Walls/Banneker Grading

[Anonymous]

I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

[Anonymous]

Banneker does not allow it.

[Anonymous]

Banneker doesn't allow students to retake exams. Individual teachers allow resubmission of work. For example, DC can resubmit assignments to one teacher if it's below a B. Another takes resubmissions overall. Math teacher doesn't accept anything late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker doesn't allow students to retake exams. Individual teachers allow resubmission of work. For example, DC can resubmit assignments to one teacher if it's below a B. Another takes resubmissions overall. Math teacher doesn't accept anything late.

I should add that I don't know what the standard is beyond freshman year. Fwiw, DC has to work for their grades unlike the previous year.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader isnt allowed to retake anything at walls.
There has been some flexibility on lateness if there was a submission issue, but she also got a deduction for handing in an assignment late.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the teacher at Walls...some allow retakes/late submissions.

[Anonymous]

Banneker not allowing retakes seems so strange considering it’s an IB school and IB grading is so different from traditional grading. I guess they don’t really do the IB part fidelity?

[Anonymous]

PP: Banneker does implement IB faithfully; however, it is both an IB and an AP school so there are multiple approaches to the testing process. Furthermore, there is not across-the-board ban on retaking tests. I personally have not heard of students there (I have a 9th grader at Banneker, so limited sample) retaking tests or turning it late work-- it's not really the culture of the school. But that does not mean there is some kind of rule in the handbook, and it certainly doesn't mean that the school isn't true to the IB method.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

I used to feel the same way, that this is not how the real world works.

But after seeing it in action, for a kid who is trying to do well, if they get a bad grade and that's it, they just have to move on. Whereas if they can do a retake they have a chance to actually learn the material better.

I do think it's a little unfair if a school doesn't allow retakes of a B grade but then allows someone who first got a D to get an A, thus surpassing the B kid. I understand not wanting to encourage perfectionism or having the teachers have to schedule so many retakes for all the Bs, that could get a little nuts.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a 7th grader who is learning to take ownership of organization and executive function duties. We do not know that kid has missed an assignment until a WS appears in Aspen. If kid were not able to turn these assignments in later, kid would just be screwed. (School is not coaching kid on these skills.) Kid does not have trouble with the actual material, and grades are fine once the assignments actually get turned in. Count me as a vote in favor of a system that lets a 13-year-old figure this out without kneecapping their high school lottery opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

I used to feel the same way, that this is not how the real world works.

But after seeing it in action, for a kid who is trying to do well, if they get a bad grade and that's it, they just have to move on. Whereas if they can do a retake they have a chance to actually learn the material better.

I do think it's a little unfair if a school doesn't allow retakes of a B grade but then allows someone who first got a D to get an A, thus surpassing the B kid. I understand not wanting to encourage perfectionism or having the teachers have to schedule so many retakes for all the Bs, that could get a little nuts.

Don't they usually average the retake with the original? I'm still torn on whether the B student should be allowed if the lower grades can (basically I acknowledge the extra work load on the teacher), but if the grades are averaged it seems unlikely a D would be passing a B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

I used to feel the same way, that this is not how the real world works.

But after seeing it in action, for a kid who is trying to do well, if they get a bad grade and that's it, they just have to move on. Whereas if they can do a retake they have a chance to actually learn the material better.

I do think it's a little unfair if a school doesn't allow retakes of a B grade but then allows someone who first got a D to get an A, thus surpassing the B kid. I understand not wanting to encourage perfectionism or having the teachers have to schedule so many retakes for all the Bs, that could get a little nuts.

Don't they usually average the retake with the original? I'm still torn on whether the B student should be allowed if the lower grades can (basically I acknowledge the extra work load on the teacher), but if the grades are averaged it seems unlikely a D would be passing a B.

Not according to my kid and the friend in the backseat who was complaining about this, but they may be incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

I used to feel the same way, that this is not how the real world works.

But after seeing it in action, for a kid who is trying to do well, if they get a bad grade and that's it, they just have to move on. Whereas if they can do a retake they have a chance to actually learn the material better.

I do think it's a little unfair if a school doesn't allow retakes of a B grade but then allows someone who first got a D to get an A, thus surpassing the B kid. I understand not wanting to encourage perfectionism or having the teachers have to schedule so many retakes for all the Bs, that could get a little nuts.

Don't they usually average the retake with the original? I'm still torn on whether the B student should be allowed if the lower grades can (basically I acknowledge the extra work load on the teacher), but if the grades are averaged it seems unlikely a D would be passing a B.

Yes, they average the grade together. I was really against the late submission process. But teachers lose a ton of stuff so it balances out. Before the electronic grade book, parents didn't really know things were just chaotic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'm a parent of an 8th grader who is applying to Walls and Banneker...I hate what I'm hearing about the DCPS grading policy, i.e., kids being able to turn things in whenever they want and getting to take tests over if they don't do well (this is not the real world). Does Walls allow all of the "redos" and late work that is allowed at other DCPS schools?

I used to feel the same way, that this is not how the real world works.

But after seeing it in action, for a kid who is trying to do well, if they get a bad grade and that's it, they just have to move on. Whereas if they can do a retake they have a chance to actually learn the material better.

I do think it's a little unfair if a school doesn't allow retakes of a B grade but then allows someone who first got a D to get an A, thus surpassing the B kid. I understand not wanting to encourage perfectionism or having the teachers have to schedule so many retakes for all the Bs, that could get a little nuts.

Don't they usually average the retake with the original? I'm still torn on whether the B student should be allowed if the lower grades can (basically I acknowledge the extra work load on the teacher), but if the grades are averaged it seems unlikely a D would be passing a B.

Yes, they average the grade together. I was really against the late submission process. But teachers lose a ton of stuff so it balances out. Before the electronic grade book, parents didn't really know things were just chaotic.

+1.
-- 7th grade parent PP
who actually was hoping that this would phase out in high school

[Anonymous]

I just wish teachers and schools would be consistent. Its really unfair otherwise.