Never mind helping the student, this is the quickest way to transform hir deficiencies into the next person's problem (which, of course, is probably why the student is struggling in the first place).
In a number of my courses, I had students who failed but whose grades qualified them to write supplemental exams. Few of them ever requested to write the exam and, mysteriously, managed to pass.
Clearly, someone higher up had deliberately changed the grades I submitted. Those students earned, say, 40% and still got full course credit.
The situations I referred to in my earlier comment were for technical courses. The most complex math involved either trig or quadratic equations. Those students who miraculously passed those courses after obviously failing them clearly demonstrated that they couldn't handle simple algebra or, often, use proper trig identities.
Now here's a scary thought for you. Someone gets, say, 40% in a course and is given a passing grade of 50%. That person goes into industry and, perhaps, helps design a bridge or a building. They quite likely remembered, maybe, half of what they learned, so they retained, perhaps, only 20% of the course material. That means that there's a 20% chance that whatever they do will be done properly.
How many people would be willing go over a bridge or into a building that might have an 80% of being defective? Unfortunately, that sort of thing might be possible if an administrator decides to raise a failing mark to a marginal pass.
Any ammo we have left over from Walt's fraternity tour will be deposited in this guy.
ReplyDeleteOur whole Tutoring and Mentoring Office seems to operate on this premise.
ReplyDeleteNever mind helping the student, this is the quickest way to transform hir deficiencies into the next person's problem (which, of course, is probably why the student is struggling in the first place).
ReplyDeleteMust . . . control . . . fist . . . of . . . death!
ReplyDeleteOriginal link source: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2976
ReplyDeleteAlso try putting your cursor over the red circle at the bottom.
I've had something worse than that happen to me.
ReplyDeleteIn a number of my courses, I had students who failed but whose grades qualified them to write supplemental exams. Few of them ever requested to write the exam and, mysteriously, managed to pass.
Clearly, someone higher up had deliberately changed the grades I submitted. Those students earned, say, 40% and still got full course credit.
I am so glad that I teach math.
ReplyDeleteThe situations I referred to in my earlier comment were for technical courses. The most complex math involved either trig or quadratic equations. Those students who miraculously passed those courses after obviously failing them clearly demonstrated that they couldn't handle simple algebra or, often, use proper trig identities.
DeleteNow here's a scary thought for you. Someone gets, say, 40% in a course and is given a passing grade of 50%. That person goes into industry and, perhaps, helps design a bridge or a building. They quite likely remembered, maybe, half of what they learned, so they retained, perhaps, only 20% of the course material. That means that there's a 20% chance that whatever they do will be done properly.
How many people would be willing go over a bridge or into a building that might have an 80% of being defective? Unfortunately, that sort of thing might be possible if an administrator decides to raise a failing mark to a marginal pass.