Feel Good Grades: "The Curve"

[Samson]

So you do NOT think making students feel good is a good idea?

Now, now, that is not what I said. It depends on, as a famous Democrat once said, 'what the meaning of the word is is." Does feel good mean giving an A when the work is D? Does it mean saying, 'well, at least you did your best...'?
Nonsense.
State attainable goals, teach well, and test fully. The grade is the 'feel good' goal.
Further, publish the student grades, and publish the grades associated with the teacher as well.
If the same teacher constantly has failing student, the message will be clear.

In my experience, this is all well-and-good, in theory.

In practice, this recipe of "Stated Attainable Goals, Teaching Well, and Testing Fully" is frought with "grey area," even given the simplest "goal" where you'd think it would work.

Take the simplest task: 2 + 2 = ? Give this ONE question to a class of Thirty 6th graders.

How many will fail to get the correct answer because they rushed and read 2 + 3?

How many just didn't feel like taking your stupid test, and wrote "Fuck You" at the top of the test?

How many just forgot to put their name on the completed test?

How many fell asleep during the test, and refused to wake up?

How many have simply forgotten what you taught, and believe 2 + 2 = 5?

How many were on drugs during the test, and answered 2 + 2 = pink unicorns?

 

[xsited1]

I make my kids feel good by giving them money for good grades. If they get bad grades, they have to pay me.

 

[random3434]

Some kids are so over tested they just don't care. They will fill in any circle from A-D, some even make designs with the bubble tests for fun, because they just don't give a $hit.

Is that their fault, their parents fault, or the teachers fault?

 

[Samson]

Some kids are so over tested they just don't care. They will fill in any circle from A-D, some even make designs with the bubble tests for fun, because they just don't give a $hit.

Is that their fault, their parents fault, or the teachers fault?

Yep, just get'r done so they'll have more time to sleep: Been There, Done That.

But really, what I'm wondering is if the "Curve" is a Good Thing to use to compensate for these students.

For example, lets say we've just spent THREE WEEKS practicing 2 + 2 =

Out of our hypothetical class, one student does each of our hypothetical "Routes to Failure"

We just added another route, but lets say these guys were as apathetic as those that didn't even bother to try to bubble anything in: so 6/30 fail the test = 20%

Does the Teacher Reteach?

Or does he/she just give the 20% that certainly deserve nothing, a grade of 50%, hoping to keep their average afloat enough so they might be interested/awake/clean during the NEXT TEST?