Since when have students been able to buy their way to a better grade? Well, according to a few of my brothers...for quite some time now.
I was absolutely blown away when my brother said he had to go to Wal-mart to buy a few things for "extra credit". Really?!? Since it'll be your father's money, will he get that "extra credit" then?
Apparently, the local high school students can earn "extra credit" by purchasing things teachers need, like EXPO markers and pens. Does anyone else see something totally wrong with this?
Now, I know that not every teacher does this and those that do don't do it all the time. I also know all too well that teachers are underpaid and have to use waay too much of their own personal money on needed classroom/student supplies.
Still...
I remember the days when "extra credit" truly was extra credit. After all, the whole purpose of doing extra credit was to raise your grade in that particular class by writing an extra paper, doing extra home work...thus increasing your knowledge as well as your grade in that particular class.
When we allow students to buy "extra credit", what kind of message are we sending to these high school students???
Well, since you are wondering, I'll tell you what popped into my head.
* The idea of working hard to get a good grade is meaningless to students because they can just buy their way to a better grade. So, why work hard?
* In a student's mind, if this works for grades, it will work for other things too. We already know many students purchase essays and pay others to do their work.
* When we lower our standards of what we expect from high school students, they automatically lower their standards of how they will perform. Too little is expected from these young people now-a-days and too much much is freely given.
What do you think about this?
I was absolutely blown away when my brother said he had to go to Wal-mart to buy a few things for "extra credit". Really?!? Since it'll be your father's money, will he get that "extra credit" then?
Apparently, the local high school students can earn "extra credit" by purchasing things teachers need, like EXPO markers and pens. Does anyone else see something totally wrong with this?
Now, I know that not every teacher does this and those that do don't do it all the time. I also know all too well that teachers are underpaid and have to use waay too much of their own personal money on needed classroom/student supplies.
Still...
I remember the days when "extra credit" truly was extra credit. After all, the whole purpose of doing extra credit was to raise your grade in that particular class by writing an extra paper, doing extra home work...thus increasing your knowledge as well as your grade in that particular class.
When we allow students to buy "extra credit", what kind of message are we sending to these high school students???
Well, since you are wondering, I'll tell you what popped into my head.
* The idea of working hard to get a good grade is meaningless to students because they can just buy their way to a better grade. So, why work hard?
* In a student's mind, if this works for grades, it will work for other things too. We already know many students purchase essays and pay others to do their work.
* When we lower our standards of what we expect from high school students, they automatically lower their standards of how they will perform. Too little is expected from these young people now-a-days and too much much is freely given.
What do you think about this?
unbelievable...I would have been in so much trouble for even attempting this.
ReplyDeleteCraziness.... That should be reported to the principal and the teacher needs to stop that little program.
ReplyDeletePretty unbelievable, for sure. When my students used to ask for extra credit, I would tell them, "You can't even do the CREDIT! Why in the world should I give you EXTRA credit?!" But the thing that's really sad to me is that parents are probably rushing out to buy the stuff rather than actually letting their kids learn a lesson about the consequences of slacking off.
ReplyDeleteWOW! This doesn't surprise me... The educational institutions are no longer focused on the improvement and increased academics of the students. It seems the Federal Education Funds aren't doing the job these day. Jennifer was right on... Are parents losing focus as well?
ReplyDelete