Grades are obviously an important concern, in this or any class, and given my position as professor and therefore the one who signs off on grades, I do take them seriously.
However, given all the pressures and anxieties often associated with grades, they can also get in the way and become themselves distractions to learning. In my opinion, focusing too much on grades can actually interfere with your effort to get a good grade!
Each of one of the following suggestions is a shorthand abbreviation for a much larger issue, but I offer these here as a way to start, or continue, a conversation on grading. Feedback is welcome and encouraged.
How do you do well in this class? I would recommend that you...
1. Stop trying to "get an A." Instead...
2. Make writing (and reading and research) a "way of living" (VQ 68) as opposed to a nagging course requirement or something you have to do to get through.
3. Cultivate a "research attitude" (VQ 89) in yourself and help cultivate a "research attitude" in those around you, especially your classmates.
4. Approach your education as a process of "creative evolution" (Ferm 9) and not only a step toward accreditation.
5. Treat your classmates and your professor as allies, not as impediments to your success.
6. Keep your mind open to new possibilities (take risks).
7. Take advantage of ALL the learning resources (and materials, equipment) at your disposal (VQ 14).
8. Use every activity and interaction in this class (on your own, in groups, with the professor) as an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in and commitment to all of the above.
9. Take all feedback seriously and work to incorporate the best of it into your work.
10. Continue to work hard and don't settle for the easy way out.
What else could go on this list?
Are any of these recommendations unreasonable?
Which ones make sense to you and which ones don't?
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15 comments:
I def. agreed with three of these steps to getting an A. Number one "Stop trying to 'get an A.' Instead..." I think this really will help students to relax (including me) because honestly, when I think about something too much, I begin to get frustrated with my work and myself. I keep worrying that I won't get the great I want, so eventually it stresses me out.
I also liked number 2, "Make writing (and reading and research) a "way of living" (VQ 68) as opposed to a nagging course requirement or something you have to do to get through." I don't think blogging is difficult if you set time aside and write about whatever you feel like writing about. You have yet to assign us topics, so who are we to say we feel restrained? Well I don't think anyone said this, but I was just making a point. I'm saying that we are able to write about ANYTHING we want, and that leaves a wide open space.
The last one I likes was number 6 because it relates to an entry I just wrote. You said "Keep your mind open to new possibilities (take risks)." I think this is key as well because if we are too closed-minded, we never want to learn anything new. It's exremely difficult to broaden our horizons if we are too stubborn to listen to what other have to say.
rock on, katie k!
(i look forward to seeing those "risks" you'll be taking.)
I like this blog, how to get an A (in this class). I’m sure you felt obliged to write this after some reactions to their grades received. It’s simple, follow these guidelines and voila you will obtain a beautiful and hard earned A. although I wish it was that simple, it is easier said than done. I remember the first day of class when you said that some people will receive A’s, which will be hard to achieve and then others will obtain B’s and so on. To be honest I didn’t know where to place myself, I wanted an A but honestly I didn’t know whether that would be realistic of not. I had no idea what i was getting myself into regarding this class.
I most definitely agree with number 2 – making writing a “way of living”. I probably agree with it so much because I feel that’s the process that has plagued me now for the last month. It is natural for me now to automatically log on to my blog and mess around with it. I am very satisfied with seeing my book of accumulated information grow and I don’t feel I’m writing for accreditation, if so then I wouldn’t be writing on topics of interest. I’m motivated and inspired to improve my writing. I do feel that the more I have written the more improvement I’ve noticed.
I must say I have problems with cultivating a “research attitude” and the reasoning behind is it seems so foreign to me. I don’t know how to go about it, the steps I need to reach in order to achieve this cultivation.
I definitely agree with conversing with my classmates. I have to say I love our English class, I feel some sense of security within the class and even though we have only spent half a semester together I look forward to class. I highly respect my fellow classmate’s opinions and used slight help from a few when it came to my report.
Funnily enough last night I was discussing with my friend that being away from home and coming to college it is important to have an open mind regarding every facet. St. Johns in New York contains a broad diversity of people. Therefore I think it is important to listen to other people’s ideas. Two heads are better than one. It is always nice to take a risk that is why we admire children; they are always trying new things. Children are not afraid to make mistakes because they know they can, why can’t we risk take. It is ok to make a mistake, because then we will learn from it. The reason we fall is because we learn to pick ourselves back up.
I tried to take the feedback you provided as seriously as possible and I realize how important it is. The whole point of the class is to improve our reading, writing and research techniques and styles.
Continue to work hard and don't settle for the easy way out. I take this line very seriously and I have never been the type of person to look for the easy way out. Otherwise I am cheating myself and it will affect me in the long term, which brings us back to the plagiarizing blog. Like many other students I want a challenge. At the moment regarding this class my challenge is to find a topic that I am interested in for my next support, a topic that will develop a high level of curiosity within.
I can agree that everyone wants an A..but they don't know what it takes to get to that grade.
I can also agree how students just want to pass...they do not care what the grade is...as long as it is NoT and "F" its fine.
I think the work is easy to say..but hard to do. In order to get an "A" you have to do good the ENTIRE semster.
