There was a great article in the Boston Globe Magazine last weekend titled "Doesn't Anybody Get a C Anymore". (Click on the link to read it) Ironically this article reminded me of my own high school experience. While I had many great teachers, the one that made the greatest impact was my high school English teacher during my freshman year. Despite the fact that I ended up with a C, the foundation was set for future success. I even ended up majoring in English in college and working as a writer for a local newspaper after graduation. How could a guy with a C on his transcript accomplish such things?

Unfortunately, it sometimes seems that our current times and the pressure of getting accepted to a certain college have made people more concerned about grades and less concerned about the quality of the experience in the classroom. As a parent, I want to know how my child is performing in regards to course standards or benchmarks. Where did he start the course and how has he grown during the year? The grades are certainly on the report card, but are they what is most important?
Grades can mean different things from different teachers....Certain teachers hand out A's while others make you work for them...It has more to do with the teacher's standards (high or low) than the students ability to earn a grade.
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