The IB Boost
Stand
It wouldnt even be an effective protest. Even if a teacher was adamant about their position and refused to change a grade, it wouldnt make much difference, the principal would just tell me to change it on the transcript.
This whole discussion depresses me.
I do not share the pessimistic selfish world view.
I have known two people who changed the grades that other teachers had assigned. Both were fired and can no longer find work in education.
I have known one teacher who gave an inaccurate grade (it wasn't exactly a grade change, rather a change in the course title from regular to AP, making the real grade seem more weighty). He regretted his acquiescence almost immediately, and the changed transcript was destroyed before it was distributed.
I have known plenty of cases where grades were questioned by students or parents, sometimes going through admin. None resulted in inappropriate changes. I rather encourage students to question grades. If they don't understand how they earned a mark, they won't know what to do to move forward. And on occasion any teacher makes a marking error that deserves to be corrected - usually it is only the student who could possibly notice the error. If they don't question it, who will? To prevent frivolous or aggressive challenges, I provide a form where students can note in writing why they think they deserve a better grade, with specific references to their work. If they can't support it, I don't have to look.
Why is questioning such a bad thing?
And why do Psyguy and I seem to have such opposite histories? For every good experience I've had, every upstanding moral educator I've known, he seems to have the opposite.
I'm a very lucky person.
I do not share the pessimistic selfish world view.
I have known two people who changed the grades that other teachers had assigned. Both were fired and can no longer find work in education.
I have known one teacher who gave an inaccurate grade (it wasn't exactly a grade change, rather a change in the course title from regular to AP, making the real grade seem more weighty). He regretted his acquiescence almost immediately, and the changed transcript was destroyed before it was distributed.
I have known plenty of cases where grades were questioned by students or parents, sometimes going through admin. None resulted in inappropriate changes. I rather encourage students to question grades. If they don't understand how they earned a mark, they won't know what to do to move forward. And on occasion any teacher makes a marking error that deserves to be corrected - usually it is only the student who could possibly notice the error. If they don't question it, who will? To prevent frivolous or aggressive challenges, I provide a form where students can note in writing why they think they deserve a better grade, with specific references to their work. If they can't support it, I don't have to look.
Why is questioning such a bad thing?
And why do Psyguy and I seem to have such opposite histories? For every good experience I've had, every upstanding moral educator I've known, he seems to have the opposite.
I'm a very lucky person.
Response
"All points of the wheel eventually touch the ground"....
I have no issue at all with students questioning a grade at all. I have issue with other parties and policies distancing the arbitration of a students performance from the teacher.
I have no issue at all with students questioning a grade at all. I have issue with other parties and policies distancing the arbitration of a students performance from the teacher.