Re: grades, pass/fail etc.

[James Mackey <jmackey@HARDING.EDU>]

I wonder how this idea works in many large high schools with disruptive
and hard-to-manage students. Somehow I don't think that saying, "We're a
caring interested group of teachers who are no longer going to issue any
grades so that students can concentrate on learning instead of grades"
is going to achieve any goals except anarchy.
The instances that I have read (no direct experience here) about in
which sucessful learning environments were achieved at "failing schools"
have occured when students were forced into compliance by strong,
consistent, discipline.
Does anyone know of any evidence of attempts to apply this pass/fail
idea under such circumstances?
James Mackey

John Clement wrote:

> In other instances, too, the rotten-apple theory offers a better fit with
> educational reality than does "the more, the merrier." Consider schools that
> try to have it both ways: They work with students who act inappropriately,
> perhaps even spending time to promote conflict-resolution strategies--but
> they still haven't let go of heavy-handed policies that amount to doing
> things to students to get compliance. On the one hand: "We're a caring
> community, committed to solving problems together." On the other hand: "If
> you do something that displeases us (the people with the power), we'll make
> you suffer to teach you a lesson."
> ====================================================
Can only comment at college level, but I work homework probelms "cold",
meaning I do not look at them before class. Students then have the
opportunity to see me tackle a problem incorrectly, backtrack and try
another approach, continually check my approach, and occasionally fail
to work the problem at the board. I hope that they learn something from
the failures demonstrated at the board as well as the fact that problem
solving is not a simple 1,2,3 process.

> Some currently common practices may have the spoiled apple effect.  For
> example doing problems on the board for students is similar to teaching step
> by step problem solving in math, so it will only teach students how to do
> just the particular problem and will not result in bridging to similar
> problems.  Conventional lectures may have such an effect also.
James Mackey