Perhaps you don't realize it, but we teachers are also subject to grueling deadlines, never more so than when report cards loom over us. It takes HOURS to compose articulate snippets that convey the essence of a student, and sometimes we wonder how much time and thought you all put into reading and processing them. Do you focus more on the actual letter grade and ignore our description? What about your parents? Would you prefer to receive just a letter grade? How would you feel about just receiving a narrative without the grade? What are your thoughts on this entire process of grading and evaluating?
Personally, I like it when teachers don't just put a letter grade. If students get a bad grade, or someone wants to bring the level of their grade up, they know what to focus on. It feels less daunting than just having a list of letter grades.
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ReplyDeleteI definitely prefer the description. During the progress reports I am wondering why I deserve the grade I got and how I can improve. The part that sort of bugs me though is that nobody cares about what the teacher has to say. Instead, they only care about the letter grade. The "Great job, *insert name here*, you got an A in science!", instead of "Great job, *insert name here*, the teacher thinks you are the most helpful student in the class!" is absurd. The letter grade just shows what you got, not why you got it (sorry if I am a bit repetitive).
I certainly don't mind letter grades. However, I doubt the amount of time you put into writing the little snippets is worth it. If I've gotten an A that I knew I was going to get all along, I don't bother reading the description. If I didn't expect the A, then I want to know how I suddenly improved. And if I got a bad grade, I want to know how to improve. But if you're spending hours upon hours writing up a few words from each student, then I would just prefer the letter grade. Anyone who wants a teacher's perspective (who doesn't mince words the way Mrs. Samson probably does), just go ask Mr. Brady what he thinks of all of it. I'm inclined to agree.
ReplyDeleteI very definitely like the descriptions. Without them, we can't tell what you really think about us students. You see, the letter grade is one thing, but it's good to know what teachers think of us. Just like Bella said, I want to know how to improve or how I have improved. And, anyway, I know it's a lot of work, but just like "money can't buy happiness," well, letter grades are only your work. What about the rest? We have to know.
ReplyDeleteI like getting descriptions because when you get a good grade you can take the teachers praise. But then again, it really hurts when you don't get a good grade. Getting descriptions from the teachers really helps you focus on your weak spots.
ReplyDeleteI like to see the letter grade that I got, but I also like to see the descriptions because if I got a bad grade, then I would like to know why.
ReplyDeleteIf I get a good grade, I don't like to feel like I just got it for no reason. The descriptions really help me see what I am doing correctly and incorrectly, and I can also apply this advice to other classes. I don't care as much about the letter grade rather than what the teacher thinks of my work, and how I can improve. A list of letters can be pretty meaningless, even if it is a column of straight A's. I like to know how I can improve!
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