Carol’s Summary:
The Mount Olive school district in New Jersey has recently eliminated the D grade from their schools, in order to encourage students to achieve more. Now that students can only earn A’s, B’s, C’s and F’s, it may cause students to see how important it is to get better grades, rather than to put forth minimal effort and earn a barely-passing D in their classes.
Students in the district have openly expressed their disdain for the new policy, saying that it puts more pressure on students and will cause more students to fail. The new policy will allow increased opportunities for make-up work on failed or missed assignments, which will provide students with a better chance to improve their grades before report cards are sent home.
The elimination of the D grade in Mount Olive schools has brought attention to this new policy, but a similar strategy was used in the 90’s in a college classroom in Kansas. The policy is new in the Mount Olive district for this upcoming school year, and administrators hope that it will be effective for improving student work ethic and achievement.
Many students need an extra push to understand that they are truly in control of earning their grades. The work they put forth academically as well as in all aspects of life will appear in the results of their work. Students, especially at high school age, must learn how to take personal responsibility for their study habits and school work.
Our book, Study Skills for High School Students, provides students with tips for improving memory, being more involved in their class work, how to be an independent learner, and how not to procrastinate on assignments. Visit www.lifebound.com or e-mail contact@lifebound.com for more about LifeBound’s books and materials.
Article:
Little as They Try, Students Can’t Get a D Here
Michael Appleton for The New York Times
MOUNT OLIVE, N.J. — Who wants to pay for “Dâ€-quality plumbing? Fly the skies with a “Dâ€-rated pilot? Settle for a “D†restaurant?
Exactly.
The way the Mount Olive school district sees it, its students should not be getting by with D’s on their report cards, either. This fall, there will no longer be any D’s, only A’s, B’s, C’s and F’s.
To read the full article: www.nytimes.com
