This is a continuation of my previous three posts on grade recovery, the earliest of which is located here.
It seems to me that there should be reasonable solutions to propose concerning grade recovery. For starters, the school district should put together a task force with plenty of teachers and come up with some solutions.
Let’s bring back good faith. Let’s come up with clear guidelines to set clear standards and put teachers back in control. Each teacher should decide if a student warrants extra time. That is the best way to prevent slacking off.
Let’s limit the classes. Some courses, such as English classes with a great deal of writing, do not lend themselves to a few tests on a computer program. That may work for a standardized test, but he can’t approach the quality of a good English class.
Let’s be transparent. A parent interested in a good education will want to know many students in a school are getting grade recovery. When overused, it’s a clear sign of an inadequate education.
If you’re a parent looking for a quality education for your child, you should avoid schools where grade recovery is commonly used.
It sends a wrong message.
Life requires hard work. You don’t always get to do things your way, or for that matter, a second time around. There are very few second chances offered in life. You need to follow the directions of your employer.
Grade recovery as it is practiced here in Jacksonville falls into the trap of valuing self-esteem over hard work.
There’s an old but simple saying. Do it right the first time. It applies to education too.
Don’t get me wrong here. As I mentioned in my first post concerning grade recovery, I think that the computer program called Compass Odyssey, used here in Jacksonville, does a fine job of identifying specific needs of individual learners and channeling them into appropriate instruction.
My biggest objection is just simply that Compass Odyssey is too entertaining–too many cute, talking characters with a lot of animated and colorful graphics. The kids are familiar with it. They like it.
So, why not go ahead and fail this class? Then, I’ll be able to do something that is easier and far more entertaining.
I strongly imagine that that’s EXACTLY what most of the problematic kids are thinking.
Coming Tuesday: The Grade Recovery Controversy Continues.
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