NOCTILUCA Spring 2016 Vol.XXI Issue 11

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin Spring 2016 Volume XXI

Issue II

Page 3

Noctiluca Editorial

Peer grading hurts more students than it helps

When taking a small quiz or turning in a homework as- signment in class, it’s com- mon practice for a teacher to allow students to grade their peers’ work. Whether it be to save time, avoid grading stacks of papers, or to give quick feedback on a student’s performance, it is completely unnecessary and invasive to allow students to see others’ grades. In 2002, the Supreme Court ruled that allowing students to grade others’ tests and quizzes and even call out test scores did not violate FER- PA, or the Family Education Rights Privacy Act. This law- suit was brought forward by a concerned Oklahoma par- ent, who believed that allow- ing other students to see her child’s scores and grade her student’s work embarrassed her child. While the court’s ruling al- lows for the continuation of these grading policies, many people still believe that they are unfair and invade on stu- dents’ privacy. In Appleton North, many teachers use this system of peer grading to provide quick feedback on small quizzes Citizenship is precious, par- ticularly American citizen- ship. Those of us born and raised in this country are be- yond fortunate to be provided with the liberties outlined by the American Constitution. Personally, I cannot imagine the insurmountable stress as- sociated with the naturaliza- tion process; there is so much on the line. Not only is one vying for individual liberties when ap- plying for citizenship, but she is also searching to secure the potential for her children to prosper as well. As a child, I often wondered why native- born Americans never needed to pass a citizenship test to prove they are educated about the mechanics of their own government; I felt it unfair that immigrating individuals were required to know more about my government than I did at that time. My scant comprehension of government made me feel By Maeve Salm

or homework assignments. While providing a fast way to learn from your mistakes, many students feel that this opens them up to scru- tiny from other kids. “When teachers let other kids grade my tests and assignments, I feel like I’m being judged by my peers on my scores,” said junior Kamy Veith. “I think that grades should only be be- tween you and your teacher, not other students.” While some teachers may argue that the benefits given by a quick score turnaround outweigh the potential dis- comfort some students will experience, many students believe that there are ways to bypass the embarrassment of having your peer grade your test while still receiving rela- tively quick results. “I understand that teachers are busy and sometimes quiz- zes take a while to grade, but they do have options like us- ing scantron sheets to shorten their grading times,” said ju- nior Yasmeen Ashour. “Let- ting other kids see students’ tests makes students uncom- fortable, and it’s not fair for a teacher to put a student in that situation if there are other

Many teachers allow students to grade small quizzes or assignments to provide faster feedback. Photo by Olivia Molter

alternatives available.” With numerous options such as Scantron grading, self grad- ing, and personal work reflec- tions available to a teacher to provide relatively quick test- ing results, there is no need to share out a student’s work has upheld the right for teach- ers to allow peer grading in public schools, this does not mean that this is the best means for correcting provid- ing both assistance and com- fort to students. New citizenship test will create more responsible citizens for peer grading and reflec- tion. Through the use of these alternative means of grading, teachers can work to create a safe learning environment for all students, without sacrific- ing educational value. Even though the Supreme Court

ments, though. Taking it junior year during my APUSH class, I could not have been in a bet- ter position to complete the exam. Granted, Civics did cover some of the more trivial infor- mation inquired about within the test, such as the length of time contained in one presi- dential term, but the exam was much easier than I had antici- pated; it encompassed the very basics of U.S. government and geography. Passing the exam with a C is more manageable than you may be led to believe. Ultimately, we should all be thankful the AASD is requir- ing its students to complete this task prior to graduation. At least a basic comprehen- sion of government should be mandatory for all citizens of the U.S.; ignorance can be the root of many illogical deci- sions. Ensuring students pass this exam will hopefully result in more educated and produc- tive individuals that will make positive impacts on the world.

Currently, eight of the fifty states require a citizenship test to graduate high school. Wisconsin adjusted graduation requirements this past year to include passing the test with at least a C. Graphic by Kate Bennett

guilty. How come I was al- lowed to possess liberties that others had to stressfully test for to obtain in America and dangerously petition for in other areas of the world? Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that a citizenship test composed for native-born citizens would be a beneficial implementation into society, but effectively executing this

task would have been incred- ibly difficult. So, I left this concept alone, not aware that I would bump into it again in the future. This year, the AASD and the state of Wisconsin have adjust- ed graduation requirements to include passing, with at least a C, a model citizenship exam, with the intention that it be taken during the Freshman

Civics course. This year’s se- niors do not have to try to find time prior to graduation to take this exam, but 2017 graduates and beyond will have to com- plete this requirement. Initially, I was taken aback at this new request made...pri- marily because it was another exam to add to the books. This exam is quite a great addition to our graduation require-