Imagine you are going to work, but while you are there, you spend your time doing anything other than your actual job. Then you realize that your pay is a reflection of the work you have been doing. So you start to work extra hard, but you haven't actually paid any attention to the job description- no problem. You can simply ask your boss to give you extra time, or a bonus even. All will be well and you will still take home that paycheck. I may be wrong, but I don't see that happening too often in the work force. Why do students and often times their parents believe that good preparation for life is to ask the teacher for extra credit? Imagine receiving emails like this on a regular basis- Dear (insert teacher name),
I am only x points away from the next grade up; or I have worked really hard but the material I studied was not on the test; or, simply, I really need an A in this class. Followed by- Is there any extra credit I can do to boost my grade?
I will help organize the stock room, make signs, bring in tissues. Anything. Sincerely (insert student name)
When does any of this boost a student's understanding of the material? If a student typically scores in the low B high C range of all assessments, how can the student be demonstrating complete mastery of the material in the class, in other words earning an A? When as a society will our focus on the learning and growth of a student rather than the emphasis on the grade? I have been guilty of giving extra credit- a challenge question on a test to be answered only if all other questions have been answered; attendance at an external lecture of interest to the student and connected to the course. I will not give extra credit just to boost a grade, to give the false impression that this student really understands the material.
I along with many of my colleagues at Notre Dame want the best education possible for our students- that does not mean giving them free points.
So, if you are reading this, next time you say "No, there is no extra credit to boost your grade, but you can meet with me to go over your test/quiz/homework" remember, you are not alone!
Well said! The "extra credit" I offer to students requires above and beyond interaction with content that applies to the course. For example, this semester Honors Bio students could attend a Nano High lecture on the Ebola Outbreak on a Saturday from 10am-12pm in Berkeley and then create a multimedia presentation that explains what you learned and includes a personal reflection OR create a #MyZeitgeist using a new tech tool - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/tag/myzeitgeist/ ). The opportunity is always something that is available to everyone and does not require students to buy items for the classroom. I make sure to offer the opportunity early in the semester in hopes of warding off those desperate pleas for EC at the end of the semester. What is interesting to me is that those students who are already doing excellent work in the class are often the ones who complete the EC. I believe that EC should be above and beyond work that demonstrates mastery of content. That's what "extra" means :-)
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