by Carole Ligi

Created on: May 30, 2009

Students should definitely be held accountable for their failing grades. In a discussion with a middle teacher about students and their classroom attitudes the point came across several times that many students simply do not believe they have to put forth the effort. That someone will always fix the problem and they will not be held accountable.

Students' main job is education and all other activities should be secondary. If a student can do his or her class assignments to the best of their ability then outside activities are acceptable and teach them to multi-task which is a way of life with most adults. But if there is more time spent on outside activities and video games and the grades are suffering then changes need to be made and the student needs to accept personal responsibility and consequences.

However, this is also a team effort. It is up to parents to be parents first and friends secondarily. Parents need to be involved in their children's educational process and ensure by communication with the child and the teachers that the work is being completed. Students need to know from their parents that there are consequences to not making their best effort at learning and making the best grades possible.

If there are too many after school activities and the student does not have time to study, then parents need to limit some of the activities so the student can concentrate on their grades. This is not punishment; it is teaching responsibility and priorities. Is the student spending more time on video games than homework? Then that answer should be obvious. Video games can be disconnected until the student learns to prioritize.

There was one student who was always claiming to be sick and missed too many days of school and was failing in all his classes. The parents, for whatever reason, did not want to ensure that the child went to school and did nothing to stop or check into the behavior of why this child did not wan to go to school. Instead of the student being held back a grade then school and parents agreed that the student go to summer school and move ahead with the rest of his class. Instead of learning the consequences of his actions; he continued the same pattern the next school year.

Students need to learn that they are accountable for their grades and actions. If students do not learn early on that they are responsible for their grades then as adults they will not comprehend that there are consequences to not doing the best performance that will be required at their jobs.

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