Stop with the group projects!

[Anonymous]

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It would be hilarious if the “slackers” will get a better grade though. Maybe they don’t do the group project because they focus on individual homework and preparation for the tests. I’ve seen it happening!

That’s nothing to be proud off. They are parasites who’s grade percentage from the group project they stole credit from the kids who did the actual work.

Their final grade included the group project

Not sure they “stole” the credit if it was a group project, unless the grades are separate for each portion and they claim to do someone else’s work. If it’s a grade for the entire group and they were part of it, I think it’s fine.

Are they actually part of the group if they did nothing? If they did 0% of the project, they actually are taking credit for someone else’s work.

It would be good if teachers would group the slackers together so other students can actually have the intended benefit of group work - collaboration with others who contribute to the project.

Now you’re the one not giving credit. There must have been brainstorming discussions, email exchanges, planning etc. you need to be less uptight about this, the teacher assigned the group, DD just has to deal with it. You never say what the AP class assignment was, how it was divided, just that DD does absolutely everything and the other kids never took part in anything. It’s not very believable.

Not sure what the big deal is, plenty of times I was part of a lab group in HS or college and did all the work because the classmates were not that bright or that interested. They’d do their best to record the data and later pay their dues in beer and cigarettes and call it even. You don’t sound very fun to be around at a party.

Fortunately middle school and not high school, but DD just got an F on a group project because she and her partner decided to divide slides in half. She spent hours on her half, he turned in nothing

That never happened.

I think you are looking for the antiwork sub on Reddit. That’s where the grown up slackers lurk.

Either you lie or you’re being lied to by your child and passing along the lie.

With the grade inflation of B average in middle school, there simply aren’t F grades given anymore unless you don’t turn in the assignment and even then you can get a gazzilion extensions and submissions. You only get F if you don’t submit anything. Consider the possibility that DD didn’t submit anything and lies about it. Even for a half incomplete group project must likely you’ll get a B. Teachers know who is doing the work the typically won’t punish good students for having crappy group mates.

Tbh you just sound like the OP trying to concoct some stories that would put her story in a more favorable view when the response on the thread has been mostly negative.

When there are 50 slides and 25 are blank you get an F. I know my kid did her part because she was working on it all weekend. I know she was worried about this last night because his slides were still blanks

Gtfo with 50 slide presentation decks in middle school.

This is the grading guidance in FCPS:

For assignments or assessments where a student made a reasonable attempt to show evidence of their learning, the minimum score that a student can receive is a 50. For assignments or assessments that a student did not attempt, a student can receive a zero.

So she gets at least a 50%. The letter grade is not calculated until the end of semester, so she can’t get an F on individual assignments.

OP, land the helicopter and let your child deal with the group project on her own. You are being ridiculous with these infantile posts.

OP here. i didn’t post this or the others. I guess I’m not the only one frustrated with the projects. Btw, your “lane the helicopter” is tiresome.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Group work is fine when it's evaluated correctly. The teacher should be making sure that everyone has a role and a responsibility. The teacher should be grading on a rubric based on the roles and responsibilities. Kids need to learn that sometimes tasks can't be accomplished by one person, and often that lesson is learned when they completely and utterly fail to get it done when they don't work together. A good grading policy would be individual grading for the project itself base on successful completion of roles and responsibilities and then incentive for the whole group for successfully completing the project.

The lesson is that the kid who cares most learns that with enough time and efforts tasks intended for a group can be accomplished by one person. Group projects are a way to bring up slackers' grades by pairing them with kids who teachers know will do what they need to for a good grade

Give me a break, nobody is exploiting OP’s precious child’s work. How much does the group project even counts for the grade, 10%? It matters little for the fuss op is making. They are usually easy enough that a motivated student just dies is with ease. The issue is OP thinks her child is taking advantage of.

My kid just finished a group project where two of them had to do the work for the two slackers they were assigned to work with. The grade counted for 30% of 65% percent of their grade thanks to the new FCPS grading system.

Typical grade breakdown is like this:
50% exams
25% quizzes
25% homework

Percentages might vary slightly. The group project is usually lumped in the homework, so in the end it will count about 5-10% if the final grade and most people get the easy credit. PP probably misunderstood the grade breakdown in her child’s class.

Not anymore. It's very different now.

That’s from this semester precalc class. How is it different now?

[Anonymous]

It is best to teach your child how to advocate/strategize now. These group projects continue through High School in ALL classes/subjects. Doesn't matter if your were in AAP in ES. They are most likely going to have one slacker in a group setting and will need to know how to manage that.

[Anonymous]

Can be frustrating but also rewarding. Collaboration is a life skill. In most careers, people work on teams and often advance based at least partly on social skills. School is a great, low-stakes time to learn these skills.

[Anonymous]

Isn't it funny how everyone talks about how valuable this is yet no one can actually say what exactly it is that this experience is supposed to teach OP's kid?

The fact that being a victim of a wrong often leads to being better able to avoid future wrongs does not justify that initial wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can be frustrating but also rewarding. Collaboration is a life skill. In most careers, people work on teams and often advance based at least partly on social skills. School is a great, low-stakes time to learn these skills.

Post pandemic this is no longer the case, my dad is in his 60s, works 100% online, and earns a 6 figure salary.

Ghosting is the best method against toxic people. Slackers who take credit for other people’s work in school and the work place are toxic.

looking back, As an independent and high ability teenager, in person schooling was a net negative for me. The teacher always paired me with kids who were ESL, special needs, disruptive, low intelligence or lazy, stealing my labour to help them. If I relive that time I would have homeschooled/online learning from the age of 14/15, and do non school affiliated ECs around that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can be frustrating but also rewarding. Collaboration is a life skill. In most careers, people work on teams and often advance based at least partly on social skills. School is a great, low-stakes time to learn these skills.

Do you understand the definition of collaboration? Collaboration isn’t one or two students doing all of the work. I would love it if DC was in a group with other similarly motivated student but the groups are chosen by the teacher. I blame the lack of gatekeeping to AP and honors courses. Group projects are the only way to inflate the grades of students who don’t belong in advanced classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can be frustrating but also rewarding. Collaboration is a life skill. In most careers, people work on teams and often advance based at least partly on social skills. School is a great, low-stakes time to learn these skills.

In careers people actually choose to be there. School is not like that which is why these team projects are BS and punish the hard working students while rewarding the lazy indifferent ones who don't care.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Can be frustrating but also rewarding. Collaboration is a life skill. In most careers, people work on teams and often advance based at least partly on social skills. School is a great, low-stakes time to learn these skills.

Post pandemic this is no longer the case, my dad is in his 60s, works 100% online, and earns a 6 figure salary.

Ghosting is the best method against toxic people. Slackers who take credit for other people’s work in school and the work place are toxic.

looking back, As an independent and high ability teenager, in person schooling was a net negative for me. The teacher always paired me with kids who were ESL, special needs, disruptive, low intelligence or lazy, stealing my labour to help them. If I relive that time I would have homeschooled/online learning from the age of 14/15, and do non school affiliated ECs around that.

That's only the case for experienced workers who are years or decades into their jobs. Gen Z employees rightfully want to work full time in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Group projects are a tool of the patriarchy that teach girls that their role in the workplace is to disproportionately do unglamorous grunt work where as boys get to be creative “leaders “.

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/01/group-projects-and-the-secretary-effect/384104/

Burn them to the ground!

This is the most beautiful bit of educational jiu-jitsu I've seen since someone showed me how to phrase requests for lecture and textbooks in terms of learning styles. Thank you!