Ahmed Afzaal's Article 'Grading And Its Discontents'
Rhetoric & Composition 1
Fall 2016
Word Count: XX
Learning Is its Own Reward
In college, students tend to just do the work, get better grades, and then graduate. As a teacher, Ahmed Afzaal, was interested in the level of academic excellence his students have personally achieved. He wrote an article called, “Grading and Its Discontents,” about these concerns. He wants the reader to understand that grading is a tool, not a weapon. Grades aren’t meant to say what you do or define who you are as a person. He points out the most common misunderstanding that students have in the process of grading. Students do not have the right to a 100 and the time, effort, and progress does not influence how a professor grades. A student with excellent …show more content…
He came to the conclusion that, “most students bring with them an unhealthy attitude toward grading that has been instilled in them by parents and schoolteachers, an attitude based on the flawed assumption that grades are supposed to function as "carrots and sticks" Consequently, it's not enough for me to simply convey the mechanics of my grading policy; I must also ensure that students acquire a more accurate conception of grading,” (Afzaal). Grading is a tool like any other. It is designed to use for a specific task or function. It is important that a student understands that they can either maintain whatever grade they have or they could make adjustments according to their desire. The author wrote this paper with the purpose to transform the way students look at their …show more content…
The author believes that grading doesn’t reflect a student's effort. “A student using ineffective methods of study would have to work a lot harder and a lot longer than a student who is using effective methods.” Effective study habits consist of a studying in a place with no distractions and focusing on one assignment at a time. Multitasking can actually be slower than working on one thing at a time. When trying to focus the prefrontal cortex is ignited in the brain. This part expands to both the left and right side of the brain. When working on a single task, both sides work together. When trying to multitask, the sides divide to focus one aside on each of the tasks. It is not physically possible for a brain to have all it’s focus on multiple tasks. The best thing to do is to sit down and complete the tasks one at a time to achieve optimal academic performance. Distractions are another huge problem to a lower grade. These days, because of technology, we are constantly distracted by everything around us. There is Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, texting, and more. Even attempting to study with a friend could cause a distraction. A student that is multitasking or surrounding themselves with distractions could take twice as long and get a lower grade than a student with effective study habits. “Some students must invest
Fall 2016
Word Count: XX
Learning Is its Own Reward
In college, students tend to just do the work, get better grades, and then graduate. As a teacher, Ahmed Afzaal, was interested in the level of academic excellence his students have personally achieved. He wrote an article called, “Grading and Its Discontents,” about these concerns. He wants the reader to understand that grading is a tool, not a weapon. Grades aren’t meant to say what you do or define who you are as a person. He points out the most common misunderstanding that students have in the process of grading. Students do not have the right to a 100 and the time, effort, and progress does not influence how a professor grades. A student with excellent …show more content…
He came to the conclusion that, “most students bring with them an unhealthy attitude toward grading that has been instilled in them by parents and schoolteachers, an attitude based on the flawed assumption that grades are supposed to function as "carrots and sticks" Consequently, it's not enough for me to simply convey the mechanics of my grading policy; I must also ensure that students acquire a more accurate conception of grading,” (Afzaal). Grading is a tool like any other. It is designed to use for a specific task or function. It is important that a student understands that they can either maintain whatever grade they have or they could make adjustments according to their desire. The author wrote this paper with the purpose to transform the way students look at their …show more content…
The author believes that grading doesn’t reflect a student's effort. “A student using ineffective methods of study would have to work a lot harder and a lot longer than a student who is using effective methods.” Effective study habits consist of a studying in a place with no distractions and focusing on one assignment at a time. Multitasking can actually be slower than working on one thing at a time. When trying to focus the prefrontal cortex is ignited in the brain. This part expands to both the left and right side of the brain. When working on a single task, both sides work together. When trying to multitask, the sides divide to focus one aside on each of the tasks. It is not physically possible for a brain to have all it’s focus on multiple tasks. The best thing to do is to sit down and complete the tasks one at a time to achieve optimal academic performance. Distractions are another huge problem to a lower grade. These days, because of technology, we are constantly distracted by everything around us. There is Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, texting, and more. Even attempting to study with a friend could cause a distraction. A student that is multitasking or surrounding themselves with distractions could take twice as long and get a lower grade than a student with effective study habits. “Some students must invest