John's+Page

1. Write a paragraph summarizing how this issue takes shape in your own practice.
The issue that I will be posting on, is the issue of retakes. In my classroom, if a student get below a 70% on tests, they are able to take a retake to earn up to a 70 within a week of getting the test back. This is for tests only. I do this so if a student does really bad on a test, they have the opportunity to earn some points back. They can only get a 70 because, I don’t think it’s fair to give them an extra week of study when all their classmates only had the normal study time. I also give pre-tests 2 days before a test so the students know exactly what to expect on the actual test. I feel with that time, students have the opportunity to try the test and get extra help if needed. I only give them a week for the retake. Last year a didn’t have a time limit and a was bombarded the last week of the quarter. A retake will never lower a grade.

2.Research both sides of the debates about your issue.Keep a Works Cited page to post as a Resource List.
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3. In paragraph or using a table or graphic organizer, present the major positions on both sides of your issue.
Pros Cons mastery
 * Encourages improvement * Devalues grades
 * Offers students a chance to achieve * Students don’t work their hardest
 * One test will not ruin the students average * Grade grubbing
 * Sometimes life gives you second chances * Sets students up for failure when opportunities are not there
 * Not fair

==== 4. Write a position statement (~one page) that agrees or disagrees with each point on each side of your organizer.In the conclusion, include your position after researching this issue.Reflect on possible implications in your classroom. ==== This is a little weird because, logically I would probably disagree with retakes but I offer them anyhow. Overall I try to compromise and I think I’m kind of in the middle but I do offer them. I’ll start with the cons. Devalues the grades. I believe that to offer retakes for full credit would devalue the grade. This is why I only give up to 70 percent. Even still, deadlines are a fact of life. I don’t want to foster the notion that there will always be a second chance. Students don’t work their hardest. I’ve seen this in the past so I have to agree with it. I think though, giving them only up to 70 helps a little with this. If they won’t a grade in the A or B range they have to try their best the first time around. Grade Grubbing. I disagree with this one, at least in my own experiences. I have never heard from a parent or student, that I should offer a retake for anything higher. I’ve heard look for extra credit, but that is independent from retakes. Set the students up for failure when the opportunity is not there. I agree with this point. I think that the students should be held to a higher level of accountability. However, second chances do come around in life. I give a deadline on retakes. Not fair. I disagree with this one. I don’t let retakes earn more points than students not eligible for the retakes themselves.

The pros for retakes

Encourages improvement. I agree with this one. It does encourage improvement. Note: encourage definitely does not mean guarantee. If a student doesn’t take the pretest seriously enough and bombs a test, that’s usually a pretty big wake-up call and improvement often follows. Offers a chance to achieve mastery. I agree with this one. The student has the chance to reach a higher understanding on a concept, but we’ve moved on to a different unit and they don’t get a higher than a 70 in my class on retakes. Allows students to not let one grade ruin the quarter. I agree. Sometimes there is more than one per quarter. My retakes are ideally for the student where a grade below is an anomaly. I have students who are excited about a grade higher than a 60 and I couldn’t drag them to a retake for 10 more points. Sometimes live gives us second chances. I agree with this one. I also know that many times in life, you have to get it right the first time. This is another reason I only allow for 70 percent on the retake. The implications in my classroom are as follows. I’m very in the middle on this issue. I believe that I have a nice compromise between the 2 sides. As with many many issues in life, I think polar views are usually wrong. Maybe it’s the middle child in me, but I’m a diplomatic compromising machine, and my classroom is no exception. I just expect it to be a 2 way street. The student has many opportunities to succeed, but not an infinite number of chances. Retakes with conditions. That’s my policy.