Lessee. Rhet Comp has, for the past few years, been all about portfolio grading. For first-years taking a required, basic-skills class. Because it's more "holistic" and "less stressful". Oh, yeah, let's not tell them what scores they're getting until the very end! That'll make them more confident and less stressed, you betcha.
Another of my favorites is the current emphasis on the Personal Essay. That is, the first assignment is to write about one's personal life. A scholarly essay, which most of them haven't the slightest how to write, about their personal lives. After all, students should Write What They Know! This has the added benefit of hitting first-time teachers in the face with tales of rape, drugs, theft and so on. Mostly because the poor kids are trying to find something "meaningful" to write about, instead of devolving into My Summer Vaction--which is, of course, the natural state of that assignment.
And this is the department that keeps saying they're the ones on the cutting edge, the ones who listen to student needs. *shakes head* Oi.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-06-01 06:14 pm (UTC)Lessee. Rhet Comp has, for the past few years, been all about portfolio grading. For first-years taking a required, basic-skills class. Because it's more "holistic" and "less stressful". Oh, yeah, let's not tell them what scores they're getting until the very end! That'll make them more confident and less stressed, you betcha.
Another of my favorites is the current emphasis on the Personal Essay. That is, the first assignment is to write about one's personal life. A scholarly essay, which most of them haven't the slightest how to write, about their personal lives. After all, students should Write What They Know! This has the added benefit of hitting first-time teachers in the face with tales of rape, drugs, theft and so on. Mostly because the poor kids are trying to find something "meaningful" to write about, instead of devolving into My Summer Vaction--which is, of course, the natural state of that assignment.
And this is the department that keeps saying they're the ones on the cutting edge, the ones who listen to student needs. *shakes head* Oi.