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| Yes | 84% | 207 votes | Total: 247 votes | |
| No | 16% | 40 votes |
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Add to FavoritesThis week I asked many students why a student makes failing grades. Their answers were much the same, and none of them placed the responsibility upon anyone other than the student himself, except where shared responsibility was indicated. This tells me that, when put to the test, students know they are responsible. One little added note here, all of these students answered about their own failures, not the failures of others.
If students will recognize that they do play the most significant role in their grades, and successes or failures in general, why is it that educational professionals cannot recognize it? When a student fails, no matter who the system says is to blame, the student inwardly sees himself as the one who really could have made a difference. We teach them not to take that responsibility by placing it on the teacher or administration, or the whole education system.
When asked, students said that their failures were due to lack of motivation, lack of interest, higher priorities in friendship or media, they don't listen or pay attention, or they don't take the time to study. Most of them would agree that they could and should do better, but they are just not required to do so. They think no one really cared about them anyway.
We all know that parents must help, encourage, and expect the very best from the students, however many are just not there for their children in the educational process. This does not in any way take the weight off of the shoulders of the students. It only means that, when they are willing to handle that weight, they become stronger. Sometime teachers just have no time to help individual students, and this can be a means of hindering the progress that students could make. However, the student still has tutoring, and even the Library to go to for help. He can ask other teachers. He knows that he will get bad grades if he does nothing. When we take that responsibility away from him, he freely gives it up.
There are some subjects that are boring. There are some teachers who are boring. This is not an added excuse for the student to fail. What happens is that if the student is allowed to have and use excuses, he will use whatever excuses he can come up with. "Teens are so easily deceived because they cannot see danger in making life easier at any costs." They see no harm in excuses, and it becomes a way of blaming others.
When we look at the list of excuses, and then ask the question, "who can make adjustments that will improve the grades?" We will realize that the greatest improvement will take place when the student makes the necessary adjustments. Of course teachers and parents can adjust as well, but it is when the student changes that the grades will improve.
Once it is finally determined that the students are indeed holders of the responsibility for their part of the educational process, and once they are officially being held responsible, we will return to the days when students will develop pride in the educational institution that has given them the opportunity to change their lives. Once they have shouldered their duty as students, they will participate with enthusiasm and pride in the extra curricular activities of the school. Not only that, they will find themselves desiring to represent the school. Currently in many school systems, students are in these activities for themselves to some degree. They want recognition and awards. They need to see success somewhere, and in these activities they are able to do so. When they begin to take pride in their grades and accomplishments because they are the ones working to accomplish them, they will recognize and represent the teachers, staff, and the school as they compete in school related activities. They will be thankful to these wonderful pwoplw who have contributed to their life's successes.
Everyone wins. Finally the pressures that teachers have, due to being held responsible for student failures will fade, and they will be able to concentrate more on encouraging, motivating them, and watching them come alive within themselves.
The Educational system's priorities will change from grades, to growing adults who will be able to succeed in life because they want to, and because they believe they can.
Currently, students are not being held responsible for their own failures. They know it, and they will certainly not volunteer to take on that burden as long as someone else does. Lets get back to teaching students and not subjects. Lets raise the banner, hold it high, and cause these students to have to reach and stretch their mental muscles. In doing that we will find out that their social and emotional and physical strengths will also improve.
Learn more about this author, Ernest Smartt.
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No
I do not think students should be held accountable for a failing grade. Individual students make up a classroom. If most of the class cannot comprehend the material that is being taught, then the fault lies with the teacher.
A good teacher has to be willing to try different ways to stimulate the brains of the students. There are a lot of lazy teachers out here that do not want to work. Their main concern is the money.
Teachers have lapse in their responsibilities as role models. Some dress so shabby like students. Some try to relate to students by acting like students. Some lose their respect by having affairs with students. Some teachers do not teach well at all. Even their own pets will have a hard time trying to understand them.
Students go to school to learn what is required of them as citizens. This is important if we are going to have a sane and prosperous society. We cannot breed students as enemies of their own country.
There have been so many students that have dropped out of school because they felt they were not needed. They knew something was wrong but they did not know who to blame.
I believe that most students are willing to learn if given a chance. Yes, some of them do have problems at home. They might have to take on a lot of the responsibilities. School should be a solace for them and not an addition to their problems.
There is so much importance placed on grades that students only worry about their grades instead of feeling comfortable with learning. Grades are not all that important. What should be important is learning the material. I have seen some students get A's on every exam but still cannot understand the material.
I think we need to get rid of this grading system in this country and let students feel comfortable about learning. There is a reason or reasons why students do not do well. Teachers can try to find out.
How a teacher handles a class from the beginning can determine the success rate of the students. Teachers should notice the way each student is dressed and how they present themselves when asked a simple question. Body language, the number of males to females in the classroom, who sits in the front and who sits in the back of the classroom all determine the percentage of students who will do well.
A good teacher will give exams every week so that the students do not have to be afraid of what is required of them. The teacher can see who is not doing well in class and address the issue to the student. The teacher can offer solutions in the beginning and not wait near the end of the semester to try to fix the problem.
A student should not fail unless they come into a classroom and tell the teacher they want to fail. Failure should not be an option.
Learn more about this author, Beatrice Okorie.
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