I see how students start off bad...and then do well and expect and "A." Some students think they can miss the first couple of weeks of school and miss a test here and there and still get that "A" because they decided to show up two or three weeks straight.
I do not think its right for a professor to say "your garde is based on improvment.
I think the grade should be based on the entire semester.
I have seen it happen, when a student NEVER showed up the first couple of weeks, but after the mid-term, that is when they started trying. I have sene the teacher say "wow, great improvment!"...yeahh OK..more like nice try!
I agree with #10! DONt look for the easy way out.
very nice post!!!! gives me a good idea about what to expect for our next research paper. hope you had a good st. patricks day!!!
This is a very useful blog entry and I'm sure alot of people, myself included benefited from reading it. The one that I really like and agree with 100% is the first one "stop trying to get an A". It's ironic though that our best chance of getting an "A" is to not think about getting an "A". This is well given advice because when we try so hard to get a good grade, our minds tend to convince us not to make any mistakes which is impossible. In this way, we get distracted and lose our focus on the primary reason we are in college, to learn. As a professor of mine once said "if are
interested in the class you are taking and simply enjoy it, the good grades will follow". I think this could be another piece of useful advice on how to get an "A", enjoy the class.
I like the post professor. I really like how you showed us simple steps in order to get a good grade in the class. I agree that some of us tend to worry too much about getting the A in class. Sometimes we miss the little things that can lead to our greatest success.
I agree. I like the post too. You can not try too hard to get an "A" because then you somehow end up contradicting yourself and you think you are doing everything right and possibly even more to get the grade, but in the end you are just trying to hard and will be disappointed if you dont get the "A". You have to make use of the resources that are available to you because they are there to help you earn a better grade. I just realized today, all the opportunities that we have in this class, to better our grade. We have discussion boards, blogs, and even meetings with you that count as participation points. All these resources should definetley be taken advantage of, because I think thats what they are there for.
its funny i wonder if you got some of your ideas from the blog i wrote about me being a robot lol ... maybe not. but i would have to agree with you just because ive been in that position my whole life. as stated in my blog i am a robot. and i try my harrdest to get out of it. believe it or not i do appreciate writing, i used to do it everyday. the pressures of trying to get an A are extremely ridiculous. the way i want to see it is sometimes just try your hardest it should be god enough. but unfortunatley its not always like that. which is why i continue to be the way i am.
i would have to say this is my favorite entry you have up. its one that makes a lot of sense and because of it i want to stop being just the grade and just try and become more open minded than i already am. this should probably take a lot of my pressure off...
I agree with what Professor Marsh has suggested. Through here on out we have to begin, if not already, to know that writing is not only practice to become a better writer but writing is a form of therapy. I sure as heck us it for when I am bothered, upset, or angry. But like Prof. said we must not think about getting an "A" we have to use and abuse it and enjoy do it. We as students are still morphing into our own person but in the case of writing approach it as a revolution or a way of life, and of course take advantage of his life.
In all, I agree with these suggestions, now I feel like it is seriusly up there for all of us to figure out our own goals or way to develop these skills to become better at what we normally do.
Well first and foremost, after noticing the title of the blog, I IMMEDIATELY clicked on the link without ANY hesitation! However I also immediately got confused with #1 and how you said, "Stop trying to get and A. Instead..." Not sure what that means. I actually wondered if you accidently left the statement completely.
#2 also got me thinking. That term "research attitude" seems to be haunting me lately. Not having a "research attitude" was one flaw in my reseach paper. Now at first I really didn't know what it means, but after reading the comment sheet, I think I'm starting to capture the entire meaning (How you can't solve or prove anything looking for one simple answer. You need to go out there and really analyze what your see) Am I right?
With #7, I must admit that I am guilty of not taking advantage of all the resources opened to me. It's stupid because the resources are RIGHT THERE (WC, Prof. Office, Classmates) but I tend to adequately utilize them. I think the reason for this, to be honest, was I was intimidated by the whole WC thing. Don't know why. But I think I "conquered the fear."
I am happy that you chose to focus on the point in number 8. "Use every activity and interaction in this class(on your own, in groups, with the professor) as an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in and commitment to all of the above. Often times many professors are satisfied with attendance and complettion of testing and assigned work. Getting students completely engulfed in the class gives each a stronger focus on what they are learning. It also forces students to show innitiative which is an important factor in progressing throughout life. Another positive is that it teaches students to communicate with others, share ideas, and create an education network.
In one class an "A" can be received as long as you attend each class, in another it will be required of you to do exceptional on exams. Grading is all subjective and changing your style for each different class can often times be difficult. In this English class, I notice our grades are dependent on our own motives, our own creativity. We have no written exams, not to much ASSIGNED homework but we still have structure. Our blogs are a helpful way of keeping a track of who is working for their grade even though some of their writings may be overlooked. All I have to say is, keep yourself in line, and don't expect Professor Marsh, or anyone else to keep pushing you.
Great comments, people! Thanks!
Drew, yes, you're on the right track. Anna, I think I saw your post after I wrote this, but I was impressed by how the our two posts went together. Arif, right on! Maggie, that's one of my faves too because it suggests that we enter all interactions with a positive, proactive attitude -- and that alone can lead to good things.
I'd mention all of you, but I have to run!
Thanks for reading...
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