There are many students in this pool who have worked hard over the last four years. They have stayed home on the weekends to study or put the final touches on a class project. They have earned their grades, and oh yeah, in the meantime, got a great education (didn't want you to forget about the "E" word).
Then there are the "other" students. These students may have flashy grades in flashy classes but they put in minimal effort during school. When times got tough they complained to their parents or counselors. "My teacher is too hard," or "I can't keep up with the work." They cheat on tests and quizzes. They bow to the glory that is the internet, especially the websites that sell wonderfully written essays for the bargain price of $50 a page. When they fail it is everyone else's fault. When they succeed they "tried their best."
I have had students that fit in to both categories. I have also been asked (or told) to change grades by administration to account for the complainers (remember the flashy grades). I know that students of both categories will be competing for the same spot in college. I know whose grades are inflated and whose grades are a true representation of their high school academics. Hell, many of you know (when you search deep down inside) where you stand in relation to your peers.
Is it fair? Is it right? No. Is it reality? Unfortunately, yes.
24 comments:
I have to say that I personally fit into the first category. Although sometimes I catch a small case of early onset senioritis. College has been the goal from a very young age, since many of my family members work at prestigiouss universities. Personally I don't like it when th complainers are allowed to pass and still fight for the same spot when they clearly put no effort into anything, when I've worked very hard for my spot. But if they don't let them pass the schools would be packed with 23 yr. old sophmores and no lacking college sports, so we kind of have to deal with it.
It is obviously not fair but this happens to alot of those students who have "easy" teachers, who let them get by and do not necessarily earn their grade. Sometimes, I don't agree with the grade I am given, but I look back at it and know if I tried harder or did those assignments I should've done, I wouldn't be complaining.
Wow someone seems a little hissy about this. But I can see where this could be a problem. HOWEVER, yes however, colleges are looking for more than just a book worm with perfect scores on the standardized tests, and outrageous GPA's. They want actual people! They want well rounded individuals that know what it's like to sit down and study on saturday afternoons, but go out and get a little crazy at night. They want people that make their colleges look good. Which would then cross out the swindlers, liars, and cheats. All in all, as long as you as a student work hard when you need to, and party when you need to, colleges will find a need to accept you.
This was a discussion we had in our philosophy class that lasted the whole period. Many people even cried from the debate saying that they never cheated or handed out their own work. This unfortunately is the reality that we live in. Our generation has to open their eyes and see what is really going on.
Well most of us are lazy, and really don't care what others think, and want everything done for them,which is also not fair...and then there are others who realize that this is reality and they need to take a step forward if they want to have a successful future(:
Parents really shouldn't complain about their child’s low grades to school administrators. 99% of the time, the student deserved this grade. If you put in the effort for something, you will be rewarded. Sure putting a few hours into a project seems tedious, but it is helping you in the long run. Paying a website $50 to do something is filling their probably already fat wallets while emptying yours and it forms a terrible habit. Paying someone also only helps you now, not later.
You have a valid point Mrs. Stoklosa. I know some people who pay kids to write essays for them now in high school and not even college yet. Later in the future it will bite them in the ass for making the mistakes now.
If the student that worked hard in school and stayed home to study and what not, I think they will have no problem getting into college. A student like this is usually someone who does great in school and a hard worker. The one that didn't try hard in school may be a smart person, just someone who is lazy. Many people want to get into college like you said. It will be tough for both of the types of students. The hard worker should have the advantage.
That is ludicrous, a student complaining to guidance that the work is just ‘too hard’ and their grade gets changed? That flat out pisses me off, I know my grades aren’t phenomenal but I work for them. I don’t rely on others or make up crap to surpass them. These are students that pay their way into the colleges I might want to apply to. The only difference? They don’t deserve it. But, I firmly believe in Karma and it will get back to them one day.
To tell you the truth I think I already screwed up school. It doesn't mean I have given up; it means I don't really expect as much from it. My GPA isn't the highest in the world, but I think it is pretty descent. Because of my mistakes, I now have to go to night school even though I don't really expect much out of that either. It doesn't mean I don't know what Im going to do. I have already set my goals, and I actually have a risky plan, but thats another story...
Okay I agree on this subject 100%, I hate how I work hard and have really good grades, and people who do nothing but cheat have the same grades as me. (Luckily im a genius so it’s ok) But I can see how a regular student working their asses off can be frustrated at the fact that someone is doing better than them by cheating. I would be so mad if someone got into a college I didn’t when they didn’t deserve it. It really isn’t right but the kids, who cheat to get into college, are just going to end up failing because they truly won’t know anything, and the kids who did study will eventually end up on top. But unfortunately its not always like that, the good guy doesn’t always win, but all good students can do is try harder and try to stop cheating when they see it happening.
I hate people who put the blame on others. If they fail at something, they wont take responsibility but instead they will try to blame someone else, and most of the time that is the teacher. Its sad that things like that happen because we can look upon the youth and ask ourselves what will become of the future if everyone puts the blame on everyone else. To my opinion those kids are "wussies" and they should suck it up and take responsibility for not studying and then getting a bad grade. But you just hang in there mrs.stoklosa, your a great teacher and most of your kids really do learn a lot.
