High school is the launching pad to adulthood – to “the real world”. Knowing that the real world is unforgiving for one’s shortcomings or failures, parents work to instill the values and the ethics of personal responsibility and accountability in children. For success in the adult world, a winning attitude and taking responsibility for one’s own actions, are crucial.
For the high school student the parental academic advice is almost universally one, “Pay attention in class; study hard; do your best; learn the subject matter; and strive to get good grades.” Because every parent thinks that their children’s achievement in high school is directly proportional to the opportunities they’ll have after graduation.
The Post Article, “Taking the ‘F’ Off The Grade Books”, reports that one Fairfax County High School is embracing a “huge paradigm shift” where students who fail high school courses…well, never really fail. Instead they’re just “Incomplete” in their learning. That’s right, no more failing grades in West Potomac High! Instead, students will be awarded (or gifted?) ”An ‘I’ for incomplete, indicating that students still owe their teachers essential work. They will get Fs only if they fail to complete assignments and learn the content in the months to come.” Sound absurd? You bet.
Think it’s only a Fairfax County problem? Think again. Here’s what PWCS’ leading high school authority had to say in the Post about this new educational fad: Once they demonstrate mastery, you give them credit for what they know,” said Mickey Mulgrew, Prince William County’s associate superintendent for high schools. The growing belief, he said, is: “Who cares if you learned it on Monday or Tuesday, as long as you learned it?”
No comments:
Post a Comment