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It’s not easy receiving a bad grade when you know you tried.
Most of my peers didn’t know the answers to a recent physiology exam. As soon as they got their paper they handed it back to the teacher saying “I’ll just take my F,” — without even attempting the questions. My teacher showed no emotion. In her class there’s no partial credit and no points for effort.
If students were given the chance to earn a passing grade for trying their best, Maybe my classmates would’ve been more motivated.
Receiving a failing grade can do MORE than just bring your grade down. It puts you at a disadvantage when applying to college. Kids start to feel like school is irrelevant.
When I received a failing grade in math it lowered the confidence I had in that subject. It took getting a new teacher for me to regain the courage to try. And for those of us who try, it would be fulfilling to receive a passing grade.
I understand that kids might take advantage of getting points for effort by just writing anything down.
But I believe that rewarding kids for trying will start a cycle — and they’ll start pushing themselves to improve their grades.