Outcomes Leave Some Students Feeling Confused

By MARILYN KELLY

When I got to Frank McCourt, I was extremely nervous that I would become an outcast. For five years, I had been homeschooled by my parents and tutors, and while I had a social life, including interactions with other kids, I could barely even remember what it was like to be in a classroom.

I had watched too many movies like Mean Girls, in which high school students were forced to wear pink on Wednesdays and were shoved into lockers.

It took a couple of days before I was able to warm up to my peers at FMHS, but eventually, I was able to express my thoughts and feel comfortable around my classmates.

The only lingering issue I had when transitioning to high school was the grading system. Never before had I heard of rubrics or outcomes, and as many students at FMHS know, understanding these systems is essential to being successful in this school.

Students are often asked to look over and annotate rubrics to make sure they know what is required of them on each assignment.

For me, this was disappointing. I wanted to know what I was doing wrong, but sometimes the rubrics and comments from teachers weren’t enough.

While teachers are very transparent and offer additional office hours, there still seems to be a grudge held against outcomes. I, personally, understand why students have become frustrated.

Upon my arrival at FMHS, I strove to become the perfect student. There was no reason for me to achieve anything less than a 10.

But as a few weeks passed, I became increasingly frustrated that I was unable to achieve my goal. My grades had become consistent 9s and 8.5s, with an occasional 7.5 or 8.

For me, this was disappointing. I wanted to know what I was doing wrong, but sometimes the rubrics and comments from teachers weren’t enough.

I was able to see that I may have been missing one component from an outcome and was therefore unable to achieve an Integrating score, but I was often confused as to what specifically needed to be revised.

I attempted to attend office hours, but extra-curricular activities often left me with no time to stay after school.

Ms. Stahl, who teaches humanities, recently told me, “Students have trouble understanding outcomes, especially when they arrive [to FMHS], and so they disengage. This can be difficult since the idea of outcomes is for students to be able to see their strengths and areas of growth.”

It was after a few months that I had found solace in receiving consistent 8.5s when I realized that students around me were jumping up and down from simply passing or scoring in the Applying column.

Although outcomes at FMHS are meant to show students what needs to be improved, the system leaves many students feeling confused and discouraged.

Ms. Stahl, who teaches humanities, recently told me, “Students have trouble understanding outcomes, especially when they arrive [to FMHS], and so they disengage. This can be difficult since the idea of outcomes is for students to be able to see their strengths and areas of growth.”

Students should not feel disengaged from a grading system that is supposed to be crucial to their success.

Despite this drawback, Ms. Stahl believes that grading based on outcomes allows her to more accurately track each student’s abilities in her class.

“At other schools, I would grade generally, but now I assess individual skills,” she said.

While this allows Ms. Stahl to give more specific feedback, she doesn’t give “specific feedback to elements of writing that aren’t seen in the rubric.”

Sometimes, teachers rely heavily on the rubrics and outcomes to give students feedback, instead of leaving comments on student work. This makes it harder for students to revise and improve their skills.

Aside from the confusion many students feel about outcomes, some find comfort in receiving an 8 on an assignment because they feel incapable of scoring higher.

Those who aim to score in the Integrating column are content with a 9 or 9.5 because receiving a 10 is considered to be an impossible standard. But having an A- or A+ average makes a difference when it comes to applying to college.

While FMHS’ grading system can seem overly complicated, outcomes are meant to help students better understand assignments and how their skills are developing in each class.

Hopefully, students will realize that they should aim for Integrating grades, and those who routinely get 9s should try to earn 10s, even if it seems unattainable.

Instead of feeling frustrated, students should strive for the best, even if it means clarifying their grades with teachers during office hours and putting a little extra effort into assignments.

As for teachers, you’ve made us a priority, and we’re graciously asking you for one more favor.

Students at FMHS need your support and guidance. I, personally, want to hear every bit of what a teacher has to say about my work.

Students need your detailed feedback, even if they seem like they many not necessarily want it.