So, I failed my English Midterm
Thu Dec 02, 2004 7:02 am
My english teacher sucks and can't teach us how to write an essay at all. Our class average for the midterm was 51%. I got 49%
grrness, she could've at least put my mark up one.
grrness, she could've at least put my mark up one.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:45 am
Bleh, that sucks. We got a really crap French teacher. I'm guesing the class average will be around 30%. I'm hoping to at least get 15% (I really really suck at French).
Heheh, maybe if you beg nicely she can can notch up your mark a bit
Heheh, maybe if you beg nicely she can can notch up your mark a bit
Thu Dec 02, 2004 9:09 am
I was never much good at english either, then again, the entire english department at my school was really bad. One of my teachers even said one day that she refused to give A's (what's the point in having them then?). When you look at an average of like 45-55% you often wonder if there is something wrong with the teaching or marking! If there really is something wrong with the way your teacher is teaching or marking something may be done and consideration may be given, I suppose its just a matter of waiting and seeing.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:37 am
English is very difficult sometimes, but I think it's really based on the teacher, specially when it comes to MLA formats. My Economics teacher want everything justified, but my English teacher doesn't. my Law teacher doesn't want my info on the top of the page, but rather on the front of the first page. I suppose one can sort of see the advantage in having teachers always wanting different things, but when they all say: "This is what you'll *always* be doing in two years time." and they're all doing it differently, it can be a hassle.
Essays especially. Goodluck and be happy that you have a half term left to bring it up. =)
Essays especially. Goodluck and be happy that you have a half term left to bring it up. =)
Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:46 pm
You know, if the teacher didn't teach it perfectly, it really was your own job to study and learn it right. You can't really blame a teacher for your bad grade. As one of my teachers once said, "I don't give out grades. You earn them." Just saying.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:49 pm
Dawn2 wrote:You know, if the teacher didn't teach it perfectly, it really was your own job to study and learn it right. You can't really blame a teacher for your bad grade. As one of my teachers once said, "I don't give out grades. You earn them." Just saying.
This isn't always true. If you have a bad teacher, or a teacher that makes tests confusing, it really is extremely hard to pass the class. Yes, you can study and everything else, but it doesn't mean you're going to pass the class. This is one lesson I've learned while here in college. And unfortunately with English it's even worse. Many times your grade is based souly on their opinion of your writing.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:29 pm
Dawn2 wrote:You know, if the teacher didn't teach it perfectly, it really was your own job to study and learn it right. You can't really blame a teacher for your bad grade. As one of my teachers once said, "I don't give out grades. You earn them." Just saying.
You can't really study for an essay on a topic you don't know.
But I read my grammer books, my puncuation books. I was ready. And then we get Blue Against White, which everyone says is the most confusing story ever.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:54 pm
Yeah, the problem with English is how very subjective it is. I'm fairly good at the subject, but we just had a test, and nearly all of the multiple choice/true-or-false questions were so ambiguous that you could argue for multiple answers. If I get those wrong, I'm going to write a paper explaining why I'm right. Seriously. :/
Also, if teachers grade essays harshly, and that's most of the grade, it's a bad thing.
Just remember this - if that's the average grade, unless you go to the worst school in the world, it's probably predominantly the teacher's fault. Yeah, you earn grades to some extent, but it's always on the teacher's curve.
You can try to complain to an administrator, but I guess that could backfire if it gets back to your teacher you complained.
*hugs* Good luck!
Also, if teachers grade essays harshly, and that's most of the grade, it's a bad thing.
Just remember this - if that's the average grade, unless you go to the worst school in the world, it's probably predominantly the teacher's fault. Yeah, you earn grades to some extent, but it's always on the teacher's curve.
You can try to complain to an administrator, but I guess that could backfire if it gets back to your teacher you complained.
*hugs* Good luck!
Last edited by Starchaser on Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:57 pm
Starchaser wrote:Yeah, the problem with English is how very subjective it is. I'm fairly good at the subject, but we just had a test, and nearly all of the multiple choice/true-or-false questions were so ambiguous that you could argue for multiple answers. If I get those wrong, I'm going to write a paper explaining why I'm right. Seriously. :/
That's why all the MCs now say choose the <i>best</i> answer, not the <i>correct</i> answer. =P
Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:29 pm
I once had a college professor who said that any test with a mean less than 65 is evidence that the class's teacher is a moron.
I also had a professor who, when I went to his office to talk about a test that I did poorly on (I got a 47, average grade was 42), outright said, "I just didn't think that your class would be that stupid."
The first professor was certainly right about the second.
I also had a professor who, when I went to his office to talk about a test that I did poorly on (I got a 47, average grade was 42), outright said, "I just didn't think that your class would be that stupid."
The first professor was certainly right about the second.