Pg 033: Grading, passing, and failing

 

In the traditional classroom, the standards for grading work, passing students, or retaining students are not “normed” not “standardized."

 

There may be three different 10th grade English classes. Let’s call them the Bright, the Average, and the Struggling.

 

When they are all given the same assignment -- three-page paper explaining the author’s central purpose in Dances with Wolves -- they will all produce papers.

 

Some people in each group will get A’s.  Do you think that the “A” for Johnny in the Bright group expresses the same quality or work as the “A” for Brenda in the Struggling group?  No, but they are still A’s.

 

The grading is subjective.  That makes the passing and failing subjective.

 

As homeschooling parents, please do NOT believe that the way you grade your students’ work is inferior to what is done in the public schools.