Grades are the foundation of academics…right? Effort, creativity, ingenuity and spirit get left to the wayside for how well students can answer questions on a test. This week I spent a majority of my time meeting with students that are on what’s called “The D/F List”. Any student that is getting a D or F in any of their classes at 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 18 weeks is called down to review what is going on academically.
So often students are frustrated with their teachers and don’t know how to communicate with them. They see teachers as the enemy; nagging, complaining and criticizing. Teachers have 150 or more students they are trying to teach each day. Everyday students have excuses. I forgot. I lost my paper. Teachers become frustrated because they feel like all the work the put in grading and making lesson plans and students don’t make their education a priority.
As students come down to my office we review their grades; which are typically not the greatest. Then I like to ask them, what do you think about your grades? We discuss plans for after high school and often the word college comes up. So I ask them, if you worked at a college in admissions, what would you think of your grades? Would you allow yourself to attend your college? Often, for some of the students a light bulb goes on.
Next, when I ask them who they can talk to, they respond,”my …teacher..?” Then begins the goal of shifting the students’ perspectives; to see their teachers as allies instead of enemies.
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