PARTIAL CREDIT

So far this term I have given one quiz and one test in my Algebra II classes. Unlike last semester, I decided not to give partial credit - either the question is wrong or it's right. Also, I did not supply calculators for these assessments. The results: maybe 7 or 8 out of about 50 passed the quiz. I haven't finished grading the tests, but so far the red pen has been very, very busy.

Why did I make the sudden change? I was not pleased with the fact that students who made B's in my class last semester did not pass the cumulative semester exam. Although I had given partial credit on unit tests, I did not do so on the semester exam. I began to wonder if providing partial credit was giving the students a license to slack off and not pay attention to details. Since I generally agree that children will attempt to rise to the level of expectations set for them, I decided that I needed to raise the standards a bit. Whereas before the student would get the majority of the credit for doing everything right, except for making a mistake with adding integers, now that mistake would cost the student the whole question. I am hoping that this change will force the kids to pay attention to signs; memorize the rules for adding and subtracting integers; and read and follow directions.

My decision to stop giving partial credit also arose out of my principal's comments that our students' grades should reflect what they know. In other words, a student that fails the semester exam shouldn't make an A in the course under most circumstances. While I think that his comments were geared specifically towards state-tested subjects which have common, district-wide semester exams, I think his concerns apply to all subjects.

While I hate to admit it, I have probably been contributing to the grade inflation problem. I found out that several of my students that made A's or B's in my class the first semester have had much lower grades in their previous math classes. I should have been tipped off that I was being too easy when one of my students commented to me that he likes the way I grade. Being that I am always preaching to my students about the real world and what it takes to succeed in the real world, I think I would be letting them down if I continued to let them get by with subpar work. They have been catered to and given things for so long that they don't expect to have to earn anything. If I don't try to change that mentality, I will be failing them as a teacher.

Given the terrible grades, however, I have been wondering whether I will have to backtrack on my decision. I do offer retests, but honestly, most of the students don't do any better on the retests. I guess another option would be to offer extra credit work. I haven't come to a conclusion and am still waffling back and forth. Any suggestions or comments are welcome!