How to Kill a Profession

[chervilant]

91. Thank YOU, turbinetree!

When I submitted my first nine-weeks grades for 129 students (spread over five class periods--so you can see that I had too many students per class...), I got called into the assistant principal's office. She (M. Pierce, I hope you somehow see this...) lectured me about giving 14 of my students a zero (btw, that's 10.8% of my students--a logical percentage given the archaic grading system the schools persist in using). She adjured me to revise their grades to 65%, because then "they'd be able to improve their grade from that point." !!!

I explained to her that each of those students had perniciously refused to work; that they would sign their quizzes and test papers, turn them over, and lay their heads on their desks while the other students worked. Parent conferences had not worked (only ONE parent of many had participated in the 'conference' I scheduled). I asked her what I should tell one young student who worked his tushy off for me, yet only earned a cumulative 63%. I had worked hard to encourage him, telling him that he had shown marked improvement and that his efforts WOULD pay off. She had nothing to offer me with regards to my hard-working students, and proceeded to lecture me about "engaging" my students more effectively.

Needless to say, the young man--whose 63% was hard won--stopped working altogether, because, "Ms. M, why should I work at all if you're going to give me a 65%, no matter what I do?"