Obviously, Monday’s Quiz #4 is difficult and gives the instructor a grade that keeps grades from getting inflated. The participation grade keeps the kids socially honest in class, while the (following Monday) reading grade – with its 30% new words – makes it by far the hardest grade of the week and thus keeps the kids honest in terms of homework by almost requiring study of the reading online before class on Monday.
Here is what a very bright student’s grade might look like if they don’t participate in class and if they don’t prepare for the second reading quiz:
Quiz #1 (Tuesday story quiz) – 10/10
Quiz #2 (Thursday reading quiz) – 10/10
Quiz #3 (Participation) – 5/10
Quiz #4 (Monday reading translation) – 5/10
Total points for that week: 30/40 is interpreted by the computer as a 75% or a “C”.
This grade supports my position that smart kids need to be held accountable via grades to show up for my class as full participants in the social fabric that characterizes language classes based on comprehensible input, even if that social fabric is not needed, wanted or required in other classrooms in the building.
Here is what a very bright student’s grade looks like if they don’t participate in class but get 10/10 on the three other grades that week just because they are so smart:
Content Quiz #1 (Tuesday story quiz) – 10/10
Reading Quiz #1 (Thursday reading quiz) – 10/10
Partipation Grade #1 – 5/10
Reading Quiz #2 (reading translation Monday test described below) – 10/10
Total points for that week: 35/40 is interpreted by the computer as an 85% or a “B”.
Again, I think that students who don’t fully show up for class should not get an A in my class, reflecting the reasoning expressed in yesterday’s blog entry.
The Problem with CI
Jeffrey Sachs was asked what the difference between people in Norway and in the U.S. was. He responded that people in Norway are happy and
