Reply to APS - Why are there letter grades in elementary PE?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Parent of an APS third grader.  Can anyone share why elementary PE has letter grades?  My kid got an "O" for outstanding effort and comments stating that she's a joy in class, participates actively, is a good team member and has age appropriate skills.  But for two quarters now she's gotten a "B" for achievement.

Are they really grading 8 yos on athletic achievement?  My kid happens to be very young for her grade with a September birthday, but is middle of the road to above average on her rec sports teams.  I have no doubt kids (especially boys who play a lot of sports) who are a year older have better physical abilities.  It just seems so silly to give letter grades for this.  Shouldn't PE be about effort and personal growth?  I can't imagine what APS is thinking.[/quote]

The PE program includes the health curriculum which has material content and quizzes, etc.
Music and art classes also have letter grades.
But when you think about it, all classes are grading students on their demonstrated abilities in that subject. [/quote]
Music and art do not have letter grades.  Nope.  They only get effort scores.

No written work has ever come home in PE. Maybe that happens in later grades, but it has never happened in 3rd grade at our school.  They did send an email earlier in the year for PE that they were doing physical ability testing.  Are we really grading 8 yos on their physical abilities with letter grades?[/quote]

There WILL be letter grades in music and art.  Does it matter that it's in later grades v. 3rd?
And you aren't necessarily going to see PE/health homework to be done at home.  The point was that health instruction is part of the PE curriculum and perhaps there are quizzes and assignments for the health portion of the curriculum.  And, fwiw, in later grades, students are being graded on the completion of the PE activities - not their athletic prowess per se.[/quote]
If there were PE worksheets and quizzes being done at school, I'd expect them to come home in the Friday folder with all of the other worksheets.  I also have no reason to think a kid with straight As in every other subject wouldn't do her PE worksheets.  That doesn't make any sense.  She also got an "O" for effort and comments that she's an active participant.  There's no reason to think she's getting marked down for lack of effort or participation.

It strikes me as equivalent to testing third graders for perfect pitch and using that for their music grade.  [/quote]
Sounds like you should be talking to the teacher and asking what she's being graded on and what her grades on those things are, etc.  Asking here isn't going to help you.[/quote]

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