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Lesson Plans


6 graders getting grades for art.......

From: Bunki Kramer (bkramer.us)
Date: Sun Aug 13 2000 - 13:39:22 PDT

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    from: Bunki Kramer (bkramer.us)
    Los Cerros Middle School
    968 Blemer Road
    Danville, CA 94526
    http://ww2.lcms.srvusd.k12.ca.us/faculty/faculty.html
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    > I may need more craft ideas for my 6th. graders. They will come to me only
    > for 45 minutes every other day and for 1 semester and then I will get another
    > batch. They won't be graded, yet I will want them to get the art elements.
    > Any lesson ideas will be great. > Janice
    ************************

    I would be interested in talking with you AFTER this school year is over
    about having the 6th graders NOT receiving grades. We tried it for the first
    time this past year in our 6-week rotational wheel and it was the pits!...at
    least for 4 of the 5 teachers in the wheel. The 6th graders are usually
    great to teach (though clueless and noisy) but when they discovered there
    would be no grade and what they did didn't count in their GPA...or the honor
    roll....well...viva la difference. I took a written poll of two classes and
    it was interesting that EXACTLY half of BOTH classes agreed they should be
    getting grades. Their thoughts were..."It's not fair I work hard and someone
    that doesn't, gets the same grade of P." Of course the other half were very
    happy they could goof off...and a few did because of the no-grade policy. It
    definitely affected teaching them IMHO...especially starting near the middle
    of the year when they finally figured out what a GPA is.

    This year after much debate among the elective teachers for 6ers, those of
    us who want to do grades...may. That includes me.

    My point is....if you have any control over the situation (and I know this
    will be your first year), you might consider asking your principal to let
    you give grades later on or next year to see the difference. In our case,
    the principal was the one who made the decision. Toodles..... 

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