Grades for Effort or Achievement?

The New York Times recently had an article about college kids complaining about grades. (Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes, 2/18/09). One professor said, "Students often confuse the level of effort with the quality of work. There is a mentality in students that ‘if I work hard, I deserve a high grade.’" Another professor said, “I think that it stems from their K-12 experiences. They have become ultra-efficient in test preparation. And this hyper-efficiency has led them to look for a magic formula to get high scores.”

Some of the subsequent letters to the editor to the Times reinforced the discrepency. Students who wrote in felt that effort is what grades should signify. Professors or deans felt grades were for achievement.

Hmmm...interesting. I wonder what students, parents and teachers feel here in Ridgewood?