This Is My Struggle - Tumblr Posts
On the one hand, this was stunning and I’m hugging this affirmation to my metaphorical chest. On the other...this assumes that the major concern, for the kid struggling to turn in an assignment, is the grade. I can assure you that it’s not (or not for many of us).
The smartest kids who still don’t seem to comprehend that 60% will help you not fail? They know that. They are not scared of a bad grade, or not only of that. They’re scared of disappointing their professor and of the threat that they might not really be all that smart. A bad grade earned because of a late assignment isn’t as threatening as a bad grade earned by a bad paper. One is about their behavior, which theoretically can change; the other seems to be an indictment of their capabilities, which are less fluid. (This is flawed logic, because turning in assignments consistently late would indicate a deficit in life skills, but it’s hard to see that when you’re in the weeds.)
I once turned in a paper so late it got me a C+ for the whole class - my only C ever - but I didn’t mind so much, because <i>at least my professor still thought I had good ideas in my paper</i>. At least my paper was honest and well researched.
So unfortunately, this inspiring post wouldn’t have really helped me, when I was stuck in that mentality. It wouldn’t have mattered if my prof had explained to me that I could bump up to a B- in the class if I turned it in two days earlier but 5 points worse. I was completely willing to sacrifice the grade for his good opinion of my scholarship, and for my own intellectual curiosity and pride in the assignment.
What might have helped is if he or someone else had sat me down and said “featherofeeling, I’ve seen the work you’ve done in other assignments, and I know you’re a good writer and capable of research. What I need from you now is to demonstrate that you can fulfill requirements, including sacrificing quality for timeliness if necessary. I probably won’t remember these topics in 6 months anyway, but I’ll remember your presence in my class.”
Certainly no one was obligated to tell me that, and no one really did; but if someone had wanted to help, it’s that kind of advice that might have gotten through.
A reminder that turning in assignments for partial credit is better than not turning them in at all. It is. Even if you think you’ve done a bad job and are ashamed of your work, or it’s way overdue, you take whatever you can get. Partial credit dramatically improves your grade over a zero, and I’m always astounded by how often even the smartest kids don’t really comprehend that. 60% is worlds better than 0%. Even 10% is going to help you. Letter grades are misleading and are not created equal. “F"s are mathematically valuable. Turn that late assignment in.