Should this kid have been promoted to 9th grade with these grades?

[cm8]

Here is the 8th grade report card for both semesters:

English C- C-
Math D D
History D C-
Science B- D
Phys Ed A A

What do you think? Should this kid have been allowed to go into the 9th grade?

If those are acceptable for that school district then yes.

 

[MushyMushy]

Some of my worst grades were in English classes and I ended up going on to get a degree in English in college.

I honestly don't really stress over grades with my kids. I was never the best student in the world, but I turned out just fine intellectually. In my graduating class, there was a big scandal with our "Top Ten." 8 or 9 of them had to be disqualified because they'd been found stealing test answers for a few classes.

Grades just don't mean a whole lot to me. If the kid is learning along the way and learning how to think critically, that is what I think is most important.

 

[MushyMushy]

And this is the reason why I read through a thread before responding

Not only that, but it's best to read the post one is quoting and responding to. It very clearly stated it was her husband's report card.

 

[scottishduffy]

Looking at old report cards is fun!

I have an old Kindy report card that shows all 4 quarters. In kindy most of the grades were for behavior type items and apparently I was not a very well behaved child in Kindy.

The teahcre comments include such gems as "Has difficulty playing in groups, Needs to practice her sharing, Easily frustrated and needs to work on using kind words, Has a lot of trouble following the rules."

By the end of the year I was perfectly fine but it is funny to see the way the teacher tries to verbally dance around some obviously very poor behavior on my card.

 

[torinsmom]

D is below average, not failing in most school systems. Not every child is average or above average. If noone was below average or average, then the A's and B's could not be called above average, right?

DS16 has quite a few learning disabilities and he struggles to keep his academic grades at C's. Sometimes he gets D's and a few times he has gotten F's in math. He had to retake that class, but it did not keep him from moving on to the next grade. There are a certain number of credits you need to move on, and as long as you have those credits, you are promoted. If your grade average in a class is 70 or above, you pass the class.

I didn't have to study a lick to gets mostly A's and a few B's when I was in high school. DS struggles, but yet his IQ is higher than mine. I have a feeling he will be making more money than me once he sets his mind to something he is gifted at(which seems to be computer type things). After all, the only time we are expected to be good at EVERYTHING is when we are in school. After high school, we decide what we want to specialize in and that is what we study and what our occupation involves. Is it so hard to imagine that even as children, people have a specialization they are better at?

 

[FINFAN]

all passing grades so yes, should move on. However, if that pattern continues when it comes time to apply to colleges, choose where you donate your application fee's wisely.
One thing I'd like to point out tho...
a student can be getting a B in the class, but bomb the final or tests. There are kids who cannot do well on tests, yet a LOTof H.S classes weight tests 40-50% of the overall grade. I realize college classes are like this, 3 tests and a paper etc., but they are not in college yet.

 

[Sgstuckey]

The high school my daughter attends weights tests as 80% of the total grade!

 

[mom2boys77]

It has been noted in many studies that high grades in HS and/or college have no correlation to success after school, in the working world. It is suspected that the reason is that those who have to struggle to pass learn better work ethics than those who have straight A's hit them in the head with no effort.

Intelligence will only get you so far in this world. Effort and work ethic will carry you much farther.

 

[dimimi]

Here is the 8th grade report card for both semesters:

English C- C-
Math D D
History D C-
Science B- D
Phys Ed A A

What do you think? Should this kid have been allowed to go into the 9th grade?

Yes, he didn't fail anything, even if he did, what is your purpose of "failing" him? Please check the drop out rates for students who are held back and are 18/19 theire entire senior or worse yet, junior year. His grades really aren't that bad. If you aren't happy with them, you could try to see what isnm't motivating him.

 

[LisaR]

It has been truly hilarious to read some of the responses and certainly a testimony to the thread about being irritated by people that don't read past the first post.

 

[Longsx3]

Pass on to grade 9 yes, but would not pass thru my front door to go anywhere other than school. Sorry but in my house this is how it is, those grades would be unacceptable.

