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Remember when an "A" meant something?

by Anonymous

Oct 9, 2011

Not too long ago, earning an "A" meant something. It meant that you worked hard, studied for a test, and learned from your mistakes if you didn't score as well as you feel you should have.

Not anymore! A NOVA school district has implemented a retake policy in their schools. In middle school for example, if a student does not score a 98%, they are able to take a retake in order to get an "A+". The students have figured out that there really is no need to study anymore. They take their chances, see what their grade is, make a few corrections, and take retakes until they earn the grade they want. While the policies at each middle school vary slightly, they all allow students to retake a test, at least once. After a test, there is often literally a hundred students asking to retake a test. Many of these students scored well the first time (A's and B's). They simply want to take their chances of scoring better. Work ethic out the window!

Take note, grades are now UNRELIA...See More

view previous comments

Retakes are ridiculous. I agree with you. It turns students into lazy, bad students. And it makes a mockery of grades. I will not work somewhere if they have a policy of forcing the teacher to give retakes and I do ask about it in the interview.

On 10/09/11, Anonymous wrote: > Not too long ago, earning an "A" meant something. It meant > that you worked har...See MoreI agree with you. It turns students into lazy, bad students. And it makes a mockery of grades. I will not work somewhere if they have a policy of forcing the teacher to give retakes and I do ask about it in the interview.

On 10/09/11, Anonymous wrote: > Not too long ago, earning an "A" meant something. It meant > that you worked hard, studied for a test, and learned from > your mistakes if you didn't score as well as you feel you > should have. > > Not anymore! A NOVA school district has implemented a > retake policy in their schools. In middle school for > example, if a student does not score a 98%, they are able > to take a retake in order to get an "A+". The students have > figured out that there really is no need to study anymore. > They take their chances, see what their grade is, make a > few corrections, and take retakes until they earn the grade > they want. While the policies at each middle school vary > slightly, they all allow students to retake a test, at > least once. After a test, there is often literally a > hundred students asking to retake a test. Many of these > students scored well the first time (A's and B's). They > simply want to take their chances of scoring better. Work > ethic out the window! > > Take note, grades are now UNRELIABLE. This is happening at > the high school level, too. With unreliable grades, how can > a college take this district seriously. Now, it will all be > about the SAT or a similar test. Teachers cannot even truly > know who their struggling students are, as their grade > books show mostly "A's". The new grade replaces the real > grade. End of story. > > The achievement gap has disappeared, almost overnight. Or > has it? What has really happened is that the grades are > inaccurate. SOL scores will not bear out an "A" score given > to a student in class. Neither will the SAT's. > > It's called mastery learning. Yet, the same students who > fail a test are not really mastering a topic. At some > point, you basically wind up spoon feeding them their > answers, just so you can move on. The low students don't > learn any more, the higher students learn they don't need > to really try, because why should they if they can simply > redo / retake. > > Brilliant, isn't it?

Oct 9, 2011

Bulldog has a retake policy If a student gets below a C, s/he is allowed to retake the test. However, the maximum they can get is half credit for the retake. Therefore, a 77/D can get as high as an 89/B on the retake. No A is possible with a retake. A student with a 60/F can get an 80/C at best. Oftentimes, the retake is a different version of the test or I might have them ma...See MoreIf a student gets below a C, s/he is allowed to retake the test. However, the maximum they can get is half credit for the retake. Therefore, a 77/D can get as high as an 89/B on the retake. No A is possible with a retake. A student with a 60/F can get an 80/C at best. Oftentimes, the retake is a different version of the test or I might have them make corrections. Either way, it works for my class. I also have a policy that says before they are allowed to do the retake, they have to stay after school for tutoring. This seperates the lazy student from the student that is working hard to do well.

Bulldog!

On 10/09/11, Retakes are ridiculous. wrote: > I agree with you. It turns students into lazy, bad students. > And it makes a mockery of grades. I will not work somewhere > if they have a policy of forcing the teacher to give retakes > and I do ask about it in the interview. > > On 10/09/11, Anonymous wrote: >> Not too long ago, earning an "A" meant something. It meant >> that you worked hard, studied for a test, and learned from >> your mistakes if you didn't score as well as you feel you >> should have. >> >> Not anymore! A NOVA school district has implemented a >> retake policy in their schools. In middle school for >> example, if a student does not score a 98%, they are able >> to take a retake in order to get an "A+". The students have >> figured out that there really is no need to study anymore. >> They take their chances, see what their grade is, make a >> few corrections, and take retakes until they earn the grade >> they want. While the policies at each middle school vary >> slightly, they all allow students to retake a test, at >> least once. After a test, there is often literally a >> hundred students asking to retake a test. Many of these >> students scored well the first time (A's and B's). They >> simply want to take their chances of scoring better. Work >> ethic out the window! >> >> Take note, grades are now UNRELIABLE. This is happening at >> the high school level, too. With unreliable grades, how can >> a college take this district seriously. Now, it will all be >> about the SAT or a similar test. Teachers cannot even truly >> know who their struggling students are, as their grade >> books show mostly "A's". The new grade replaces the real >> grade. End of story. >> >> The achievement gap has disappeared, almost overnight. Or >> has it? What has really happened is that the grades are >> inaccurate. SOL scores will not bear out an "A" score given >> to a student in class. Neither will the SAT's. >> >> It's called mastery learning. Yet, the same students who >> fail a test are not really mastering a topic. At some >> point, you basically wind up spoon feeding them their >> answers, just so you can move on. The low students don't >> learn any more, the higher students learn they don't need >> to really try, because why should they if they can simply >> redo / retake. >> >> Brilliant, isn't it?

