Preach On Sister Cornelius!

Ms. Cornelius has hit the nail on the head over at A Shrewdness of Apes. Check out her response to a student's asking how he/she could improve their grade. I can't link to the individual post, so look for "How to Improve Your Grade" posted on November 14. I couldn't have said it better myself. The only thing I would add is my own personal irritation when a parent asks this question. Often there is an unsaid implication that I am somehow responsible for getting their kids grade up. Most parents understand that it is the student's responsibility and we can have a productive conversation. However, sometimes a parent's attitude is simply that the you the teacher are clueless and your class is too hard! Knowing what will be expected of the student in the future, I can safely say that my class is not too hard! If anything, it's too lax! If the student doubts this, have them talk with the exchange students who take the class in a foreign language.