I've been in education for 25 years. I'm surprised parents haven't challenged teachers on the way they grade students. I give students F's on assignments they don't complete. An F is an F. On the other hand, giving 0's means you are technically deducting points from their other assignments as well. I find this infuriating. A few teachers I spoken to have adopted my system since learning of the punitive nature of giving 0's. Most refuse to change their policies. They think it motivates kids. It DOESN'T. Not at all.

@ElusiveMoby being a high school dropout for this very reason. I commend you on protecting your students from archaic grading practices.

@Biosteelman Teachers with punitive grading systems produce students who see no way of catching up and quit. Quit trying or drop out completely

This is exactly how the system worked when I was in school 25 years ago. Not completing an assignment meant a zero and it really motivated me to finish and turn in all assignments.

@indirect76 I'm glad it motivated you. It doesn't motivate all kids, especially when late work is not allowed by some teachers. Artificial, punitive grading should never be used as a motivater. I've seen 9th graders get behind on grades at the beginning of the school year. By late September the possibility of catching up means working your ass off for a D at that point. Most kids won't do it.

@ElusiveMoby I definitely see where you’re coming from here. I understand this could this could be demotivating to some. Though I don’t see it as artificial or punitive. In middle school and my first year of high school I wasn’t a very good student. I was caught up in the exact thing you are describing. I just never saw it as something other than a failing on my part. A student needs to do the work to pass.

Perhaps the best solution is to always allow the work to be completed and turned in, but with penalty.

@indirect76 I'll just say that the grade of 0 lowers the other scores a student has turned in. I've studied this carefully as a teacher and done the math. A student can have 4 A grades and miss one assignment. Their grade becomes a D.

@ElusiveMoby Perhaps we won’t see eye to eye on this. If a student only turns in 3 of every 4 assignments, I think a D is appropriate. Given your experience in the trenches with this, I would guess you’re right. Though I remain unconvinced, if that makes any sense. LOL, this is why I don’t vote. I’m not an expert on much.

@indirect76 I appreciate conversing with you, despite our disagreement.

What grade other than a zero can possibly be earned by an assignment that isn't turned in? Getting a grade equivalent to the work put in is what they earned.

@PhoebeCat Lets look at it this way. A student received exemplary credit credit on two assignments . . . 100/100 and 95/100. The third assignment is missing. It doesn't matter why. The grade is an F. What overall grade would you give them?

It sure does seem that way.