But, referring to the response below, I find that with very, very
good students, who can exceed the stated goals, I tend to push them
harder--and that is sometimes reflected in an A-/B+ grade on what
by the 'standards' might be a straight A paper--I think they can
stretch and reach and do more than what the particular class goals
are and stretch them in that way--on the other hand, I make sure that
they are 'penalized' when the overall grades are given for the semester's
grade book. Don't we all want to push students to their max? and don't
we all have a good mix?
So while I agree that I don't grade 'effort' either and do have standards,
on the other hand, I also feel a need to push those whose ability is
way above the class expectations--there students are few and far between
but always seemed to ahve appreciated the push.
annette
On Fri, 23 Apr 1999, Lou Manza wrote:
>
> Why would it not be possible to apply uniform grading standards across all
> papers within a single class? Unless I'm missing something here, as a
> teacher, one should set up standards for papers that are made very clear to
> students, and ALL students are judged equally by these standards. I know
> that I have had the experience where a student will receive a VERY LOW
> grade on a paper, and then tell me that "they put so much effort into the
> paper that they shouldn't receive [fill in the grade]." My response to
> this is that I don't grade effort; there are certain standards that MUST BE
> MET. An analogy I will frequently use is "Would you want to be operated on
> by a surgeon who tried real hard in medical school but only squeaked by, or
> by the best surgeon in the graduating class?" Effort + Performance are the
> critical variables here, not effort alone.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Lou
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr. Louis Manza phone: (717) 867-6193
> Assistant Professor of Psychology fax: (717) 867-6075
> Lebanon Valley College E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Annville, PA 17003
>
> "Living in the limelight, the universal dream...for
> those who wish to seem. Those who wish to be...must
> put aside the alienation, get on with the fascination,
> the real relation, the underlying theme."
>
> Rush, "Limelight" (lyrics, N. Peart)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
Annette Taylor, Ph. D.
Department of Psychology E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
"Education is one of the few things a person
is willing to pay for and not get."
-- W. L. Bryan
