Grade Inflation: The final Chapter
Perhaps I have beaten this subject to death. But I have one final rant about the students. That problem is that students dont read anymore. There, i said it. I have had functionally illiterate students in class (I mean besides the athletes). Why are illiterate people in college? They have been passed on through non-functioning school systems. Don’t yell at me about people with learning disabilities. I know, I know. I provide every opportunity for disabled students. But there are plenty who just can’t read.
Its not just those that can’t read, its those that don’t. Very few of the students actually read the texts. You can hold quizzes to try to hold students responsible, but frankly, I got tired. I developed the perspective that some students are going to fail. Usually (99% of the time) they fail because they choose not to read the texts. They fail because they choose not to come to class. They fail because they choose to get drunk the night before the exam.
Another problem is most of those same students refuse to take responsibility for their failure. I got a call at home (can you believe it?) from a parent of one of my students who failed. I was taken to task for failing their little darling. When I explained that little darling had missed 2/3 of the lectures, 2/3 of the quizzes and 1/2 of the written assignments.
I was answered with silence. Finally, a much chastened voice said “…she didn’t tell me that.”
Maybe the problem is that not only do students not take responsibility, but parents enable them.
As a public school teacher, I have seen plenty of parental enabling, and it is very frustrating. Students don’t read. It is very difficult in most school systems to hold someone back and administrators generally don’t have the heart to fight a parent. Back to enabling parents. And administrators who enable enabling parents. What a mess!
Comment by a spectator — 4/23/2006 @ 7:46 pm
I agree. Students don’t / won’t read. It got so, at the beginning of this year, I would assign reading at home. I found that even the studetns who *did* read didn’t understand 90% of what they were reading. So, because I’m trying to teach them content material, we switched to a “read everything in class” approach so that I can explain vocabulary, discuss concepts, etc. It’s a huge time waster and boring for them, but it’s that or have the kids completely clueless. What’s a teacher to do?
Comment by meems — 4/23/2006 @ 8:50 pm
What I great story! That had to feel good.
I can’t believe college level student’s parents actually get mad at teachers.
Comment by JKS — 4/23/2006 @ 11:44 pm
There is hope! I was a very bright student that did not care because school was boring. Teachers seemed obsessed with man’s inhumanity to man. I did quite well in college and became vice president of the Freshman Women’s Honor Society. Then I married and had children. I graduated from college with my BA in Fine Art& Design.
My children were highly gifted and began to shut down in elementary school. I worked with the teachers and the system for 9 years, trying to provide teachers and parents with education and provide all students with better options, not just the gifted ones. Most teachers were in ruts and just as impervious to change as the parents and youths you mention.
At the request of my children and after much research, we engaged in home education. Notice I did not say home school! I am in agreement with C. S. Lewis, “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defense to false sentiments is to inculcate just ones.”
When I began home education, I began to reach out to other home educators and worked to raise their sights and help build them into a community. Four years ago I started holding scholar classes with youths 12-18. We study the classics. We have been using what is called Thomas Jefferson Education. We believe in inspiring the youth to learn, and they do choose in. I have had totally home educated students, dual enrolled, and full-time high school students.
Perhaps, just perhaps, our attitudes towards the youth in our classes and our passion for what we teach, might be impacting their desire to learn.
Comment by DG — 8/5/2006 @ 9:35 pm