Week 1 Blog #4 Response to Chris Gemp

Giving an A
by: Chris Gemp

This chapter really spoke to me.  I had a very similar experience to Mr. Z recently.  Two weeks ago, third quarter ended in my school system, so consequently I was giving tests to finalize their grades.  My sixth graders took a fairly standard test, with fill-in the blank, multiple choice, and short answer questions. My class averages were 95, 97.5, and 102(there were 5 points available for extra credit).  I made a comment to my colleague that I must have made the test “too easy”.  She responded: “Why shouldn’t everyone get an A?”  I have to say that I agreed with her.  I did not make the test any easier than in previous years. I was reminded of my first year teaching, when a different colleague told me her philosophy when making tests: “I make it hard enough so one student will fail”. 

Why should that be our goal?  I think teachers should strive to have each of our students earn an A.  I do not think we should just give out A’s, but there should certainly be no limit to the amount of A’s allowed.  We want our students to strive for greatness, so why shouldn’t we strive for that same level.  I think it is our success and our failure as much as it is the students. 

Michelangelo is often quoted as having said that inside every block of stone or marble dwells a beautiful statue; one need only remove the excess material to reveal the work of art within.  If we were to apply this visionary concept to education, it would be pointless to compare one child to another.  Instead, all the energy would be focused on chipping away at the stone, getting ride of what is in the way of each child’s developing skills, mastery, and self-expression. (Zander)

I have a student that is fairly resistant to putting forth a lot of effort into any class.  I sat down with him one day while he was supposed to be practicing the guitar and asked him why he wasn’t practicing.  He said that he was never going to pick up the guitar again after he left my class. I thought that was a pretty narrow-minded statement for a seventh grader to make. I consequently asked him what he wanted to do after he got out of school.  He mentioned that he wanted to be a mechanic.  I said, well there was a possibility that he would never pick up the guitar again after my class, but that there were still many skills he could take with him into his future endeavors.  I mentioned that work is sometime stressful and that coming home and jamming on the guitar could be a fun and relaxing activity.  Also I said that learning how to read music, would strengthen his reading ability, and that was a skill he would need all of his life.  He asked my why, and I said: “well, you may not read for pleasure, but they are always coming out with new products and someday you might have to read a users manual, and those are never easy to read, so its would be a good idea to be an excellent reader.”  Lastly we talked about when playing the guitar your hands are doing separate tasks, as well as so are your fingers.  I correlated that with the hands on requirements of being a mechanic.  He was satisfied with our short discussion and has now been very productive for the past few classes.  I am sure that will not last till the end of the year, but it has lit his fire now and when the time comes, I am sure we will have a new conversation to continue his efforts.