[etni] school grade
- From: "Orly Sela" <orly_s@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:52:44 +0200
Dear Batya and All,
First, let me say that I really like your idea of a teachers' committee.
I think it's an excellent solution, and I urge everyone to suggest it at
their school.
Second, I will try to explain my point of view regarding this matter. As
I wrote in earlier postings, I think a school grade is a good idea and
absolutely necessary. However, I am well aware of the problems teachers
face, mainly (at least in my experience) angry pupils, parents and
principals who demand that you raise the grade. I have no magic solution
to this problem, but I can share with you what I have always done (it
usually worked, but not always).
1. Set up a grading scale based on your educational philosophy and
matching Ministry requirements. Spend time thinking about this, get
feedback from colleagues, the principal, pupils, and whoever else would
listen.
2. Try very hard to make this a policy all English teachers
teaching at the same level will follow, even if it means some of you
have to compromise. There's strength in numbers, and there's nothing
worse than a teacher being labeled "an unfair grader" when compared to
his/her colleagues.
3. Make this grading system completely transparent to both pupils
and parents from the beginning. Send a letter to the parents on the
first week of September explaining how the grade will be given at the
end of the year, inviting them to get in touch with you if they have any
comments.
4. When the complaints come, as they invariably will, enlist the
help of your coordinator and explain to the person complaining exactly
what the grade was based on. If this doesn't help, ask them specifically
which part of the grade they feel should be changed and why. In my
experience, at this point most of them give up and walk away muttering
about my being a so and so... and I pretend not to hear. The few that
still complain I simply refuse to accommodate, and if they complain to
the principal I deal with him too.
I will not pretend that I have not gone home in tears a few times, but I
guess that's part of a teacher's reality. I definitely do not think
these few times mean the school grade should be abolished!
Orly
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