I hate extra credit.
Extra credit to me is so very pointless. After all, if my students actually did their work, they wouldn't need any extra credit in the first place. That being said, I'm not a complete witch since if a kid decides to do an extra homework assignment I'm not going to discourage them. Heck, the fact that you have someone motivated enough to actually go above and beyond what's required does call for some sort of reward, even if it's only five points.
So here we are.
Four days before final grades for the nine week have to be submitted to guidance.
Two progress reports have been printed out, distributed, and sent home.
And I get a kid sidling up to my desk asking if she can do some extra credit to bring up her grade "so I can pass."
She has a 59%. Passing is 70%.
No freaking way is she going to pass.
I ask her about the progress reports that she received...didn't she notice that she wasn't passing? Well, she did, but she didn't really think about it much. Apparently mom had a conversation with her last night and the gist was that mom has, for the very first time, been informed that there is a distinct possibility her daughter won't be passing this semester.
You'd have thought she'd have noticed the notes in her daughter's agenda, the report card, the progress reports, not to mention the phone messages. But I guess not.
In inform my young scholar that it would have been a lot easier to pass if she'd done at least one homework assignment (she didn't). If she'd have turned in a cell model (she didn't/worth 100 pts). If she'd have turned in a journal (she didn't/worth 100 points). If she'd brought her book every day for her prep grade (she doesn't). If she'd actually studied and prepared for tests (she doesn't/best grade ever is a 65 out of 100, and I give her modified tests). In short, if she actually did something besides take up space in my room.
"Oh," says the scholar. "So you don't have any extra credit?"
"Not 400 points worth," I inform her.
"Oh," she says.
Sigh.
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2 comments:
Hmmm, are you sure you aren't teaching my college kids?? This sounds all too familiar!
gotta love it! they love to wait until it's too late to do anything about their grade. hope the mom doesn't try to come back at you for not "letting her daughter bring up her grade". where was she earlier in the semester? i guess you know where the girl gets the procrastination, eh?
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