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A student approached me after class to complain that it was unfair that he didn't receive any partial credit while other students got a lot of it. Hmmm, that is odd. How could I have made such an error in grading? Let's take a look at the exam.
He got a 96%. He didn't get any partial credit because he received full credit for almost all the questions.
Barack H. Obama on a popsicle stick. When even the "smart" students are flaky like a buttermilk biscuit, I've just about had it.
I had a student with 94/100 in differential equations argue over half a mark. Felt like taking away his A+ and replacing it with an A that would torture him the rest of his life.
ReplyDeleteThis drives me batty, too. Especially when it comes to group work, there seems to be a small but noticeable minority of students who are obsessed not only with getting the best possible grade themselves, but also with making sure that a group member whom they perceive as not pulling hir weight (sometimes justifiably, sometimes not) is penalized. I understand their frustration, but I don't think their future bosses are going to appreciate similar conversations.
ReplyDeleteThe worst complainers are the A- students who think they deserved an A; or the B+ students who think they deserve an A-. The C students know why they got a C and are grateful it's not the F they privately feel their level of effort deserves. It's the ones who always did brilliantly before this class and it must be because I'm just being mean! who are the problem.
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ReplyDeleteI had a student cop a serious attitude and tell me that I was the reason she wouldn't get into basket-weaving 102, as I took 3 points in a practicum for poor weaving technique. She was seriously pissed and nearly yelling at me. I couldn't believe it.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that was 3 points out of 100- she still got an A
ReplyDeleteActually, I can sympathize with the 96%-er, especially if a very high grade was needed to slightly 'subsidize' a previous lower grade and push the overall course mark to an A+
ReplyDelete(Somewhat tangentially, I was a little surprised to find that it's the norm for 90% to equal A+ in the geographic region in which I now teach. My student experience 'back home' (same country, though) was that A+ usually required something in the range of 94-96%, depending on the prof.)
But should she not EARN a grade rather than it be given to her? Weave appropriately- get 100%.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the student was upset because he or she worked for his or her A. The student may have felt that you subsidized the grades of the students who didn't work as hard/know as much.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I may be projecting my feelings about my high A students who tend to be very reasonable and likable and certainly not twits.
CouldBeBetter said:
ReplyDeleteActually, I can sympathize with the 96%-er, especially if a very high grade was needed to slightly 'subsidize' a previous lower grade and push the overall course mark to an A+
I've been an undergraduate, a grad student, and an instructor at a variety of universities, from mediocre public universities to good public universities to swanky private colleges to prestigious private universities, and not one of them has ever allowed a grade of A+ for the course.
At my current school, when I fill in students' grades at the end of the semester, the online grade tool will not let me assign any grade above an A. There is no A+ in the drop-down menu.
I will sometimes assign an A+ in certain components of my course, to reward outstanding effort. This occurs most often in the Class Participation component, where there are occasionally students who do all the reading, come to class prepared to discuss it, and do so with strong intellectual engagement, every single class. But I've never given an A+ as an overall course grade, because it's never been possible.
I give an A+ for 99.5 and above, and now I don't do extra credit, because I was sick of how it put too many students in the A+ range.
ReplyDelete"Barack H. Obama on a popsicle stick."
ReplyDeleteOh, Ben, thank you for that hearty laugh! My new favorite euphemism.