May 29, 2017, 12:51 PM
9mmepiphanyValedictorian
quote:
Originally posted by NK402:
Saw something recently in a news article about a young man, who had lost his father and susequently was "chosen" by his classmates to be valedictorian. I thought it was a typo. Guess not
That is actually the true (traditional) definition of valedictorian. The student "chosen" to give the Farewell speech.
Letting the classmates choose the valedictorian...the person they want to hear at the end of their high career...is a honor more reflective of that student's contribution to that class
Basing it on the highest GPA was adopted as an "easy out" when folks didn't want to spend the time, and worried about being 2nd guessed, about the choice.
No, Daoism isn't a religion
May 29, 2017, 01:08 PM
marksman41I never thought about it in that perspective, 9mm. That makes sense and, to me, seems a more fitting tribute.
May 29, 2017, 02:12 PM
9mmepiphanyquote:
Originally posted by marksman41:
That makes sense and, to me, seems a more fitting tribute.
If you think about it, many time the student with the highest academic score is unknown to many classmates because they spent most of their time studying. Or they were disliked by many classmates because they threw off the bell curve in grading for a class they shared.
So if there is another student who might not have scored that high, but inspired,motivated, and encouraged other students to "do better", wouldn't it make sense to have them give the "Parting Farewell" to high school?
No, Daoism isn't a religion
May 29, 2017, 05:24 PM
rtquigquote:
Originally posted by ShouldBFishin:
quote:
Originally posted by rtquig:
What I am saying is that if a 3rd track Student has Algebra I, and gets an "A" in that class it is no different than the "A" earned by an AP or Honors student in Algebra I. Colleges just see the "A" and it doesn't matter to them what Algebra I you had. All they see on the transcripts is Algebra I, "A".
I am not comparing a vocational school to a regular high school, although I happen to be employed by a regular high and a vocation high school district.
While I tend to agree about the honors classes, the AP classes here are different. None of the honors classes at my daughter's high school were eligible for college credit. However, all of the the AP classes had a test and the end of the year and if she got a good score, she received college credit. The AP classes that my daughter took were rigorous; much more time involved to learn the level of detail (AP History, AP English, AP Calculus are a few that stand out in my mind).
Those college credits meant that she could skip a lot of the general classes in college - it also meant she could register for classes before her peers.
That is a benefit and money saver which is good. When my son graduated he had 32 college credits, but his University would only accept the ones that were an "A". Still some of the classes allowed him to skip a few courses and his University. One girl he graduated with had enough college credits to get her Associated degree, and she was accepted to a full ride at Harvard. She was able to take classes starting as a Freshman as her mother was a teacher at the school. Normally classes start as a Junior.
Living the Dream
May 29, 2017, 06:30 PM
sigcrazy7quote:
Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:
quote:
Originally posted by NK402:
Saw something recently in a news article about a young man, who had lost his father and susequently was "chosen" by his classmates to be valedictorian. I thought it was a typo. Guess not
That is actually the true (traditional) definition of valedictorian. The student "chosen" to give the Farewell speech.
Letting the classmates choose the valedictorian...the person they want to hear at the end of their high career...is a honor more reflective of that student's contribution to that class
Basing it on the highest GPA was adopted as an "easy out" when folks didn't want to spend the time, and worried about being 2nd guessed, about the choice.
This.
The valedictorian is the one giving the farewell speech, period. I would skip commencement of any school that has 25 valedictorians. My ass would get too tired in the seat.
My daughter graduated HS last week. The Valedictorian didn't have the highest academic record. There were many above him, but he was exteremely accomplished (34 ACT score), and a tremendous role model, so he was chosen to give the speech.
Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus June 06, 2017, 08:48 PM
NHForesterquote:
Originally posted by Batty67:
My daughter, a junior, has perfect grades and has taken a moderate amount of AP and honors classes, so her GPA is "only" like a 4.35. But her SATs were 1430 (97% percentile). There are a lot of folks out there who think SAT/ACT test results should be discounted, I'd say, not until HS classes "reset" and become competitive again.
My wife, who graduated from the same HS my son is about to graduate from, was top-10 in her class with a 3.8 GPA or so. These days, a 3.8 would put a kid in the middle of the class.
My daughter is in the same boat. Class rank number one and just pulled 1410 on her SAT. Two AP classes this year.
June 12, 2017, 11:09 AM
cparktdquote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
When you dumb down education and inflate grades, these things happen.
Exactly.
Both Grandkids in grade school this year make the Principal's List. (Straight A's all year.)
I sarcastically asked my Daughter why didn't she plaster it all over Facebook to get dozens of thumbs up like her cousin did her Son's.
She said because it means nothing. The way they have dumbed it down, about all you have to do is show up... most of the time.
If it ain't woke... don't fix it. June 15, 2017, 08:33 PM
FredwardI know this is a silly answer but-of 20 out of 75 had a greater than 4.0 GPA, perhaps the standards are too low.
June 16, 2017, 02:22 PM
LeemurI graduated high school in 1990 and the standards were a freakin joke even then. I coasted through school with a bare minimum of effort and finished 13th in a class of 166 with a 3.76. All but a few of the 12 above me cheated to varying degrees which made it an even bigger farce.
June 16, 2017, 03:14 PM
bubbatimequote:
Originally posted by rtquig:
I see what passes for AP and Honor courses and am not impressed.
My high school AP chemistry teacher was a college professor the year before. He failed EVERY LAST STUDENT. Everyone got an F. Administration tried to get him to reconsider, but he held his ground, and he won. He took his chemistry serious and didn't think anyone took the time or effort to learn the concepts up to the AP standard. It sucked getting an "F", but he was probably right. Usually if you just show up and sign your name on the paper you get at least a C, but not with this guy.
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Often times a very small man can cast a very large shadow