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Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: ilovealameda 		Please login to reply to this message. Posted Saturday, Dec 22 at 3:46 PM
Sat, Dec 22, 07 at 03:46:13 EST
Througout the 3 years of CC and one semester at the four year, I've only had ONE prof. who wouldn't tell us our grades during the semester. In fact he didn't even have a grade rubric. Everytime students asked him where they stood in the class, he told them to just focus on the material, and quit worrying about a grade. He said "If you focus on that, your grade will reflect it". I wish more prof. are like that.

A lot of professors make the mistake of discussing grades on the first day of class, and thier strict grade cut-offs. If they would would say "do all your work, and study for the tests, then you can get an A"..more students would be motivated, knowing that they can do good, if they do good work.

I can't emphasize enough that you will get better grades if you take that time that you're grubbing for grades and show you're interested in the subject.





There are 8 replies to this message.

Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: summer-2		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Saturday, Dec 22 at 8:30 PM
Sat, Dec 22, 07 at 08:30:05 EST
(In reply to ilovealameda)

Can you, please, specify what is the time <<that time that you're grubbing for grades>>?? What is the time we're grubbing exactly? I cannot remember myself spending time on that occupation.... I would not worry about my grades if GPA did not affect so many areas. I cannot remember any special time, that I had spent on "worrying about grades". Student can be interested in subject and worry about their grades at the same time, it does not conradict. Besides, some students work really hard and still cannot get high grades. They need to know where they stand. Or, according to your theory, is it better to go in the dark? Knowing where you stand may help you make some corrections, too. Or, some students would just withdraw rather than fail.


Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: plantman		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Saturday, Dec 22 at 9:20 PM
Sat, Dec 22, 07 at 09:20:43 EST
(In reply to ilovealameda)

I can't agree with that at all. Knowledge is power. Good pedagogy dictates that we give our students clear expectations and prompt feedback. I give my student a score card on which they can tally up points earned on exams and assignments. That way, they can know at any moment ho they are doing.

I had profs say things like that when I was a student. Most of them were lazy and/or disorganized, and covering up for the fact they hadn't really thought out a fair and efficacious grading scheme. They resented being pestered by students. I don't like being pestered about grades either; that's why I make the process so simple and transparent -- then they don't have top pester me.



Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: Lynnd82		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Sunday, Dec 23 at 2:28 PM
Sun, Dec 23, 07 at 02:28:33 EST
(In reply to ilovealameda)

Although I disagree that you need a professor to tell you to stop focusing on your grades, there is something to be said about what you are saying. My own students are way too obsessed with grades, although I can't say that I completely blame them since I was grades-obsessed myself as an undergrad. At my current institution, professors must inform students of the grade breakdown within the first two weeks of the semester. Therefore, your theory wouldn't work everywhere. However, your theory is in practice (at least from what I understand) at some schools. (ie. Sarah Lawrence College)


Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: ilovealameda		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Sunday, Dec 23 at 3:29 PM
Sun, Dec 23, 07 at 03:29:36 EST
Hmmm well in the undergrad program the student/professor realtionship is informal.

When you're an undergrad it's hard to develop some kind of realtionship with your prof. A lot of prof. do not have the time to sit there and discuss everything with you (even though they say they do).

As an undergrad most of my office visits with prof. have been a quick one or two question.


I guess this all changes if you're in graduate school. Usually in graduate school you are required to spend most of your time formally discussing everything with your professor, since class sizes are small. I'm guessing that you can't just walk in there and ask them what your grade is. Am I right?

My sister is attending cal state for her executive MBA. It's kinda like the regular MBA program but it's only a year, and you have to have 5 years of professional job experience (a job you can get with your 4 year degree).

I've noticed a lot of differences between how her prof. treat her and how mine treat me. Last friday they had some holiday dinner event for all the students and professors, so of course she got to mingle with her prof. over champagne. That's something I wouldn't be able to do, because my major dept. does not offer dinner parties with prof.






Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: Huntin3006		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Tuesday, Dec 25 at 6:17 PM
Tue, Dec 25, 07 at 06:17:26 EST
(In reply to ilovealameda)

In a perfect world that's how all classes would be graded. In the world I live in I would drop any class graded like that. I would not trust any one to determine "how much I focused on the material."


Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: collegeboos		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Tuesday, Jun 30 at 11:53 AM
Tue, Jun 30, 09 at 11:53:19 EDT
(In reply to ilovealameda)
I wish my profs did focus on the work..and not just handing out grades. Felt like i was being graded on how personable I could be with the prof..how well i listen to vacation trip stories and what the prof could do next year for his vacation..instead of the actual subject.


Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: SilverShoes		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Wednesday, Jul 8 at 9:01 PM
Wed, Jul 8, 09 at 09:01:19 EDT
(In reply to ilovealameda)

There is something to be said about wanting to learn the material, but I prefer knowing how a teacher thinks and how I can expect grading to go.

I hate to be juvenile and 'blame it on mom' but I was taught as a very young child that grades are important and that I was special. I had the ability to get the best grades and if I didn't that meant I wasn't working hard enough. While the philosophy has faded away, the incentive remains. Grades are a 'numerical' value that people base many judgments on. And while I know it's important to know the facts and the theories to back a grade up, i know that the grade itself is important as well.

The system is flawed in that grades do not always reflect knowledge or ability, but they are used and factored into future decisions, and I want to have the best options open to me in the future.

My thinking about grades does not mean I'll do the smallest amount of work possible to get the grade I desire: I still work. However it does help me prioritize and assign values to in what order I do work, and how I manage time. I think it's fair to know how you're graded...it's also fair to say that when everyone knows how they are graded, that teachers may be meticulous in their grading decisions.


Re: Don't worry about your grade, focus on your work!
posted by: diemydarling666		Please login to reply to this message.Posted Tuesday, Oct 20 at 9:43 AM
Tue, Oct 20, 09 at 09:43:53 EDT
When schools stop basing everything on GPA, I will, too.



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