Grades

By:  Alexandra Groot-Koerkamp

The excerpt from Mind killer and the excerpt from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance are about two different teachers with two different approaches to grades and grade schemes. Both of these excerpts have many similarities and differences.  Although, I do not agree with the teachers approaches to grades entirely; I do feel that these ideas have some interesting attributes.

            In the excerpt taken from Mind killer we quickly learn that Dr. Norman Kent a professor from an unnamed educational institution believes that grades and credits are a few of the sole reasons students attend school. They attend school not looking for a higher education or because they have a keen interest in the material they are learning but only to gain grades, credits and eventually degrees. Throughout the excerpt Dr. Norman Kent declares that all students will receive an A in his course, and on page one-hundred and ten makes this statement “Anytime you feel you have the makings of a paper cogent or otherwise, write it up and leave it in my office. The very best I will help you to have it published, if you’re interested. Those and the second best will be photocopied, distributed and discussed. The bad ones will be discussed privately. They’ll all get A’s” which I feel is unfair. In other words everyone will get an A whether or not you excel, try, fail or don’t even attempt the course. If teachers actually marked papers using an “always A” marking scheme, we would have doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and other professionals doing a lousy jobs, if even a job at all. Grades are an excellent way to demonstrate the knowledge that one has learnt. However, I also agree with the point that Dr. Norman Kent is trying to convey. When a student tells Dr. Norman Kent that grades motivate students to work I had empathy for Dr. Kent. As I have always felt that one’s interest in the subject should be ones motivation, not your grades. Although good grades are nice to have, I feel that the interest in the subject is more important.

            The excerpt taken from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is similar to the excerpt taken from Mind killer in the fact that Phaedrus the professor in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Dr. Norman Kent share the same belief that students only attend school to gain grades, credits and degrees, and not for the sole enjoyment of education. However, Phaedrus’ approach to grades is much different than that of Dr. Kent. Phaedrus’ belief was to abolish grades and degrees completely. He implemented this in his class by never releasing grades to his students. The students were very much opposed to this, as am I. I feel that students have the right to know their grades because it is their sweat and long hours of tedious labour that goes into their papers. Therefore I feel students deserve to know what their marks are in their desired courses.  After withholding his students’ marks Phaedrus observes that “The A-rated students lost their nervousness and became active participants in everything that went on with a friendliness that was uncommon in a grade-getting class. At this point the B and C students were in a panic, and turned in stuff that looked as though they’d spent hours of painstaking work on it.  The D’s and F’s turned in satisfactory assignments.” With this being said Phaedrus proved that by eliminating grades students would achieve better grades by showing up for class because they have a keen sense to learn. Oppose, to the grade driven system we call education today!

All in all, both excerpts have similarities and differences, similarities in the way that the majority of students attend class to achieve grades, credits, and or a degree. As well as differences in the way that both professors deal with the same issue in different manners, Dr. Kent allotting an A to everyone registered in his course and Phaedrus abolishing grades all together! I may not agree with these grading schemes entirely but I do feel that both of these grading schemes have positive and negative attributes!

Marking proposals

Alexandra Groot-KoerKamp

Marking proposal #1

            Four large essays each worth 20% of our final mark. If we write four essays each of 1500-2000 words and make each essay worth 20% of our final mark we would meet the outline set my Dalhousie of “At least 80% must be based on the student’s written work.” Each essay will cover a different aspect of the courses content!

Marking proposal #2

            Six decent size essays of about 1000 words, each worth 10% on our final mark for a total of 60%. Since we are short the 80% total by 20 % we could write plays to rein act a part of Russian Culture. The script of the play can be worth 20% of our final mark. After everyone has submitted their scripts the class can divide into groups. Each group can choose a script and act it out as an oral report/presentation.