Grades

This is not a response to a specific question per se, but a theme that often shows up in my conversations with parents, especially those with kids in high school: "Why is my child doing so poorly in that class? He/She gets perfect scores on all the homework..." Sound familiar? Let's look at a couple of explanations.

REASON #1: Calculation Method
These are fictitious scores that I am going to use to help illustrate my point.

Basically, there are two ways which scores can be tabulated.
One approach to calculating a grade is a straight percentage: total points earned divided by the total possible. In this particular case, that means 323/395 = 81.7%, which would usually qualify as a B or B-. This method is popular because it is straightforward and easy to compute if you have a written grade book.
As more schools adopt grading software, however, teachers are getting more creative with how they determine a student's final grade. These computer-based systems allow teachers to easily create weighted categories and with them, a lot of confusion. Using the grade sheet above and the following weights, we end up with a very different outcome:
- Homework: 10%
- Quizzes: 30%
- Tests: 60%
First we calculate the percentages of the individual categories then apply the weights:
- Homework: 93/95 = 97.9%; 97.9 x (0.1) = 9.8
- Quizzes: 78/100 = 78.0%; 78.0 x (0.3) = 23.4
- Tests: 152/200 = 76.0%; 76.0 x (0.6) = 45.6
Add up the category totals and you have: 9.8 + 23.4 + 45.6 = 78.8
So now, instead of getting a B or B-, this person ends up with a C or C+. Big difference if you're talking GPA. If this were an actual grading schema, an extra 5 points on a test will impact the final grade considerably more than an entire homework assignment.

REASON #2: Completion Credit
I can't speak for all teachers, but those that I have worked with all have a similar philosophy when it comes to homework: if it's done, you get full credit. This is true regardless if the student gets it all correct or all wrong. All that to say, homework is usually a poor indicator of how well a student is understanding the material. If you really want to know how they're doing, look at their quiz scores instead.

A note to parents

In my experience as a teacher, I have noticed that parents of struggling students typically fall into one of two categories. They either grossly overestimate their child's abilities or they tragically underestimate them. Each of these has detrimental consequences for the student.

The Overestimating Parent
This is the parent who goes ballistic the first time their child brings home a C or D (and it's usually in algebra 1 or geometry). "What happened?!" they ask incredulously, first of the student, then of the teacher. Well, let's say this particular student averaged 85%, a solid B, all the way through pre-algebra. That's a grade that most parents would be satisfied with. Is it sufficient? As a teacher, I look at that as the student understanding 85% of the critical material covered in the class. Would you build your house on a foundation that was only 85% complete? Probably not, right? Then why are we expecting our kids to succeed when they only have 85% of the basic skills down?

The Underestimating Parent
As a teacher, I've heard parents tell me, "My child isn't going to major in math. I just want him/her to pass this class." It was so frustrating to hear that. It's like cutting off the child's legs before they even have a chance to learn to walk. How do you expect your child to succeed if you keep telling them they're a failure? I don't think many parents realize how critical self-confidence is in math. Students who excel, often do so because they are confident. Those that do poorly, are caught in a dangerous, downward spiral, circling between failure and self-defeat.

If you are either of these kinds of parent, take a step back and reassess your situation. If you truly understand your child's strengths and weaknesses, you'll be better equipped to anticipate and deal with potential roadblocks. Your child's success is heavily dependent on your perception.