http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/02/why-you-should-change-grades/ Challenge The Status Quo Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:57:06 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/02/why-you-should-change-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-10108 dy/dan » Blog Archive » Nobody Fails Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:18:55 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/02/why-change-grades/#comment-10108 [...] So I gave out somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 Incompletes instead of F’s this semester. I was working up some sort of contract — something generous in spirit between me, the student, and her parents — when Todd Seal’s latest post dropped in my reader. I’ve been beaten to this punch, but at least he made my contract drafting a helluva lot easier. Thanks, brah. [...] [...] So I gave out somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 Incompletes instead of F’s this semester. I was working up some sort of contract — something generous in spirit between me, the student, and her parents — when Todd Seal’s latest post dropped in my reader. I’ve been beaten to this punch, but at least he made my contract drafting a helluva lot easier. Thanks, brah. [...]

]]> http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/02/why-you-should-change-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-10048 Teachers At Risk » What Mark Do You Want in This Class? Ok, Sign Here Sun, 04 Feb 2007 15:38:25 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/02/why-change-grades/#comment-10048 [...] I really like Todd’s grade contract because it gives kids hope and the feeling of being having some control of their lives. Reading Todd’s post reminded me of something that I had done early in my teaching career. At that time , I was teaching grades nine to twelve at a vocational secondary school. As a special education teacher with a specialist in behaviour, I was assigned to help students who got kicked out of their regular classes and were timetabled to work with me to help rescue their credits. I found that I had the best results when I would get students to contract for a mark that they wanted. I had students sign a very formal looking contract printed on special paper with all the expectations outlined in detail. For an A, I will complete …, For a B, I will complete… etc. I found students responded very well -remember all things are relative- they didn’t tell me to f*** off when I introduced the contract. I told them they didn’t need to worry about getting anything more than a D, (this took them by surprise) although their final mark could be an A, B, C or D. They couldn’t contract for less than a D. Failure was not an option. I know we’re supposed to aim high, but high for these kids was a pass. [...] [...] I really like Todd’s grade contract because it gives kids hope and the feeling of being having some control of their lives. Reading Todd’s post reminded me of something that I had done early in my teaching career. At that time , I was teaching grades nine to twelve at a vocational secondary school. As a special education teacher with a specialist in behaviour, I was assigned to help students who got kicked out of their regular classes and were timetabled to work with me to help rescue their credits. I found that I had the best results when I would get students to contract for a mark that they wanted. I had students sign a very formal looking contract printed on special paper with all the expectations outlined in detail. For an A, I will complete …, For a B, I will complete… etc. I found students responded very well -remember all things are relative- they didn’t tell me to f*** off when I introduced the contract. I told them they didn’t need to worry about getting anything more than a D, (this took them by surprise) although their final mark could be an A, B, C or D. They couldn’t contract for less than a D. Failure was not an option. I know we’re supposed to aim high, but high for these kids was a pass. [...]

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