Assumptions!

During my first year of teaching I made several assumptions about students. For the week of class, I normally like to go around the classroom to find out as much about the students as I possibly can. There was this one particular group of students who you would consider the high achievers, who always had to have the highest test score and who would challenge the teacher about their grades that were just not motivated to do anything in class if it didn't involve a grade. I assumed that because they made good grades and were concerned about their grades that they would want to be more involved. I tried to get these students to take the lead community projects and be leaders of their class, yet their enthusiasm was more than lacking. These particular students had no "get-up and go" about themselves and it took an act of congress to get them motivated. Their philosophy was if it didn't involve a grade then they didn't see why it was necessary. This type of attitude really puzzled me because you normally see this in other students and I just couldn't understand why they felt this way. This year I have tried to incorporate more types of participation grades and professionalism into the curriculum in order to make them more accountable for being involved. I hope that this will make a difference and show them that life is not all about the grades but it also takes a well rounded individual to succeed in whatever they decide to do in life.