Cannot Be Taught
Here’s something that I will do my damnedest to teach my child: Just because you worked hard doesn’t mean you worked well.
In line with Dean Hogge’s observation are Professor Greenberger’s test results. Nearly two-thirds of the students surveyed said that if they explained to a professor that they were trying hard, that should be taken into account in their grade.[cite] emphasis mineJason Greenwood, a senior kinesiology major at the University of Maryland echoed that view.
“I think putting in a lot of effort should merit a high grade,” Mr. Greenwood said. “What else is there really than the effort that you put in?”
“If you put in all the effort you have and get a C, what is the point?” he added. “If someone goes to every class and reads every chapter in the book and does everything the teacher asks of them and more, then they should be getting an A like their effort deserves. If your maximum effort can only be average in a teacher’s mind, then something is wrong.”
Mr. Greenwood, you are correct in one thing: Something is wrong. It’s not what you think it is, but you got at least part of that right. I’d grade that thought a D.
I’ll use the obvious analogy, here:
You want some dope who graduated PhD in Agriculture to irrigate your crops with Gatorade, cause it quenches all thirst? He tried really, really hard in school ….. :/
You want some guy to have to try really really hard to remember a differential diagnosis on your dying mom when he only has 10 minutes to administer treatment or her stroke will permanently ruin her brain?
I didn’t think so.
Yeah, there is more to it than effort, for sure. I really don’t like that this “self-esteem” grading is going on in elementary schools, but to hear that some people think it should be happening in post-secondary education too, gross. In hindsight I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised, those kids who got graded “W” for Wonderful will eventually get to college age.
Damn right you’ll teach your kids a mere sense of entitlement is not what will get you by alone. If your kid’s generation could be the first one in a while that starts to purge this sense of entitlement that has been going on that would be great.
also… this wraps is up http://mwkworks.com/lifesnotfair.html