Effort and achievement grades

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zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Effort and achievement grades

Post by zorro »

Hi everyone.
Can the teachers amongst us explain how it's possible for a child to get A for achievement and 3 (satisfactory) on a scale of 1-5 for effort? Surely they can't get better than an A even if they got a 1 for effort? I am a bit puzzled by this ! :? Does it just mean that they need to put in more effort regardless of the A and would a teacher perceive the child to be 'coasting'?
Any views welcome!
wonderwoman
Posts: 511
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 pm

Post by wonderwoman »

Hi Zorro
It is often to do with attitude and behaviour in lessons. For example both schools my DC attend spell out clearly what's expected for effort grades. 1 - organised, active learner, asks and answers questions in class, work always neatly presented and on time etc. 5 - disruptive, poor learner, work brief or incomplete, does not contribute during lessons etc.

It is possible to achieve an A / A* attainment but lower effort level. Not that a higher grade can be achieved but because their presentation, behaviour etc could improve. I always tell my children I'm more pleased with high effort grades, for example C 1 in subjects they find hard, not pleased with A 4 for subject they find easy, but choose to mess about in.

Hope this helps.
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

That is exactly what I said to my DS who was upset that I didn't think he'd done well with all A's except one B and 4 3's for effort.
He does get good prep grades so I think it's probably the old chestnut of behaviour!! :roll: :roll: :roll:
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

were you reading master yoyo's reports??
zee
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Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:43 am

Post by zee »

A bright child can easily (and logically) get high marks for achievement but lower ones for effort. However, if it happens, it's surely a symptom of the child being given work that is too easy for them.

What I find odder is when the converse occurs over time, i.e. their achievement falls but they get a higher score for effort.

Whilst I agree with the principle of praising DC primarily for effort, and secondarily for achievement, the strange scoring of some schools can make that rather impractical.
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

Dear mods,
Can you please move all this to the Everything Else section of the forum?
Many thanks!
Zorro
andyb
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

DS got high grades for achievement and poor ones for effort all through primary school. My view was - if he can achieve maximum reward for minimum effort then something's not right. I think this has become blatently obvious to him now he's started grammar school - just enough effort is now not achieving the required standard and he has been asked to re-do work on more than one occassion because it is just not up to scratch. This is a lesson he needs to learn but I would have preferred it to have been last year (Y6) rather than this year because it is quite demoralising to suddenly discover what you thought was good work isn't :cry: .
kegsteacher
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:12 am
Location: Chelmsford

Post by kegsteacher »

A3 can mean many things: they have flown through every test but their homework has been patchy or non-existent, they are talented (in a skills based subject) but disruptive, they can do everything that others are expected to do quickly but will not even attempt extension work or different work, a '3' for effort may bring them to the attention of the year head because of behaviour issues.

I never give them myself for the reason that Grammar school boys love them - it means success without effort, the avowed aim of almost every boy I have ever taught!

You probably need some explanation of what the grade means. Ring/email the teacher concerned for clarification.
zorro
Posts: 2076
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Barnet, Herts

Post by zorro »

Thanks! As he has got good grades for homework too I don't think it was that. The A3's were for Maths (his best subject) and Chemistry which he has got all A's for in exams and grades.
We have parent's evening in 2 week's time so will ask then. For Chemistry it could be mucking around as he has been told about that in the past. :roll:
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