Some high schools and universities require students to work on group projects. On completion, all the students in the group receive the same grade. Do you agree or disagree that this is a good way to evaluate students? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Nowadays, some high schools and universities call for students to participate in group projects, and offer the same group grade to every student in a group. I disagree with this kind of unwarranted schooling because the disadvantages brought about from it outweigh its advantages.
To begin with, giving the same grade to each student is oblivious to difference of students, and it interferes with the sound evaluation of individual student performance. In a group, the overall performance of a certain group is ascribed to aggregate skills and efforts of all students, so it is hard for teachers to distinguish individual student who has good skills from others. Consequently, the teacher is unable to select top students in a bad performed team, and vice versa. A more undesirable consequence is the ignorance of rare genius students. Since the teacher may focus more on the group performance, some talented students will be left out. The teacher would not pay much attention to them and give them special care. As a result, the special talent of students cannot be developed and nurtured as early as possible, and the possibility to fulfill their maximum potential is reduced. No doubt, it is a huge loss to our society. In addition, the parents may be anxious if they only can receive a group grade from school because they cannot know their children individual performance exactly.
Next, giving the same grade to every student poses a threat to students' motivation and enthusiasm. Motivation plays an essential role in the study of students. If a student is praised by his or her teacher, he or she will be greatly stimulated. As a result, he or she will perform better later because of the positive feedback they received from the teacher. However, if all the students be given the same grade, the superior students cannot perceive their strength, and their desire for recognition is stifled, thus they would not be spurred. Worse, some even lose enthusiasm for good performance. In addition, since all the students have the same score, the beneficial competitions are eliminated. Some students will hold that if it makes no difference even we did badly, why should we work hard? Nothing is worse than lose enthusiasm and motivation in study.
Admittedly, there are some justifications for advocating the same grade in a group. Some bottom students will not be prejudiced by teachers or other students. And they are unlikely to lose their confidence and be anxious if as less as people know their performance. But there are some remedies for problem like these. For example, the teacher can make every students know his or her individual grade but do not make it available to other students.
Collectively, the education model that giving all the students the same grade is unreasonable for it masks the differences of different students, and hinders an effective education. We should advocate education that recognizes the individuality of students and offers specific attention to potential of students.
Nowadays, some high schools and universities call for students to participate in group projects, and offer the same group grade to every student in a group. I disagree with this kind of unwarranted schooling because the disadvantages brought about from it outweigh its advantages.
To begin with, giving the same grade to each student is oblivious to difference of students, and it interferes with the sound evaluation of individual student performance. In a group, the overall performance of a certain group is ascribed to aggregate skills and efforts of all students, so it is hard for teachers to distinguish individual student who has good skills from others. Consequently, the teacher is unable to select top students in a bad performed team, and vice versa. A more undesirable consequence is the ignorance of rare genius students. Since the teacher may focus more on the group performance, some talented students will be left out. The teacher would not pay much attention to them and give them special care. As a result, the special talent of students cannot be developed and nurtured as early as possible, and the possibility to fulfill their maximum potential is reduced. No doubt, it is a huge loss to our society. In addition, the parents may be anxious if they only can receive a group grade from school because they cannot know their children individual performance exactly.
Next, giving the same grade to every student poses a threat to students' motivation and enthusiasm. Motivation plays an essential role in the study of students. If a student is praised by his or her teacher, he or she will be greatly stimulated. As a result, he or she will perform better later because of the positive feedback they received from the teacher. However, if all the students be given the same grade, the superior students cannot perceive their strength, and their desire for recognition is stifled, thus they would not be spurred. Worse, some even lose enthusiasm for good performance. In addition, since all the students have the same score, the beneficial competitions are eliminated. Some students will hold that if it makes no difference even we did badly, why should we work hard? Nothing is worse than lose enthusiasm and motivation in study.
Admittedly, there are some justifications for advocating the same grade in a group. Some bottom students will not be prejudiced by teachers or other students. And they are unlikely to lose their confidence and be anxious if as less as people know their performance. But there are some remedies for problem like these. For example, the teacher can make every students know his or her individual grade but do not make it available to other students.
Collectively, the education model that giving all the students the same grade is unreasonable for it masks the differences of different students, and hinders an effective education. We should advocate education that recognizes the individuality of students and offers specific attention to potential of students.