Personally, I've never had my grade inflated and I have no idea how to get that done. I wish i did lol because i could use the help. With all my hardships in high school I try not to make excuses about my grades, although, there is no doubt in my mind, under different circumstances... my grades and gpa would be higher. I realize that there are so many students competing for the same spots and that scares me. There's so many kids that try harder than me in school. I'm afraid there won't be any room for me in a decent university. Then there's the kids that don't even deserve those spots, but will get them anyway because of their "flashy grades". I don't think it's fair at all. Even though my grades aren't the best i did try and I did high school honestly.
Wow I didn't know people complained to administrators cause they are doing bad and don't want to take the blame and from that they get their grades raised without any effort. I think that is ridiculous. If they can't put the effort they shouldn't get the grade. I mean I don't have straight A's but I do pretty good. But I know if I really wanted them I could get them without a problem. People are beyond comprehension when it comes to things like this.
I do agree, I know of many people who don't try and dont care and they deserve the grade they recieved. I am actually not eaither of those, usually if I am doing poorly it is mostly because I dont understand and if I dont understand then I dont study. Which is not very good, but im trying to get tutors.
Throughout high school I have been one of those students that puts the maximum effort into every single assignment I do. Besides the fact that I take great pride in my work I also like to know that where ever I get into school will be purely by my doing. This being said I believe too much pressure is being put on kids to the point where it is forcing them to half ass work and even cheat. There is much more to being a success in life than just doing well in school. The importance of developing social bonds and enjoying your high school years are greatly undermined by college's relentless pressures to find the perfect individual. Eventually there will no longer be letter grades and since that is all that motivates students now they will be lost when they must find their way through the world without a numerical value on their work.
I wish I would have tried harder in school throughout my last four years, but that’s not to say that I wasn’t attentive in class and received my fair share of knowledge. I have learned a lot in high school and I’m more then proud of that fact. Unfortunately I also am aware of the effort I put into school in 10th and some of 11th grade. You could describe it as ‘I dropping the ball’, but I like to think of it as a lost time. I know there shouldn’t be any excuses for my actions but I can’t avoid the fact that I’m a very busy girl and I have, as my mother would phrase it, ‘a lot on my plate’. At one point in my high school career I was carrying an AP class, a job, 12 hours a week with competitive cheerleading, 6 hours a week at school cheerleading, and volunteering at the hospital 4 hours a week. I really didn’t have time to focus much on homework or studying, and my grades reflected that. I know I put this on myself, but honestly needed to be busy for me to really be happy.
Obviously it is very unfair that kids can complain to their parents and have their grades changed. Their are kids who never go out just to do good in school. However I think there is a balance, and that there is a time to go out and a time to stay home and study. I feel bad for those that have flashy grades and no intelligence to show for it.but I also feel bad for those who never have fun during high school just to get into a good college. Education is a huge part of ones life, but being happy and having fun are very important.
do i think its fair that some kids get off easier then the ones who actually study and put forth the effort to make it to college, not really. why should someone who slacks off, then at the last minute get the same grade as someone whos been working all year? i personally dont find it fair. unless you give me a good enough reason for this to happen, im sticking to my answer and how its not fair.
Clearly the situation isn't fair but it's not going to changed anytime soon. Grades play a major role in getting into college so students do anything they can to achieve those excellent grades even if it means doing something they know isn't right. Students would rather have an easy teacher and get a minimal learning experience out of it, then a teacher who teaches them a lot but won't give them that free A. Personally I'd like to sit here and tell you I'd rather get the education then the grade, but because they is so much pressure on students to get good grades because it decided your academic future, I'd have to say I'd rather have the free A. I like your project because we can learn about things we actually wanted to without worrying about being tests on it. Maybe one day this will change. I'm not sure how that's possible though.
My parents have always told me that I had to go to college. It wasn't an option that was ever open for discussion. As I am getting older, it is not something my parents want for me, it is what I want. I want to go far in my life and be something. I try very hard in school and study very hard. There is nothing that bothers me more when my peers cheat on tests. I mean I stayed up or spent my weekend studying but a cheater can get a better grade then me. It's not fair but I guess it's reality. I fit into the first category because I try very hard in school and No it's not easy for me.
Real life isn't fair and that's what everyone on Earth either has learned or needs to learn. I had no clue you could have grades changed for complaining. Joe is right, colleges are looking for well-rounded individuals, but the one thing I've learned in life is there are very few people who are genuinely uncapable of achieving straight A's in school. It is more of a case of will not than can not.
You have a valid point Mrs. Stoklosa. I know some people who pay kids to write essays for them now in high school and not even college yet. Later in the future it will bite them in the ass for making the mistakes now.
I feel that it is not fair or right for parents to be able to complain to the school about their kids grades. At least not after they have already been issued. Not I can understand indevidual grades where a teacher might have made a mistake. But if the student believes he can get a better grade by complaining to his mommy then he should still be in kindergardin. We need to grow up! Or else I seriouslly believe we are going to lose it all as a nation.
This post sums up this entire generation. The majority of us are lazy. The same reason we don't go the extra mile of spending 5 minutes studying and then blaming the teacher is the same way that we don't take the extra 5 minutes to sort out the plastic bottle to recycle and then try to find someone to blame for the diminishing fossil fuels and over flowing landfills. This generation needs to improve. The way the majority lives affects the people in the first category but the whole idea behind "majority" is that there's more of them. It's going to be a long battle which is already been ongoing for some time to get these people to change their ways and live more conscientiously.
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