It is the result of behavioral training in the government schools. It is the reason for the gold stars, the "warm fuzzies", the grading system. It exists to train human beings like dogs to do anything for a reward: a gold star, a carrot, "the cheese", a promotion, money. A population so trained will value money and reward, be materialistic, be willing to move away from family across the country for a "better paying job", be more willing to work at a job for someone else than be an entrepreneur creating his own meaningful work or delaying "reward". This was the reason "school" was created: create a population that would respond like salivating dogs to the right stimulus. Grades are an integral part of that. You are laboring under the illusion that you are an "educator" when teaching in most schools is really behavioral training. People don't care about learning. They care about doing whatever needs done to get the grade, the grade is the goal, not the learning. I posted a bit earlier about a co-worker whose kid failed a semester of algebra due to absence from illness. He "made it up" in "summer school". He showed up for 2 weeks in the summer, paid $150., and he was passed in algebra. He doesn't know algebra, but he got a passing grade and that is all that matters. The kid is happy, the school is happy, this parent is not comfortable (he is now homeschooled). If it's any consolation, I used to complain about it all the time. All it got me was a rep as a "troublemaker", I could feel the eyes roll when I walked into the room. When I volunteered at the school I was put in a closet down the hall where I tagged books and wouldn't see or hear anything. The other mothers were in the office copying, etc., gabbing with the secretary. Every now and then a teacher would come into my closet (there was a phone in there) and I would startle them because they didn't expect anyone to be working in there, LOL.

It's too dang bad those closets didn't have worm holes so we could visit each other.

Not sure if I mentioned that hubby spent a week in Ottawa (educrat meetings on exams)... He sure nuff rocked that boat with common sense about exams and marks.

Whoa~~~ another eye opener from our daughter in law. They popped in on Friday night. She proudly announced she passed her 1st year "Autobody Exam". She wasn't given a MARK (percentage) , it seems they now base exams (for Trades) on a "LEARNING CURVE" .. I nearly hit the roof, not in front of the kids, but HOLY crappola. Those people who only passed with 30% are uplifted by those like my ddil who worked her tush off and studied. From what I understand marks are averaged~out and everyone PASSES, even if they know zzippidy nuttin. Don't mind me, just trying to calm down. Only in Canada eh

Sorry, Mini Vent...

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Replying to:

It is the result of behavioral training in the government schools. It is the reason for the gold stars, the "warm fuzzies", the grading system. It exists to train human beings like dogs to do anything for a reward: a gold star, a carrot, "the cheese", a promotion, money. A population so trained will value money and reward, be materialistic, be willing to move away from family across the country for a "better paying job", be more willing to work at a job for someone else than be an entrepreneur creating his own meaningful work or delaying "reward". This was the reason "school" was created: create a population that would respond like salivating dogs to the right stimulus. Grades are an integral part of that. You are laboring under the illusion that you are an "educator" when teaching in most schools is really behavioral training. People don't care about learning. They care about doing whatever needs done to get the grade, the grade is the goal, not the learning. I posted a bit earlier about a co-worker whose kid failed a semester of algebra due to absence from illness. He "made it up" in "summer school". He showed up for 2 weeks in the summer, paid $150., and he was passed in algebra. He doesn't know algebra, but he got a passing grade and that is all that matters. The kid is happy, the school is happy, this parent is not comfortable (he is now homeschooled). If it's any consolation, I used to complain about it all the time. All it got me was a rep as a "troublemaker", I could feel the eyes roll when I walked into the room. When I volunteered at the school I was put in a closet down the hall where I tagged books and wouldn't see or hear anything. The other mothers were in the office copying, etc., gabbing with the secretary. Every now and then a teacher would come into my closet (there was a phone in there) and I would startle them because they didn't expect anyone to be working in there, LOL.

Interesting you should label grades as "currency". You're so right, it isn't and hasn't been about children or learning for decades, it's about funding.

How do you teach? Obviously you are a caring teacher who's goal goes beyond grades and teacher evaluations.

(((good for you, kids need you))))

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Every year I get one or two complaints as do most of my peers. Invariably its always about the same thing. I have yet in my career to hear a complaint about a student who "isn't learning anything in my class", instead parents complain only about grades. Grades are in fact the only currency which seems to matter anymore. It's what motives the students and satisfies the parents. Nobody complains about poor learning experiences. This is generally true. Everyone is only ever working for grades. Even my peers generally care far more about their evaluations (if untenured) than in how their classes are really functioning in terms of students learning. The experienced ones with tenure are just looking to not rock the boat and get through a day with as little friction as possible. Solution, give them the meaningless grades they want so bad. Its all about grades. For once I wouldn't mind a complaint about how I teach but that will never happen.

I've heard it as well. My reply would be that good grades may be what you think will get your kids into state U., but not learning much will get them into academic probation quick enough. Wasted money, wasted time, feelings that "I can't do this, it isn't for me", more time spent drinking beer, doing shots, etc, etc.

In addition, colleges will see through those inflated grades by other means.

Education is a journey, and one learns more from the struggle, than from the results.

I agree ! I am teaching in the Middle East at the moment. Parent's evenings are NOT forums for dicussing the progress and general welfare of the student, no, the parents are interested in one thing and one thing only : why their child has 80 % and not 90 % ! It is absolutely a feeding frenzy for marks and the tear-struck student is standing there, right next to the demanding father / mother..speechless ! These kids are pushed severely to perform Free time and discovery does not exist. If you are female, then you are even worse off. I consider myself a good, caring teacher who tries, in the limits set by administration, to get the students to think a bit for themselves. However, at the moment I am practising what I call "sanitised" teaching because so many topics here are simply taboo and freedom of thought is not encourage. I have had it ! Another ons bites the dust.