This school year has been a tough one for me. More than ever before I have parents who believe they need to be in contact with me nearly every day. This is far more parent contact than I really want because it takes time to respond to these people and it's cutting into my planning time. Why are they calling, you ask? Oh, their student isn't getting an A in my class. They're not failing. They're not getting a D. Most of them aren't even getting C's. They're getting B's and that is simply unacceptable.
Haven't you heard? The A is the new C.
My classes are designed around the average student being able to obtain a grade of C. Isn't that what a C is? D is below average, F is far below average. A's and B's are above average and C is average. There is nothing wrong with being average, in fact, most of us are average...hence the term...average. By wanting to push A's into a commonplace occurrence for the average student, we are saying that everyone is over-achieving. If everyone is over-achieving in a class, wouldn't you think the class is too easy?
Is it really that awful that I challenge your student?
Is it really so bad that they have to work hard?
Is it really so awful that they feel a sense of accomplishment for getting a B instead feeling bored while they get an A?
I understand parents love their children and want them to do well, but making sure they never struggle is setting them up for failure in the real world. Seeing to it they receive the highest marks for any work they do is giving them an unrealistic view of how things work. It makes them lazy and complacent.
Receiving a grade of C means your student has done average work. Receiving a grade of B is an honor. Receiving an A means your student has performed at an exceptional level. Think about those things as you stew over their grades.
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