Often, our students measure learning not by skills gained or new ways of looking at content, but by the grades earned. We have talked about what grades mean in college and that grades should not define students’ identities, but we know they do. So, as teachers, what can we do to help our students focus […]
For some of us, it’s a deep-seated sensibility that people should have to sweat and strain to do good work, and if they find a shortcut, that’s unacceptable. But should it be? Join Adam and Dinur as we talk about the issues of cheating and rigor during an international pandemic. Show Notes No show notes […]
Too many times teachers default to the A – F letter grade scheme, or a 10-point percentage breakdown, and don’t really realize there are other ways to assess and grade our students’ work. Join Adam and Dinur as we talk about some ways to grade that don’t involve grades. Click Here to Download This Episode’s […]
Our society repeatedly sends the message: “The better your grades, the more worthy you are.” But is that really true? In this episode, Dinur and Adam dig into grades and self-worth, and how to disconnect them from each other. Click Here to Download This Episode’s Transcript! Show Notes How Being Gifted and Talented Affects Our […]
Talking to professors about your grade can help you get some perspective on them. However, there are good and bad ways to go about this. Join Dinur and Adam as we outline what to avoid and what to do when you need to talk to your professor about your grades. Click Here to Download This […]
In this episode, Dinur and Adam cover how to create rubrics for qualitative grading so your qualitative grading can still remain objective. We also touch on how students can use rubrics to check their own work and study! Click Here to Download This Episode’s Transcript! Show Notes Rubric Examples PDF Download
In this episode, we’ll talk about what grades actually mean in college, how that meaning is different than high school, and how to cope when your grades are not perfect straight A’s. Join Dinur and Adam as we get into grades! Click here to download this episode’s transcript! Show Notes PDF: What Grades Mean in […]
When students get bad grades in college, many parents find themselves saying things like: “How could you get a D? You’re just not trying.” “These grades are a huge disappointment to me, son.” “Why didn’t you work harder on this class? You’re not stupid!” These are common questions that parents often ask their first-year college student […]
Most students (and most parents) don’t realize that in college, a C is a great grade. When the student who pulled a 4.0 in high school ends up with a 2.5 GPA in their first semester in college, their shock is real. This can baffle parents, and give their students an identity crisis! The fact […]
If you’re a college student, or know someone who is, you’ve probably noticed that college isn’t like high school. The work demands more than memorization: more reading, more study time, more writing, and more research. You may feel like you’re in over your head, or that you’re constantly behind. There may even be one or […]
When your child is on the way to college, you want to help them succeed. You’re usually thrilled that your child performed well enough in high school to move on to what many people see as the first real phase of American adulthood. All the AP classes, SAT scores, ACT scores, and acceptance to one or more colleges […]
You have to email your professor about something. You know how to use email, right? It’s old-school: open up the program or the web browser, and type something like this: Yo, When is the test? Or maybe you’d rather say: Dear Professor Chris Smith, I write to you to urgently express my concern that the […]
Too often, college students are stressing out about how to get good grades, instead of focusing on what they’re learning. This is a backwards method of trying to succeed, and it often sets students up for failure instead. For one thing, it sets up grades as a competition for scarce resources – “If I want […]
If you’re a brand-new college undergraduate, the chances are good that high school didn’t teach you what your professors expect you to know about doing college research. Instead of research papers, you were probably taught the inverted-pyramid essay, the five-paragraph essay, or the expressive essay. This means that when the dreaded research paper rears its head […]