holistic BS

This whole chapter makes me want to drop out of school and become a vagabond. Teaching English is hard work. Assessing and evaluating papers just seems impossible. I feel completely baffled by the many different approaches to grading students’ papers. Many of the ideas seem cute and ideological. Yet, I highly doubt that they would realistically work.

As a side note, I do not think that the SAT and other standardized tests are predictable measures. Yes, there will always be those genius students who obtain perfect scores on the tests and there will be students who can barely answer any questions correctly. These two types of students are predictable. However, every student in between the two categories cannot have one’s level of skill predicted from some dumb test. There are so many different types of learners out there. This test is structured for the learners that feel comfortable with and perform well on tests. I always performed better on the math section of the SAT and other such tests than the verbal section. Yet, I was always a much better writer than a geometrical proof solver. I consistently received A grades in my English college classes, whereas I received Bs in the two college math classes I was required to take. I realize that letter grades are not the point, but my SAT scores did not accurately predict my college performance. Are the math questions easier than the verbal ones on tests like this? Is math easier to assess? Is math easier to teach? Do schools across the country have better math teachers than English teachers?

I want to address my feelings about holistic scoring. I am a big fan of holistic medicinal, healing and nutritional practices. Yet, I think holistic scoring sucks. I hate about 80% of idea. I can see how students grading other students’ papers can teach them a lot about writing. This is the only positive thing that could come from this method. I feel as though it could be a good activity to practice in the class. Yet, I do not think that students should grade other students’ papers. What qualifies them for this position? There are so many factors that leave room for error. Even though the papers will be anonymous, there are ways for students to realize which papers are written by friends or students that they dislike. I would use an assessment/evaluation technique like this for only a handful of topics including creative writing pieces and in class assignments. Yet, I would monitor the process carefully and would look over the evaluations before I give the students their final grades. In this sense, the process would take longer than if I graded the papers by myself. I feel as though it should be the teacher’s job to grade more intensive assignments. It is unreasonable to expect students to grade research papers and analytical essays. This is a hard enough task for teachers who have had many years of post-secondary education.

I think I feel passionately about this subject because I took a college class in the past where the teacher left most of the class’ responsibility up to the students. I did not have positive experiences with it. The students were responsible for grading each other’s work. In many ways, it did not seem as though the teacher had any say in the grading process. I was pissed. The class was pointless for me and I did not grow as a student. The teacher came across as lazy and unmotivated. In that sense, I became lazy and unmotivated as well. The teacher knew nothing about my style or vision as a writer or a person. In many ways, I felt like I was invisible in this class and I felt cheated. Overall, I feel as though teachers should have the well being of their students in mind at all times. Finding a time efficient way to grade papers by using students to do the job of the teacher is not always a positive measure for the students.