A Word About Grades

As the close of the semester draws near and grades become closer to final, many students and parents start to get concerned about grades.

As a mother of three teenagers myself, I often don't know if my children are truly putting their best effort into their schoolwork. So I would like to draw your attention to the column in the gradebook that is called "Homework and Practice." Your student's "Homework and Practice" grade is a good indication of your child's effort and work ethic in my class. While practice has a very small impact on the final grade (only 10%, as opposed to assessments which measure standards mastery and represent 90% of the grade), it is an important marker of effort and character.

I urge you not to nag your child about his/her grade if he/she has 90-100% in the Homework and Practice column and has turned everything in in the Assessment column. This means they are doing everything they can and should do in order to LEARN and master English Language Arts. However, if your child's Homework and Practice grade is LOW and assignments are missing, please do nag until they get their work turned in!

Parents of Honors English 9 students may especially struggle with this, but as you look at your child's assessment grade and perhaps wonder why he or she isn't getting an A, please remember the following: 1) Honors English is a CHALLENGING course. Not every student will earn an A. However, many colleges will weight your child's GPA accordingly (for some institutions, an Honors B or C is considered better than an A in a regular class). 2) If your child is earning a B or a C, you may be tempted to think he or she should take regular English next semester or year and get an "easy A" - I encourage you NOT to make that call unless it is coming from your child. The interaction your child is having each day with incredibly intelligent students who are earning As in Honors level courses has an effect on them, raising their level of ability and understanding the longer they remain in Honors courses. 3) Your child may be LEARNING more as a B or C student about how to write well, communicate effectively, and be emotionally resilient than they would as an A student in a less challenging course.

Your kids display flashes of brilliance, talent, and kindness each and every day, and I am enjoying working with them. They truly make my job a joy, and I am looking forward to seeing how they will grow next semester!