[trasie]

Warning-Part Vent

Students completed their end of the year writing prompt for their portfolio today. We spent two class periods on it (1 1/2 hours). I walked around while they were working and they put on a great show of getting it done. Once collected several boys began bragging about how little they wrote. Sure enough looking through them a few wrote the equivalent of one to two paragraphs!
I can’t keep them from recess or specials classes to work on it again and that wouldn’t be fair to those who put in real effort. They know they will get a grade and don’t care. The lowest I can give is a 60%. Grading them seems hardly worth the effort. I am so irritated. It also makes me worry about what they’ll do on their final NWEA considering their attitude.

Any suggestions on how to handle this?

[1956BD]

Call parents and tell them they did not try and they really deserved a lower grade due to lack of effort.

If I were the parent I would give some consequences at home for not doing their best work.

[kahluablast]

I suppose you can't give them less than 60% because less than that would be impossible to come back from? How ridiculous.

I would have a rubric and grade it however it came out. That is what I would put on papers. In my grade book I would have 60% and it would be marked so I knew it was really less than that.

Who comes up with these stupid rules?

5th Grade-itis is bad right now in our school.

[klarabelle]

Grade on what they deserve, and it appears they deserve 60% [really lower].

[whd507]

I appreciate the vent, but as a guy, I seem to have an affect on 5th grade boys. I usually (as a guy) take them aside and make them look me in the eye, and explain that men look each other in the eye when they talk, and possibly the most important part of my job as a teacher is to help them prepare to grow into the amazing men that they were designed to be. That all this schoolwork they see no purpose in, is actually the foundation that they will build their lives upon. I use the analogy of a house or building, I explain that the foundation, although often unseen, is the most important part of the building, because if its not strong, the building will not last, regardless of how good subsequent building materials are used.

Sometimes they will tell me that they are a kid and not a man, but I will explain how a sprouting acorn is just as much an oak tree as a towering oak, its just not done yet. Same DNA etc...

I tell them that I see a big strong man growing inside them, and although they see a 11 yr old kid in the mirror each morning, I see the man they should/will become. I tell them that every choice they make is like an off-ramp or a fork in the road. that the road is the road to the amazing man that they are supposed to be, and it would be wrong of me to not call them out when I think they are making a bad turn, because some off ramps do not go to that good destination, they lead off into the wilderness where life will be tough, and they cannot grow into the awesome, strong and amazing man that I see in them. I'll ask them if they saw a suitcase of money on the side of the road, if they would keep going, or stop and pick it up, of course they would stop and pick it up.... I tell them that they are far too valuable to leave on the side of the road.

Every boy wants to be a strong and impressive man when he grows up. I want that for them too, they deserve it, and our society deserves it, and the time to train them to be that person is right now. The hormones and brain chemistry that started to effect them at the end of 4th grade will be their constant companion into their 20s, so they need to get a grip on who they want to be, who they really are and teachers are the 2nd most influential people in their lives, and often when they share this conversation with their parents/guardians its not hard to get them on board too. (parents love to hear how little Johnny is an awesome kid with potential, here's how to steer that energy into that destination...)

I know its the end of the year, and a little late to effect them too much, but you can flavor their summer with a group talk if nothing else. Start off the next school year with your boys in this manner, and I bet you will see different boys all year. If you tell them how awesome they are in your eyes, they will rise to that level for you in some form.

[whd507]

Eye contact, and obviously a sincere demeanor is important for this talk. they often will not want to look you in the eyes, you may have to lift their chin up with your finger gently to make them look you in the eyes, but its important that they see your love and concern, even if you don't see it back.

The whole world outside is telling them that they are less than perfect, the media, peers, music, etc. So be the one person in their lives that says that's a lie. It will stick with them. Tell them they are getting a 60% even though they deserve much less, and you both know it. That will have more and longer lasting impact than simply a grade.