"no-zero" policy in schools

[Moonlight Graham]

Most school boards have counselors set up to help students who are dealing with serious emotional stress etc (i.e. family problems). Giving these students a chance to make up an assignment they couldn't complete makes sense, giving students a chance to make up an assignment they missed because of legitimate reasons makes sense. But simply giving students say a 1/10 on a missed assignment? That hurts everyone except the teachers and boards because of better performance reviews.

I agree. They can make up the assignment/test, I don't see why not.

[cybercoma]

I agree. They can make up the assignment/test, I don't see why not.

Professor in university will not allow students to make up exams and mid-terms because they must write a completely different one for the student that missed. Re-writes will only be held if there is a documented unavoidable reason for the absence. The same should go for high school. There's no reason students that worked hard, studied, and wrote the test should have less time to prepare than someone that decided not to do it. Moreover, the person that re-writes later has the opportunity to cheat by getting the questions from others ahead of time. Again, it's not fair to the students that make sacrifices to do things the right way. The only time re-writes and make-ups should be allowed is with a compelling and documented reason. High school students do not need to be coddled.

[TimG]

I also am reluctant to designate myself as someone who has definitive authority over experts and specialists across the board.

There is nothing wrong with questioning the judgement of experts and demanding explanations. Any expert who cannot rationally explain their actions to a non-expert is not deserving of the label. The trouble comes many times when the experts base their judgement not facts but rather on values that are not widely shared. When this happens the non-expert masses have every right to tell such experts to go pound salt. Edited June 10, 2012 by TimG

[Michael Hardner]

There is nothing wrong with questioning the judgement of experts and demanding explanations.

Please read my post again. I worded it carefully to avoid the suggestion you made here.

[GostHacked]

Most school boards have counselors set up to help students who are dealing with serious emotional stress etc (i.e. family problems). Giving these students a chance to make up an assignment they couldn't complete makes sense, giving students a chance to make up an assignment they missed because of legitimate reasons makes sense. But simply giving students say a 1/10 on a missed assignment? That hurts everyone except the teachers and boards because of better performance reviews.

That would be on a case by case basis. There are legitimate reasons why an assignment was not completed and the teacher should grant an extension or exemption. The reasons for me not completing the assignments back in school were not legitimate at all. I failed myself.

[TimG]

Please read my post again. I worded it carefully to avoid the suggestion you made here.

It is word 'reluctant' is what I am responding to. My experience is experts in 'soft' fields like education invariably make decisions based on their value system. So I believe in challenging them first is the most appropriate response and only back off if (in the unlikely scenario) they actually have a good explanation. IOW - I disagree with your suggestion that we should start by deferring to 'experts'.

This case is a good example of the disconnect between the values of 'experts' who seem to think that maximizing graduation rates is the primary purpose of the educational system. These values directly contradict which the widely held belief that the school system should be preparing kids for the expectations they will encounter in the real world.

Edited June 10, 2012 by TimG

[Michael Hardner]

It is word 'reluctant' is what I am responding to. My experience is experts in 'soft' fields like education invariably make decisions based on their value system. So I believe in challenging them first is the most appropriate response and only back off if (in the unlikely scenario) they actually have a good explanation. IOW - I disagree with your suggestion that we should start by deferring to 'experts'.

I expect that these decisions come from academic research and debate on education, and that it also takes politics into account. It always does.

This case is a good example of the disconnect between the values of 'experts' who seem to think that maximizing graduation rates is the primary purpose of the educational system. These values directly contradict which the widely held belief that the school system should be preparing kids for the expectations they will encounter in the real world.

Honestly, I haven't read the specifics of the case. Have you ? The only kind of expert interested in maximizing graduation rates, would be a politician I think.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I expect that these decisions come from academic research and debate on education, and that it also takes politics into account. It always does.

Honestly, I haven't read the specifics of the case. Have you ? The only kind of expert interested in maximizing graduation rates, would be a politician I think.

And they are the ones at the ministry who develop these initiatives.

Board administrators might as well be politicians as they compete for "new strategies" to get pushed up the ladder.

[Anti-Am]

I've been given zeroes for not handing in assignments because I didn't do them.

My last year of high school was 7 years a go. I guess a lot has changed since then?

[Michael Hardner]

I went back to the OP and there is no link explaining the policy.

[dre]

I agree. It seems like the NDP in NS is on the right track. With declining enrollment they have decided to renovate some school that would have closed to make then trades schools for students who want to go into the trades so they can get qualified faster and fill the gaps that this country needs. They have what I would say is the best community collage program in the country and doing well at this. They still need to stop making students take credits they will never use. At some point enough Shakespeare is enough Shakespeare, it is time to teach those who want to how to wield or run wire.

Vocational schooling will because even more important as globalization continues. Academic skills are notoriously easy to outsource, and countries like China and India are starting to train huge gluts of doctors, engineers etc.

A plumber or an auto-mechanic has a brighter future in Canada than a physicist, biologist, or anthropologist.

[cybercoma]

Apparently there's a second teacher that's facing discipline for handing out zeroes at the same school. He began in protest after the first teacher was suspended. Apparently, students were lining up to meet with him to get their assignments handed in, while previously barely any would come see him. Conservatives always talk about accountability. It's one of the pillars of their principles. They should be livid about this.

[Guest Peeves]

Apparently there's a second teacher that's facing discipline for handing out zeroes at the same school. He began in protest after the first teacher was suspended. Apparently, students were lining up to meet with him to get their assignments handed in, while previously barely any would come see him. Conservatives always talk about accountability. It's one of the pillars of their principles. They should be livid about this.

From letters to Ed, call in shows etc. most on both political sides are livid and support the Zero Teach.

[cybercoma]

Good. It's a stupid, short-sighted policy.

[Wilber]

Giving people credit for something they didn't do just devalues the efforts of those who did the work.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Giving people credit for something they didn't do just devalues the efforts of those who did the work.

Absolutely.

If I worked at that school I'd have an opinion piece on the first day that was fairly easy. Tell the students that's their mark if they don't hand anything else in.

A's for everyone!