 

[tigercat]

My dd had awful grades in grade school and high school until her last year. Then all of a sudden she showed a little bit of how smart she was. She went to college and ended up on the honours list. Her high school teachers couldn't believe how well she did. She was a really smart cookie just didn't apply herself until college.
tigercat

 

[Longsx3]

tigercat, it is interesting you say that because I know lots of kids that don't apply themselves. Unfortunately in the US it can be very hard to get into a College, other than a Community College, if you don't apply yourself in High School. I have always told my DD it does not matter how smart you are if you don't do your work and show your teachers what you are capable of. Now that she is in High School it is isn't about proving herself to teachers it is about proving herself to Colleges.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

A year or so ago, I went over my old report cards, starting with Kindergarten through High School and wasn't too amazed that most teachers commented "Candi socializes a little too much in class"........teacher speak for "I talked too much" ....the only class I didn't seem to have this problem was band .

 

[Cindy B]

In my district, yes. There are no failing major subject grades. Truth be told, most of my students grades are like that. We also have the 95 to 100 equals a scale, so anything less than a 70 is an F.

 

[torinsmom]

For many students, a four year college is out of reach from the beginning. According to these figures, in the state with the highest college attendance rate, just under 57% of kids go to a 4 year college.

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/ttw/trends_map_data_table.aspx?trendID=21&assessmentID=94

(Sorry, the link feature is not working for me right now)

So, for 43%, including my son, a 4 year college is not a consideration when looking at grades. For DS, a math LD means he doesn't qualify to attend a 4 year college. Most require kids to pass through or beyond Algebra II and he will only get through Geometry. That's fine with me, as he is interested in computer and video game programming, which is popular at community colleges. If he passes the maths at CC decides to transfer to a 4 year college, they won't look at his high school grades, or so I have been told.

Marsha

 

[CharliNye]

It has been noted in many studies that high grades in HS and/or college have no correlation to success after school, in the working world. It is suspected that the reason is that those who have to struggle to pass learn better work ethics than those who have straight A's hit them in the head with no effort.

Intelligence will only get you so far in this world. Effort and work ethic will carry you much farther.

Agreed. I had horribly grades in HS, only because I had some illness issues and wasn't in school often. Not to mention and insanely tumultuous family life.

If someone were to judge me off those grades they'd think I was out there somewhere living on the street. However, I have always been extremely well read, had a high IQ, and for some reason from working in retail I can rattle off the percentage of anything off the top of my head. I can type nearly 100 words a minute, I can fix the broken electronics in my house better then my husband most days, and I know more about books, music, films and art then my sister who had mostly B's and A's.

For me it was just that High School was awful. I never felt challenged, life outside was hell and I didn't apply myself the way I should have.

To me grades aren't always a reflection on the person's intelligence. I mean I have a friend who always did great in school, she studied hard. But she has zero clue about life and the world around her. And she doesn't like to read.

 

[ckay87]

I was hardly the stellar student in high school and logged my share of Ds as well. Went on to graduate college and have done just fine for myself.

IMO, you do no favors to a kid with grades like these by holding them back. In fact, I believe the best thing you can do is help them get through school so they can move on with their life where they can identify what they are really good at and go from there.

Someone said once, and I believe this is so true, that school is the ONLY place where you are expected to be an expert at EVERYTHING.

 

[FINFAN]

I was hardly the stellar student in high school and logged my share of Ds as well. Went on to graduate college and have done just fine for myself.

IMO, you do no favors to a kid with grades like these by holding them back. In fact, I believe the best thing you can do is help them get through school so they can move on with their life where they can identify what they are really good at and go from there.

Someone said once, and I believe this is so true, that school is the ONLY place where you are expected to be an expert at EVERYTHING.

Ironic , isn't it? Because if you KNEW everything already you wouldn't have to be there!

 

[shortbun]

Those are my DH's grades from 8th grade! We just found some of his old report cards and we are shocked at how bad he did.

Honestly, I never knew a D would be considered passing. I would not be pleased if my kids brought home those grades and I wouldn't want them to advance because my assumption would be they didn't learn the material.


DH went on to graduate college and has had a great career so those grades didn't seem to make a difference. I really want to find his report cards from high school but he says he doesn't think he did any better. He did great in college, though. Go figure.

Funny!!! My DH had some pretty bad grades in middle school as well. I don't think his high school grades were stellar. Once he reached college, he became an A student-something about having to pay for it himself.