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Hate to say it but the guy who wrote that article seems very unprofessional to me. He says he gives As to all his students for everything they do regardless of

by bugsy 15y ago

Hate to say it but the guy who wrote that article seems very unprofessional to me. He says he gives As to all his students for everything they do regardless of quality because it makes them feel good about themselves and like him more. Then he suggests that other teachers who don't also do this are elitists who had it easy and don't want newcomers in their A club. Then he bemoans that it is impossible to assign different grades without standardized tests. Wherever he is teaching must not be a very good school (edit: ah Berkeley; it's overrated), everything he says is bunk. And yes, I have taught elementary, high school and college classes. I don't do grades for elementary, but for high school and college it is not difficult at all to assign objective grades for work done. Also, the students respect you less not more when you just give out all As. Most students respect fair, impartial and realistic grading. Those who don't probably shouldn't be in college anyway. It's also OK to do as Reed College does and keep the grades in a private file in the event of subsequent grad school transcripts needed, and instead evaluate each student with written essays and never let them see any grades. No grades at all is better than all As. Giving all As does not make you a "nice guy" any more than giving out free crack samples so people "like you" makes you a nice guy. The people don't really like you because you give them free crack, and you're not really a nice person because you do this. Wow, why isn't this obvious to people. It's amazing I have to even say this.

Estragon 15y ago
...the guy who wrote that article seems very unprofessional to me He's a highly respected statistician who's written some very valuable books, including at least one very useful book on teaching statistics. He actually says nothing about the rate at which he himself gives A's, just that all the incentives tend that way. In fact, at the end he cites an approach to post-hoc modification of grades which would make it irrelevant whether he assigned A's to everyone or not.
- bugsy 15y ago
  What were your thoughts about the fact that the world's leading expert on the topic, whom he cited in his article, responded in the comments pointing out his errors, and he responded with personal remarks and no facts? That doesn't sound like a professional statistician to me, it sounds like a child.

by bugsy 15y ago

Estragon 15y ago

...the guy who wrote that article seems very unprofessional to me He's a highly respected statistician who's written some very valuable books, including at least one very useful book on teaching statistics. He actually says nothing about the rate at which he himself gives A's, just that all the incentives tend that way. In fact, at the end he cites an approach to post-hoc modification of grades which would make it irrelevant whether he assigned A's to everyone or not.

bugsy 15y ago
What were your thoughts about the fact that the world's leading expert on the topic, whom he cited in his article, responded in the comments pointing out his errors, and he responded with personal remarks and no facts? That doesn't sound like a professional statistician to me, it sounds like a child.