Short version: The college requires seven papers, including an in-class final. I have given my students these seven and one extra. I have a final this week. My son’s English teacher, same college, has only given them four papers and they don’t have an in-class final. So my students have worked twice as hard for the same grades. What should I do?
Long version follows:
One of the reasons I give my students lots of grades is that the more they have the less each individual one matters. Also I believe that the more experience you have writing the better a writer you will be.
I have given my students seven papers. This is one more than is supposed to be required, but I have also split the research paper into two sections. In addition, their lowest grade, that is not a zero, can be dropped. They also did two papers which only counted 1% each and seven short assignments which also counted 1% each. They have a required final, required by the school.
But my son’s teacher, teaching at the same school, gave four papers. Total. And four homeworks. And a quiz or two. And no final.
So she’s not following the rules and I’m wondering if I’m supposed to be following the rules.
Because I found out about this other class, and am assuming that many others are like it, I have done a few things to make the grades in my class more equitable to the grades in that one.
I already gave my students a 3 point boost on 25% of their grade for having completed the course. (Half my classes dropped.) I also told the students who had a 96 or better that they did not have to take the final. They don’t. It’s only 5% and they’ll still have an A with a 0 on it. And remember I dropped their lowest big paper grade. This included, this time, the research paper they did less well on.
But my students still had to work twice as hard as those in E’s class. And I wonder what I should do about it.
Should I drop the final? Give them all A’s on it? Make it a paragraph instead of an essay? I am seriously considering that, even though I have spent five or six hours on the essay questions.
My class was harder than his class. At least twice as hard. But my students are getting the same credit as that class. For doing twice the amount of work.
I wonder what else I can do, besides drop the final down to a paragraph, to make it more equitable.
I think that’s about it.
But what do I do with my next semester’s class to make it learning intensive for my students but not more than twice the work of this class. She’s known for being a good teacher.
Maybe I should state up front that the lowest 10% grade that is not a zero should be dropped. Anything else? I would love advice.