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231 sats \ 16 replies \ @SimpleStacker 20 Dec 2024 \ on: Why do we grade kids at all? #13 BTC teacher in Fiat Madland alter_native
I have the same dilemma. Every teacher has to find the balance they are comfortable with. You are right that one of the suckiest things about teaching is that every incentive just pushes you towards a low-effort approach that makes everyone happy but results in no learning.
Let me tell you what I do and what my philosophy is, and you can let me know what you think. I'd also be interested in hearing from @cryotosensei who is also a teacher.
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Multiple choice tests
- I do use these. I find that it's a necessary balance between the need to assess learning outcomes and my time available to grade. These can test critical thinking skills if you give a tricky problem. However, they are not good at testing communication skills and are prone to guessing/cheating.
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Individual writing assignments
- I do these as well, but I use an AI grading tool that gives them instant feedback regarding grammar, flow, and structure. The good thing about this is by the time their writing gets to me, it is easier to read. Without it, I will get absolutely unreadable essays. This does not violate my conscience because I do not consider it part of my duties to teach them to write. (They should already know how, but many don't.)
- Beyond the grammar and structure which is graded by AI, I give a simplistic rating on the content. Either below/meets/exceeds expectations. Generally, I just look at their writing briefly and ask: "Is there anything obviously wrong about this?", and "Does this make me want to read it more carefully since it looks like there's something interesting here?"
- Again, the need is to balance time with learning. I figure that by making them write and think about it is already a valuable learning experience, whether or not the grade is fully reflective of their competence.
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Group projects
- These are the assignments that really integrate all of a student's skills, including executive function, communication, and analytical ability.
- However, I do not have time to grade individualized projects, so I assign them in groups.
- The downside is a lot of deadbeat students free-ride off the efforts of their better peers.
- The upside is that the good students can really shine on these projects. I've had some great projects where students could showcase their skills.
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Overall philosophy
- In the end, my philosophy is that those who don't want to learn won't, and those that do will.
- In every class, there is a mix of those who want to learn and those who don't.
- For those who don't want to learn, I acknowledge (to myself, not explicitly) that we are just playing a stupid game with each other. I really don't care what happens to these students and what grade they get. They get whatever grade they deserve according to the rules I set. Usually, they do the bare minimum to get the grade they want. I figure that by doing this bare minimum, they hopefully at least learned something that maybe will be useful to them one day in the future.
- For those that want to learn, I want to ensure that my class gives them the opportunity to acquire valuable skills, knowledge, and experience.
A reflection of how my philosophy plays out is the group projects. Yes, it is unfair that the good students do most of the work, but the way I see it is that they are acquiring a valuable experience. The bad students are able to get a decent grade by free-riding off others, but the grade itself is just part of the dumb game, so I don't let it bother me. Usually, they do badly enough in their individual assignments that the good students end up with better grades, despite having the same grades on the group project.
- On cheating
- Honestly, I've never seen cheating to be a big enough problem. Even for things like multiple choice tests, I know cheating is not rampant because the students usually do so poorly on it anyway. I'm sure there are a handful that teach, but on the whole it doesn't seem to be a huge concern in my context.
- This plays out differently if the test is computerized, though. So because of that, all my tests are on paper, not on computer.
Edit:
- Class discussions
- Forgot to mention, I do some class discussions as well. These tend not to be graded in any way.
- However, I think that even for the students who don't care about learning, this is where they might get the most of the class, because this is where we discuss high level concepts and how they apply to the real world in a non-technical manner that is helpful in shaping how the students view the world. This is where we can discuss things like the ill effects of rent control or how zoning regulations cause housing shortages.
- Since the topics deal with issues of current interest, the students are usually more engaged, even the ones who don't seem to care about learning or who aren't technically competent with the rest of the classwork.
Also if you add a LN address on a youtube video description in this format ⚡️cryptosensei@domain.com viewers can esily send you sats with just 1 click if they use Alby extension in their browser.
Notice the blue color of the Alby ext icon. When is blue, it means the page you are visiting it contain a LN adddress that you can zap it with 1 click.
It also change the color in green and yellow.
It's really the same as in english! Same articulations of the same words for the same conceptual result. One of those rare literary 1-to-1 equivalences. We actually use the expression "sea of people" in it's literal translation almost as default, "mar de gente".
