Teacher Suspended for Giving Zeros…What do you think?
A teacher here in Canada has recently been suspended for giving zeros for unsubmitted work, which is against the school’s policy. I know people have strong opinions on topics like these and so I’d like to open things up. Here’s the link to the full article: Teacher Suspended for Giving Zeros.
Alberta Teacher Suspended
I think we’ve all been frustrated when we seem to care more about a student’s learning and grades than they do. When we’ve catered to their learning needs, extended deadlines and then extended them again. When we’ve turned tests into “take home” assignments with the hopes that some work will get completed and submitted…when we’ve done all of this… at what point are we actually setting our children up for failure, when they realize that the real world doesn’t work like this? The real world has deadlines and we don’t get to choose those deadlines. In the real world, if I don’t write lesson plans, or sub plans, or tests – for that matter, I’ll get reprimanded. My behavior will be met with a consequence. I’ll be in big professional trouble!
I know that giving a zero doesn’t truly give me a picture of what the student has or has not learned. I have every student’s best interest at heart and I try my very best to make sure that all of my students have success – as I’m sure most of you do. However, I just can’t help but wonder what sort of citizens and work force we are creating, with the “no zero” type of mentality – if there is no other policy in place, such as “incompletes”. I am conflicted by the story of this teacher, because I can see both sides. What are the policies in your schools? What do you think about this whole thing?
Posted on June 15, 2012, in General Teaching, Middle School, Reflecting About Teaching and tagged assessment policies, teacher suspended for giving zeros. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Comments.
I teach in Kansas. My school doesn’t have a “no-zero” policy, but students are not required to repeat a grade either, regardless of their academic performance.
Thanks for bringing this story to my attention. Wow – my school does not have a “no-zero” policy, and being a private school, kids do repeat a grade based on classroom performance and testing standards. My heart really goes out to a generation that has been catered to.
You said it Karla. We’re completely catering to the students. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that there are too many jobs out there that completely cater to their workers, so that they can be “as successful as possible”. They need to do their part, and then be rewarded for it.
Krystal
My school has a “no zero” policy and I have really mixed feelings about it. I realize that a zero can completely ruin a child’s grade but at the same time, the children realize the lowest they can get on any assignment is a 50. I constantly hear my students say, “I don’t feel like doing that assignment. Just give me a 50.” I agree that today’s generation is completely being catered to and they are getting by with the bare minimum.
I’d like to think that they will learn one day but our country as a whole is giving people things they don’t deserve. These same students also say to me, “Oh I don’t need a job when I get older. The government will take care of me.” Unfortunately, I can’t argue with them because to some degree, that’s very true.
My school doesn’t officially have a “no zero” policy, but until high school when credits are awarded and needed for graduation no one is held back. As a matter of fact, I had one parent complain at the beginning of this year because her child failed the first quarter. The principal’s response was to make me give this child nothing less than a 70…yes that’s right…a 70, even if the child didn’t turn in the assignment at all. This was after multiple attempts to have the child finish it in school and also at home. My principal’s take on it is that he’s going up to the next grade anyway so why hassle with the parent over it. Geesh…why bother taking grades for anyone then? Save me the paperwork and eliminate grades all together if that’s all they’re worth. In the end, this particular student ended up passing my class with a C, despite over 20 absences and almost 1/3 of his work not turned in.
However….
While I completely understand this teacher’s perspective, he went about making his point the wrong way. I’m not sure what lesson he thought he was teaching with his complete defiance of authority, but IMHO if your point is that there are consequences for your actions, then suck up and deal with your own consequences. He should have addressed the issue through proper channels….school administration, the school board, even through public awareness and support.
Wow, Sunny. It’s amazing what happens in various schools!
Well said about how this particular teacher handled his situation.
Krystal
My school encourages a no zero policy, but it is not as extreme as this one. However, at the end of the quarter, no student receives a grade less than 61. This is a district mandate. Also, our students know that regardless of their grades and absences, they will be passed to the next grade level.