sphyrnatude
August 10, 2007 at 10:18 am
I absolutley agree with the luddite ballpoint-pen grief. No reason for that!
However, I have to disagree with the “nice” evaluations – lableing them as borderline instead of failing. All it is going to take is one nasty student to point out that when they hadn’t done any work you ranked them as borderline – now (at the end of the semester) when you give them the “f”, you’re going to have to jsutify why their work was “borderline” at mideterm, but the same work is “failing” at end of semester….
To me, this is a CYA situation, and in all honesty, I don’t think you’re doing the kids any favours by giving them the impression that non-performance is borderline. In the real world (at leastiof they were working for me), thier evaluation would be: “time for you to go find another job – and by the way, non-performance does NOT qualify you for unemployment. Here’s you last paycheck, good luck, and don’t bother trying to use me for a reference.”
By giving them the false inplression that what they are doing is “borderline” instead of unacceptable, you are continuing the grade inflation myths that most high schools currently use – it doesn’t matter what you do, you’re almost ensured a D (or in some cases a C) as long as you show up at least once…..
Mke your evaluations honest – the kids that have any chance of actually responding to the evaluation may be pissed, but they’ll ge ttheir ducks ina row. The kids that aren’t going to respond are a lost cause anyway, so who really cares what they think.
The one or two that feel that they are entitled to the passing grade just for being there will use your generosity as a method to force you to justify your change in standards…..
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