Beautiful as always Sensei. It never ceases to impress me that all idioms are so elevated in poetical terms :)
My great question is: why 5 and 6 ? Do the terms have a connotation that makes them more preferred to express "many"? or "diverse"?
Woah thanks for the assignment.
The word "determination" can be broken down as follows:
Prefix: "de-"
Meaning: from, away from, or removal
Root word: "term"
Meaning: boundary, limit, or end point
Suffix: "-ination"
Meaning: process, action, or result
So, "determination" literally means setting boundaries or limits (removing uncertainty), resulting in a firm decision or resolve.
I’m sorry that I asked Meta AI for a quick answer.
- The bakery is right between Hong’s house and Jeya’s house.
- The library is 120 m closer to Jeya from the bakery.
- Hong had to cycle to the bakery and then 120 m more.
- Jeya had to cycle 120 m less than the way to the bakery.
- Hong cycled 2×120 m = 240 m more than Jeya.
- They both arrive at the same time, so Hong cycling
15 \frac{m}{min}
faster enabled her to cycle 240 m more. Per\frac{240 m}{15 \frac{m}{min}} = 16 min
, we learn that Hong and Jeya cycled for 16 minutes. - In 16 minutes, Jeya cycled
16 min × 70 \frac{m}{min} = 1120 m
to the library.
A couple of things I have learned from almost a quarter century of parenting. Of course this is just my opinion:
- Your kids aren't mini versions of you. They have their own personalities and ways of looking at life. Sometimes our own egos don't let us accept this fact.
- All my attempts at "influencing" or constantly trying to mold kids with little messages and speeches mean nothing. Nobody wants to be told how to think, even those little kids you produced.
- Kids don't care what you say. They watch what you do. Actions are all that matter. Speeches mean nothing.
Thanks! I know you’ve been on a reviewing frenzy yourself!
They’re definitely a bit of work though. @21Futures is looking for reviews so I might do Atlas Shrugged next!
Just a reminder on our 21 Futures site relaunch.
I'm looking for reviews on any of the following books:
Cryptonomicon, The Atlas Maneuver, Atlas Shrugged, A Lodging of Wayfaring Men, Cypherpunks (by Julia- Assange), Any fiction by Cory Doctrow.
It doesn't have to be more than 250 words. We'll feature your bio on the site.
Alternatively, submit an interview about your role as a 21 Futures contributor. Why did you submit? What's your author story?
Also looking for blogs or articles on the following:
What is the cypherpunk movement?
Cypherpunk vs Cyberpunk fiction
Sci-fi and money
Why tech people (and bitociners) should read more fiction
Submit your blog, bio, and one link to write@21futures.com
The new site will go live with our next anthology launch.
It is delicious, but I liked going to a small shop in Shizuoka-shi (premed with Shimizu). Japan is really only expensive if you are using resources from the outside. When I landed there, I stayed at the cheapest hostel in Tokyo that I could. I ran out of money within two weeks. I HAD to find work as soon as possible, and I did. From then on, I was living within the economy, which, as you said, was very reasonable. The only time I really had problems was when I had to come up with a huge amount of money. I was going to the local bakeries and buying their pan-mimi for 50yen for a huge bag that would last me for about 20 meals. Yep, ai learned about the bread and water diet real quick, up front and personal. The only respite was when my students felt the need to take me to lunch or dinner.
Unagi anywhere in Shizuoka prefecture is really good. Yaizu, near Shizuoka, is a fishing town that had really excellent unagi. I only ate it once in Hamamatsu and it was good, but I liked Yaizu and Shizuoka product better (I also ate it many more times).
occultare is latin word for hidden, so deoccultare - unhidden. i know it's not in the dicionaries. Shakespeare showed us how to play with words, what a great guy.
if i write unveiling, it sounds too simple, or usually associated with unveiling of something brand new, like a new technology.
unhiding/unhidden sounds silly...
if i write apocalypse (unveiling), people associate that with chaos, which is totally incorrect. unveiling by itself doea nothing. people decide what to about the information unveiled.
occultare is associated with the the dark and evil and satanic, which is also incorrect... but by writing deoccultare it is perhaps implied that i am anti-satanic.