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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Mr. Peabody
Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Location: here
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 Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:23 am Post subject: |
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I send out replies to their emails that go something like this.
Dear Student,
As I explained at the beginning of the semester, XXXX University uses a bell curve when grading all General English courses. This means I cannot raise your grade without lowering another student's grade.
I rechecked your grades and there were no mistakes made on your scores.
I'm sorry you are disappointed with your final grade, but other students in the class scored higher that you.
Sincerely,
Your Teacher
This semester I had 5 out of 175 students.
I do not respond if they email me again. |
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Tamada
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:42 am Post subject: |
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| calicoe wrote: |
Yeah, I definitely agree with you on principle. I would much rather give out real grades, because it is much easier as far as I'm concerned.
And, I am on here seeking feedback, but I know how to face confrontations with students. However, I do like being employed, and I DO NOT want to go through a grade appeal, at any cost. |
Has admin ever contacted you about student complaints?
At my uni, they leave it totally up to the profs. When students contact admin, the admin tell them, 'nothing whatsoever to do with us/we are not getting involved'......go talk to your professor. |
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calicoe
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:00 am Post subject: |
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| Yes, they have. Last semester, they even had another professor of a student get involved - along with the admin staff - to pressure an instructor to raise a grade. |
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Tamada
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:20 am Post subject: |
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| calicoe wrote: |
| Yes, they have. Last semester, they even had another professor of a student get involved - along with the admin staff - to pressure an instructor to raise a grade. |
That sucks. 
Makes me really glad that my own admin completely stay out of it. |
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blm
Joined: 11 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 3:13 am Post subject: |
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| calicoe wrote: |
edit: But, ultimately, you are right, I don't want to be an indentured servant of uni students. I am trying to get away from the grade inflation, so the resistance will be fierce. However, I would feel stronger without the artificial downward curve, I guess. I will just blame it on the school policy, which is the truth. |
My previous comment was more directed at schools and those defending the bell curve. I know individual teachers have to a large degree tow the line that administration sets.
For your circumstances prior to the final exam you should explain that it's a curve and that to get an a you have to be in the top X of students. If you have the actual figures (of how many will get a's, B's etc) and your allowed to pass that on then put them on the board during class before a revision session.
Keep a note of who was absent that way providing students there ranking later should fully explain there grade to them. Attending and paying attention in class as well as asking questions if you don't understand was one of the criteria in class.... i.e. that's the spiel you bring out if they still aren't satisfied with your answers and your defence to the admin. The students that did pay attention can back you up.
Basically being honest and transparent is the best policy. |
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calicoe
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 4:23 am Post subject: |
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Yes, I tell them exactly what is expected and the rules of the curve at the beginning of the semester. Also, I gave a difficult final exam because I know they all bide their time in class and just do the assignments like robots. So, I put more emphasis on their actual participation to set them apart.
I have been writing very nice and personal email response back to the students that are clearly a B, but I have been anxious about the cluster group near the bottom and in the middle. I think I am more anxious this semester because we had less time to grade, and I don't feel as confident. But ultimately, I know that the difference is a few points, and I am sorry about the B student that became a C, but that is not my policy. Still, it is harsh to be that student, and it doesn't feel much better to be the prof.
Thanks for the feedback Peabody, Tamada and blm. |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 5:40 am Post subject: Re: Rude emails from students over grade |
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| MA_TESOL wrote: |
I got a really rude email from a student. He got a C and wrote: Pardon me and continued on with some rather rude rhetoric demanding that I check the grade again. We grade on a curve and the low 30 percenters must have lower than a B. He fell into that category, but does not seem to accept it and seems to be throwing the ball in my court rather than looking at himself. No matter how often I explain the curve some students just don't get it
I hate the curve when many students do well and I have to lower the grdes, but that is life |
There are always a few students like this. You should be strong. |
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toonchoon
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:43 am Post subject: |
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@ Tamada - i like the way you think.
Last semester, I had several emails, and even some phone calls. This time, I only got one email so far, and I told the student his scores, his ranking in in class, and why he didn't earn an A (didn't participate in class discussions, just sat there the whole time).
I could've actually given him a higher grade, because the curve allowed for it, but he didn't deserve it. He got the syllabus at the beginning of the semester. I explained grading. The syllabus was in Korean AND English.
I respond professionally to the emails, and leave it at that. No grade changes, unless I made a mistake. |
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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:55 am Post subject: |
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| calicoe wrote: |
| Instructors here will eventually get fired if students write bad evaluations, and the students directly use evaluations as revenge for their grades. |
As lecturers and not tenured professors, they should be fired if they are consistently receiving bad evaluations.
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We cannot simply grade the way we want, or the way we think they should be graded because no one or very few will receive a high grade, and then they will pester you and complain, and if they do it enough the administration will side with them and brand you a troublemaker. |
I presume you know whatever hack-eyed grading scheme the university that employs you uses before the term starts? If you're transparent about it from the start, and if the students are made aware of your own limitations, then that's the best you can do. If you have to fit class marks to a scale and you have to give marks rather than rankings when evaluating coursework, then mark very hard and scale up rather than down. No kid praying for a C+ will complain when they receive a B, but that's not true the other way around. |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:25 am Post subject: |
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| calicoe wrote: |
I think a very big problem for me is the required downward curve. If the truth be told, I DO NOT feel confident about it this semester. I had to pull down one student who was easily a B, and there was very little difference between him and another student. I will have to pull out his class participation points, and the fact that he didn't do as well as others on the midterm.
I'm not sure how such a close call would look in a grade appeal, quite frankly. |
Why? All you have to do is add them up and show that one student scored lower than the other. They aren't going to look at your numbers and be like, no you're wrong you should have given THIS student the C. They might bump him anyway, but it's not like it's your fault. Someone had to get C. You didn't make the rules.
Always maintain the curve from the beginning. You have to give 3 C final grades? Then for every assignment you must give at least 3 students C. Is it fair? I don't know, but it makes the end of semester way easier. |
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