Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1902 — Faulty Grading in Our Public Schools [ARTICLE]

Faulty Grading in Our Public Schools

By William J. Shearer.

r••••■! HAT the marked differences in children, in classes, and in w ___ teachers are not properly provided for, either in the amount • ’'l"’ a and character of the work required, or in the time to be spent ( * A * upon the work, is readily seen when we consider the usual JM method of grading and promoting. The course of study for the graded school is divided arbitrarily into a number of generally a year apart, and the work for each grade is laid out for the bright, the slow, or the average. Many schools grade the work for the bright. In this case all the rest are dragged over far more work than they can understand. Therefore, many soon • become discouraged and drop out of school. Though not generally acknowledged, yet, in reality, the courses of study In ,most schools are graded for the slower pupils. This is certainly an injustice to the large majority of pupils who can and should go forward more rapidly. Not only is the progress of all kept down to the pace of the slower ones, but (Worse than this, the majority of the pupils are drilled into habits of inattention land idlehess. So long has this continued that many teachers have come to bejlleve that pupils do not differ materially in their ability to cover the course. However, there are thousands of earnest teachers who realize the great injury •done to the pupils by such a method of stifling talent. But by far the largest number of schools are supposed to be graded for the “average pupil.” At first sight this looks reasonable. But, in truth, can anyi thing be more absurd than the idea of neglecting the ever-present individual [pupil of flesh and blood, of soul and life and Infinite possibilities, In the attempt [to reach all* by shaping the work for the mythical “average pupil?” ' • • - -W l.w' . OfcMliM&ifc.. ' f _ ».,V ...