pre-algebra & the 1st qtr for algebra... so she knew i knew the stuff... i NEVER did any homework, barely participated in class (read... goofed off) but aced all the tests (which at the time i went to school was the bulk of your grade) she failed me... had to take it all over again the next year... kids don't get that nowadays... i actually had a friend who had to fight the school board to hold her child back because he just wasn't getting it - yet they were passing him. She took in papers upon papers of stuff to plead her case where someone with an "untrained" eye could notice there is serious deficiency in the work & the fought her tooth & nail & refused to hold him back because how dare her question a teacher???
She eventually ended up homeschooling her son for a few years & then finally was able to get him into a private school where he now excels & graduates this year!
Giving out grades so the schools get better funding or look better on paper is crap & doing an injustice for the children....
sadly, pete is partly right, there are several children who graduate uneducated and that's sad. granted there are those who make it thru successfully - but we can't ignore those who have legit issues & are just being pushed thru the system... we are failing those children...
as cliche as it sounds... the children are our future... and if we are failing them & rewarding mediocrity (sp? which is funny as heck considering the topic but it's late & my brain is fried) or less than that... what kind of future do we have??? or do they have?
Just because kids can "adjust" and make do... doesn't mean they aren't being cheated. And you can't judge the whole barrel of apples by the few bad ones who have no interest or simply don't care. And in those cases... we should be asking... why dont' they? I remember when teachers were invested in their students. Everyone of my teachers knew my parents well & by first name mostly, if there was some "off" they would quickly contact them or pull me in or both....
nowadays... that's not the case & it's not the teachers fault all the time (in some cases it is) but I know Rich's wife & that's not her case & I know many other teachers who truly care about their students.... but i also know many who either never cared, or have lost the care... in both cases, sad & in the latter, the finger needs to be pointed to the admin of the school, the district, the state, etc etc...
ok ... off my soap box
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Post by chickennecker11 on Feb 1, 2011 1:23:05 GMT -4
The county school system is screwed up WAYYYYYYYY beyond grades. What about a counselor interviewing your 4yr old to determine if he/she is "Pre - K " material. Only to be told that his parents MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY to have their son accepted into Pre-K ?? WTF  |
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Post by zeus911 on Feb 1, 2011 8:37:55 GMT -4
Chickennecker - That is a good one. We went through that with our first child, now we are up for that again this year for our youngest. Conversation goes like this "Sweetie they will give you a test, and if you do not get any of the answers right, you will have a good chance of going to pre-k very soon." Something is wrong with that picture. For us, that pre-k is a large sum of money not going out the door for daycare in the tune of close to 10K per year.
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Post by island tech on Feb 1, 2011 9:00:12 GMT -4
No child left behind is a crock! Instead of making sure each child is learning they just push them through with a passing grade.
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Post by shorti on Feb 1, 2011 9:13:22 GMT -4
well IT I think at it's onset & "design process" it was a good thing - like many others - equal opportunity, social security, medicare, etc, etc... but the politicians got their hands in it cause of the lobbyist filling their pockets or whatever & we get this...
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Post by glk21c on Feb 1, 2011 12:40:20 GMT -4
now it all makes sense as to why QAC has the best schools in the state....
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Post by AquaHolic on Feb 1, 2011 15:37:51 GMT -4
now it all makes sense as to why QAC has the best schools in the state.... Let me just say that I have no idea where Rich's wife works..but Centreville Middle School does NOT do this. My son is struggling with his grades...they did not just up his grade...all his teachers got together and tried to figure out how to best help him...when they came up with an idea they called me and asked me what I thought...I loved it...and what they did was moved all his classes around...same teachers...just different times. We shall see how it goes...So Kudos to CMS...for their creativity.. |
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Post by kibizowner on Feb 1, 2011 15:42:49 GMT -4
This is what happens when you celebrate having your students pass the MSAs with proficient rather than focusing on excellence... All our kids are honor roll, how many kids get a C? Not many... Bottom line for us is that the schools are poor and ignore the top kids. That's why our kids move to private school in 6th grade.
But I do feel for some of the teachers. They are trying to do the best they can, but get little support. There are others though that should be removed from the classroom...
KI Middle School is a joke. No homework for 6th graders? Really? Good preparation for the world of HS and College...
Oh, I could go on and on, but why bother. I heard there was a meeting between invited parents and the Bd of Ed to discuss what is excellence. It will be interesting to see what comes from that...
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Post by pete1 on Feb 1, 2011 17:28:46 GMT -4
now it all makes sense as to why QAC has the best schools in the state.... There are drugs in all the schools in Q.A.Co.. |
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Post by lovethebay on Feb 1, 2011 22:10:44 GMT -4
now it all makes sense as to why QAC has the best schools in the state.... This is sort of insulting to the hard working teachers of QAC that got our schools to where they are. I'm not saying our school system is perfect. I don't think any school system is. I personally am proud to be a teacher in this county and I think many of my co-workers would agree. I teach elementary school have never been told what grade to give my students and I do not believe in that at all. sad  |
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Post by Rich Fisher on Feb 1, 2011 22:32:27 GMT -4
I'm happy to hear that you've had a good experience in QAC, but unfortunately that is not the case with everyone.
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