Half grades? What the hell!

[gittyup]

Half grades prepare lagging students for promotion

They will be 3.5, 5.5 or 8.5 students instead of fourth-, sixth- and ninth-graders. School officials said the program makes St. Paul the first district in the nation to advance students incrementally.

 

[Warblad13]

"looky here i am 25 and still in high school"

this is so freakin stupid

 

[Scouzer]

wtf? thats retarded.. "I'm Grade 8 and a half hyuk hyuk"

 

[gittyup]

Seems like a very lame cop out to me.

 

[ViRGE]

Ehh, it's not as bad as it sounds. Considering that it's just a remedial program for those who don't truely pass grades 3, 5, or 8; it could be worse.

 

[TuffGuy]

what a waste. american education gets even "better."

 

[Miramonti]

It sounds like 2 semesters per year.

 

[FrogDog]

If you actually read the article it's only for kids who didn't pass those grades. So you guys have an objectetion to making sure kids know the material in one grade before going to the next?

 

[shiner]

Sounds like more worrying about the student's self esteem than actually teaching them. Typical of what goes on these days. I have a couple of friends and an aunt who are teachers and they are always bitching about how the can't teach because of all the PC requirements they have shoved down their throat, and how "it's more important that a student feel good about learning than if the student is actually learning."

 

[shiner]

<< So you guys have an objectetion to making sure kids know the material in one grade before going to the next? >>


I have a problem with puting them in 8.5th grade or whatever the hell. If they fail, they fail. Keep their ass in whatever grade they just bombed in.

 

[gittyup]

If you actually read the article it's only for kids who didn't pass those grades.

Hahha. Yes I did. And I am very aware that it is for only kids who didn't pass. But thanks for the obvious.

 

[Alienwho]

I have never known anyone who has never passed one of those grades. The majority of teachers don't care, they just pass them on to the next regardless.

 

[Scouzer]

<< I have never known anyone who has never passed one of those grades. The majority of teachers don't care, they just pass them on to the next regardless. >>



Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him.

 

[FrogDog]

<< Hahha. Yes I did. And I am very aware that it is for only kids who didn't pass. But thanks for the obvious. >>

Sorry I was responding to what jjsole said.



<< Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him. >>

Maybe this is what they're trying to correct...?

 

[huanaku]

The lagging St. Paul students will be channeled into a new program, where they will do intensive work in reading, writing and math. If they do well there and in summer school next year, they will rejoin their peers in fall 2002.

I think it's cool that they have an opportunity to catch up to their class, instead of redoing the whole year, let them go through the year, and summer school. If they catch up, let them rejoin their class. As for the naming scheme, it's kind of lame.

 

[gittyup]

FrogDog

My Apologies.

 

[GasX]

<< If you actually read the article it's only for kids who didn't pass those grades. So you guys have an objectetion to making sure kids know the material in one grade before going to the next? >>


Ok, smartass. You miss the point. If you are in 3.5th grade it means you are a falure at 3rd grade and not in 4th grade. In other words, you didn't know the material taught in 3rd grade, but they advanced you to 3.5th anyway. Repeating 3rd allows you to learn the material before moving on. 3.5 just plants a &quot;I'm Stupid&quot; sticker on your back.

 

[FrogDog]

<< Ok, smartass. You miss the point. If you are in 3.5th grade it means you are a falure at 3rd grade and not in 4th grade. In other words, you didn't know the material taught in 3rd grade, but they advanced you to 3.5th anyway. Repeating 3rd allows you to learn the material before moving on. 3.5 just plants a &quot;I'm Stupid&quot; sticker on your back. >>

It's better than this isn't it?

<< Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him. >>

 

[UglyCasanova]

<< It's better than this isn't it?

<< Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him. >> >>



That's not the point. Them passing him is the teachers fault, he should he stayed in the same grade.

 

[GasX]

<< It's better than this isn't it?

<< Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him. >>


Absolutely, but I think he should either make it up during the summer or repeat the grade.

Half-measures are half-measures...

 

[reitz]

<< It's better than this isn't it?

<< Yup. One guy in Grade 8 had 30% or less in every subject every term and everyone of his final exam marks was below 25% and they still passed him. >> >>

Whatever happened to just holding back students who could not master the work? I agree that &quot;social promotions&quot; are one of the worst mistakes of our public school system, but this isn't the answer. Hold the kids back and make them repeat the grades if they can't master the information. Public schools are not that difficult, and even the dumbest of children should be able to learn enough to pass; those that can't are most likely lacking the maturity that is required to complete the grades, so giving them an extra year to grow and learn is the best option for them.

The school district I went to would hold students back as long as necessary (sometimes 2 or even three times). It constantly scored among the very best in nationwide aptitude testing, and over 80% of my graduating class continued on to college. There are plenty of public schools in this country that do work. Instead of coming up with even more assinine ideas to improve the failing ones, why not just emulate the successful schools?