I've seen similar numbers in some of Master's classes, I don't really understand how a class can be considered successfully taught if the average grade is failing. Do they expect to weed out that many people, or is it possible that the material is not being taught well enough?
I once had a chemistry teacher who.. well he and I didn't get along. However when nearly everyone failed one of his tests, and the highest grades were Cs, he admitted he must have messed up and retaught the chapter.
I really don't know what happened there, other than there was no curve. To me, it wasn't that difficult or strenuous of a class, and the participation and attendance seemed pretty good overall, and everyone seemed to know enough to answer questions in class.
My theory is either people really bombed the tests (possible...they were pretty hard) or just didn't do the homework (pretty likely, actually). It didn't feel like the teacher screwed up, personally. I was hoping to have her for 102 next quarter, in fact.
On the other hand, I totally agree with you in principle. In fact, when I was going out on teaching observations, my presentation to my teaching class at the end was all about how if half of the kids in the class were failing (these were 6th graders), then it was the teacher that was failing.
Comments 3
Reply
I once had a chemistry teacher who.. well he and I didn't get along. However when nearly everyone failed one of his tests, and the highest grades were Cs, he admitted he must have messed up and retaught the chapter.
Reply
My theory is either people really bombed the tests (possible...they were pretty hard) or just didn't do the homework (pretty likely, actually). It didn't feel like the teacher screwed up, personally. I was hoping to have her for 102 next quarter, in fact.
On the other hand, I totally agree with you in principle. In fact, when I was going out on teaching observations, my presentation to my teaching class at the end was all about how if half of the kids in the class were failing (these were 6th graders), then it was the teacher that was failing.
Reply
Leave a comment