I hate this time of year. This is the time of the year when, all of a sudden, every kid is keenly aware of their GPA (though many of them couldn't care less about it only 3 weeks ago). It is exam time. I hate it because of the finality of it all. This is the time when a student, officially at least, will pass or will fail.
There are many problems with the system, and I don't have the energy to get into all of them right now, but fundamentally, I don't believe that grades are the way to go. I follow (but don't yet use) the SBG model as I think it is vastly superior to the current way Ontarians conduct evaluation. (Ed problem #1? Teacher unwilling to change even when they know it is to the benefit of the learner).
I am currently (and constantly) faced with the decision - pass or fail? And with that decision comes two questions:
1. What is 3%?
2. What will a failing grade for this student accomplish?
When I reflect on the first question, the answer is painfully obvious; I don't really know. Especially when that percentage mark is a combination of marks from a variety of strands that are themselves unrelated. Isn't it better to be able to say (to the student and the parent and the next teacher) "This student understands Topic A very well and can do these things within that topic, but has difficulty with these other aspects, and still requires a lot of work with these other concepts."? (SBG helps with that)
The second question relies a bit on my answer to the first. Is a student with a 50% really well prepared to move onto the next topic? 50% does not scream mastery. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and guess that the 50% indicates a profound lack of mastery in most areas. BUT 50% is a pass. Forty-seven percent on the other hand is a failing mark. Three lousy percent. In reality, this 3% probably means that one topic, rather one part of one topic, was done slightly less well than the person that got the passing mark. (In many classes it may even mean that a student didn't hand in that atomic model in chemistry or didn't colour the title pages) Is the student with the 50% going to be that much better prepared then the student that had 47% eight months from now (minimum) when they move on to the next science class (in a semestered school)? Neither of them will likely have the tools or background that they need to really and truly succeed at a competitive level. I am certainly not suggesting that high marks are indicators of future success; but low marks don't scream future success either.
As I reflect (in writing), it appears to me that perhaps the problem lies with me. Perhaps my grading system is unjust or inaccurate. Perhaps the 50% student (if I truly believe they aren't prepared) should not have been able to achieve the 50%. Fifty percent should indicate readiness to move forward; competency. If however the problem does indeed lie with me, I am not alone. I co-teach, and co-plan. I have taught with many different teachers at 6 different schools. I am not that different (if I am different at all) from many of the other teachers out there. This seems to me to be a very big problem, one which I clearly do not have the answers to. Your feedback and suggestions are most certainly welcomed.
As students are (hopefully) reflecting on the habits they have that may have led them to less then desirable results, so too am I.
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