C4T Summaries

For my C4T I was to read and comment on Mr. Steve Miranda’s Blog. I thoroughly enjoyed reading many of his posts and have challenged my opinion on a few issues we face within our schools. The first post I read was, “The high school transcript is the most nefarious force in education that no one is talking about.” In this post he briefly states a few scenarios of students and the grades they will receive for their class. One student he talks about doesn’t get the best grade due to not turning in assignments on time, but is one of the finest writers he has had in his class. Mr. Miranda states that the high school transcript is unbelievably powerful and it shapes how students spend their high school years and beyond. If transcripts could show more than just grades then more students would succeed in higher education. I agree with Mr. Miranda. Transcripts should show how students excelled in other aspects of high school, not just their GPA and course grades. There would be more opportunities for non-straight A students that have just as much a chance of success in college.

The next post I commented on was, “Certifying 14-year old poets.” Mr. Miranda thinks that numerical grades should be eliminated and that the grading system turns education into places of certification. He believes that students should focus more on course material and content instead of striving for the highest grade. He also poses the question, “Should a 14-year-old who is forced to take a required class in poetry be subjected to a process of certification?” In my opinion poetry inspires students to think more, write more, imagine more, and be more creative. I don’t think poetry is something to be graded because it’s a form of art. Teachers should look to see if students have mastered the concept of poetry rather than writing the best poem. I agree with Mr. Miranda completely that students focus more on the grade they will receive rather than comprehending the course material. I don’t know if grades should be eliminated completely, but I do think that teachers should encourage students to strive to achieve something more ingenious than just earning an A in a class.