Oct 25, 2011

Josephine Students in Loudoun County can retake for 100%, no matter what their original score. The students are now realizing that why should they study, because all they have to do is take a retake, or in a lot of cases, redo an assessment.

C students are now A students. It cheapens what an A really used to represent. They are not really earning t...See MoreStudents in Loudoun County can retake for 100%, no matter what their original score. The students are now realizing that why should they study, because all they have to do is take a retake, or in a lot of cases, redo an assessment.

C students are now A students. It cheapens what an A really used to represent. They are not really earning their new grade. It is grade inflation. But, until the SOLs roll around, all looks good in the grade book.

What's going on like this in other counties?

On 10/25/11, Bulldog has a retake policy wrote: > If a student gets below a C, s/he is allowed to retake the test. > However, the maximum they can get is half credit for the retake. > Therefore, a 77/D can get as high as an 89/B on the retake. No A > is possible with a retake. A student with a 60/F can get an 80/C > at best. Oftentimes, the retake is a different version of the > test or I might have them make corrections. Either way, it works > for my class. I also have a policy that says before they are > allowed to do the retake, they have to stay after school for > tutoring. This seperates the lazy student from the student that > is working hard to do well. > > Bulldog! > > On 10/09/11, Retakes are ridiculous. wrote: >> I agree with you. It turns students into lazy, bad students. >> And it makes a mockery of grades. I will not work > somewhere >> if they have a policy of forcing the teacher to give retakes >> and I do ask about it in the interview. >> >> On 10/09/11, Anonymous wrote: >>> Not too long ago, earning an "A" meant something. It meant >>> that you worked hard, studied for a test, and learned from >>> your mistakes if you didn't score as well as you feel you >>> should have. >>> >>> Not anymore! A NOVA school district has implemented a >>> retake policy in their schools. In middle school for >>> example, if a student does not score a 98%, they are able >>> to take a retake in order to get an "A+". The students have >>> figured out that there really is no need to study anymore. >>> They take their chances, see what their grade is, make a >>> few corrections, and take retakes until they earn the grade >>> they want. While the policies at each middle school vary >>> slightly, they all allow students to retake a test, at >>> least once. After a test, there is often literally a >>> hundred students asking to retake a test. Many of these >>> students scored well the first time (A's and B's). They >>> simply want to take their chances of scoring better. Work >>> ethic out the window! >>> >>> Take note, grades are now UNRELIABLE. This is happening at >>> the high school level, too. With unreliable grades, how can >>> a college take this district seriously. Now, it will all be >>> about the SAT or a similar test. Teachers cannot even truly >>> know who their struggling students are, as their grade >>> books show mostly "A's". The new grade replaces the real >>> grade. End of story. >>> >>> The achievement gap has disappeared, almost overnight. Or >>> has it? What has really happened is that the grades are >>> inaccurate. SOL scores will not bear out an "A" score given >>> to a student in class. Neither will the SAT's. >>> >>> It's called mastery learning. Yet, the same students who >>> fail a test are not really mastering a topic. At some >>> point, you basically wind up spoon feeding them their >>> answers, just so you can move on. The low students don't >>> learn any more, the higher students learn they don't need >>> to really try, because why should they if they can simply >>> redo / retake. >>> >>> Brilliant, isn't it?

Oct 26, 2011

To Josephine On 10/26/11, Josephine wrote: > Students in Loudoun County can retake for 100%, no matter what their > original score. The students are now realizing that why should > they study, because all they have to do is take a retake, or in a > lot of cases, redo an assessment. > > C students are now A students. It cheapens what an A reall...See More

Oct 27, 2011

Another NOVA Teacher I didn't know that about Loudoun, but in that county, it doesn't surprise me at all. They, plus Fairfax, are implementing a numerical system using 1- 4, and getting rid of grades (eventually) in the elementary levels. I hope that our county doesn't go that route, but from what I've heard, Loudoun and Fairfax are always trying to "out-do" each other...See More

Nov 8, 2011

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