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Re: [Phys-l] Smart Students



You did not receive the new grading standards.
These have been implemented for years in the muddle schools and have been creeping upwards.


A Actually did something
B But...I tried
C Couldn't
D Didn't
F Failed (to breathe).


Check with your students, this is what they believe is correct and fair for evaluation.


Scott

Whose 13 year old daughter receives highest marks on every poster she is assigned - if she turns it in.



**********************************
Scott Goelzer
Physics Teacher
Coe-Brown Northwood Academy
Northwood NH 03261
603-942-5531e218
sgoelzer@coebrownacademy.com
**********************************


On May 30, 2006, at 10:52 AM, Rick Tarara wrote:


----- Original Message -----
From: "Quist, Oren" <Oren.Quist@SDSTATE.EDU>


All this talk about how un-smart today's students are.

Well, in this morning's paper is an article stating that 40% of all
grades for all courses at the U. of Minnesota this year is an "A".

This institution goes on to explain that this is about right as compared
to other major universities.

How could the grades be this high if the students were not exceptionally
bright?????

I know you don't really need an answer ;-) but it might be useful to list
some.

1) We don't want to be bruising student's self esteem by giving them any
grade lower than a B, so naturally there will be many more As.

2 Newer faculty members don't want bad 'student evaluations'-- thinking
these have a major impact on their futures.

3) Departments want to attract more majors to keep the internal funding
flowing. Can't be losing students to the Department of Television Cartoon
Studies.

4) The institution doesn't want to be losing students, having them go off
to the University of Lower Minnesota State A&M, and thus losing state
funding. [Worse if you are a private school charging REALLY BIG BUCKS.]

5) All the U of Minnesota students come from Lake Wobegon!

Rick

*********************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
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