Any human labor should be appreciated, even if it consists in obtaining knowledge, and the workplace is a school. But while the work of a mature person is evaluated in accordance with the Labor Code, time worked and fixed wages, school marks are affixed individually by decision of the teacher.
For most parents, the main purpose of learning is to acquire knowledge, and notes in the diary are just a formality. But for children, especially those who are in primary school, low grades may not have the best effect in terms of subsequent motivation for learning and the development of intellectual assessment in general. If in the final grades low grades, as a rule, stimulate you to get the highest score, because this will undoubtedly help to get a certificate with good grades, a medal, and to go to a higher educational institution, then low indicators in children can discourage the desire to study forever.
In this situation, the main thing is to understand the reason, does the child not understand something, or does the teacher underestimate the mark? In the first case, everything is simpler - you just need to do more, but what to do in the second case, what if the teacher underestimates the grades?
The teacher intentionally underestimates the grades or the child does not know enough material
If you think that the teacher intentionally evaluates your child’s knowledge below, you should first try to objectively assess the situation. Any parent considers his child to be the smartest, for this reason he cannot receive unsatisfactory grades at school, therefore, the matter is in the teacher. It is worthwhile to understand that it is unprofitable for a teacher to underestimate points just because it spoils his image in front of his colleagues; moreover, according to the results of each quarter, he submits a performance report.
Not sure what to do if the teacher underestimates the grades? If a child is in primary school, then parents will definitely need to get acquainted with the class teacher, learn his opinion about the student’s behavior and mental abilities, and also understand what subjects are given to him difficult and what to do to improve academic performance. Or, on the contrary, the child could seriously get carried away with some particular subjects, and then you should think about additional activities to deepen your knowledge. In addition, you can agree with the teacher about the opportunity to attend some lessons under the pretext of acquaintance with the teaching methodology and a comparative study of the performance of your child with other children.
Do not know how to understand that a teacher understates grades? The goal of the parent is to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the child and to find out what the teacher thinks of him. The personal point of view of the teacher can easily be understood by checking written assignments, where incorrect errors corrected will be displayed. Much more difficult with verbal answers. The fact is that many teachers have too high requirements for oral answers, that is, for the presentation of homework. Some students have a fear of public speaking. Children can not clearly present the material, get confused, and sometimes completely forget before the performance. As a result, the child receives a low score, but this is not due to ignorance of the lesson, but because of excitement.
Fear of speaking is a fear that can accompany a person throughout his life, not only in childhood.Therefore, if you find this problem in a child, warn the teacher about it. Explain to him that the student can’t answer not because of a lack of knowledge, he’s just worried, and in such situations he needs help, not an understatement.
What to do if parents intentionally underestimate grades
Underestimated scores for academic performance bring not only moral suffering, but also affect the final results, and accordingly, the possibility of further education in secondary and higher educational institutions. Consequently, the parent or student has the right to defend their own interests both at the administrative and judicial levels.
The administrative procedure implies the right to appeal the assessment to the person who made this decision, as well as to higher persons, that is, the school principal, but how to prove that the teacher understates the grades? The mark for writing work will be challenged quite easily, this is noticeable by incorrect nit-picking. But if it comes to an oral answer, then it becomes more difficult to solve the problem, it is necessary to fix the answer in advance, as well as the comments made on it.
The current assessment of students' knowledge is regulated exclusively by the acts of a particular educational institution. Each institution has a provision on the current certification and assessment of achievements. This document should contain clear parameters for assessing students' knowledge in all subjects, as well as a description of the criteria for not passing the certification. The document is to be reviewed by parents and students.
The best solution for proving students' knowledge is to participate in the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren in a controversial subject.
When marking a teacher, as a rule, he is guided not only by the established standards for assessing knowledge, but also by various pedagogical considerations. At his discretion, he can put a mark higher than the one who did something for the first time, and, on the contrary, underestimate her excellent student, who began to be lazy. In both cases, this should serve as an incentive, from a pedagogical point of view. This is a rather controversial method, since all children are different, but in practice it is used everywhere. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to calmly find out what considerations the teacher was guided in setting the mark.
Psychologist's advice
This is what the psychologist answers to the question of how to talk with a teacher who understates grades.
The conversation with the teacher should initially be based on the wave of the "presumption of innocence", that is, from the point of view of the fact that he wants the student only good, you just understand him differently. For example, you are sure that self-doubt prevents your child from studying well, and accordingly, you are trying hard to support him. The teacher, on the other hand, takes a different point of view - he believes that a clear and rigorous environment is much more effective in developing qualities such as integrity and organization. Therefore, it is very important to understand what the teacher is guided by and what requirements he presents. To agree with them or not, the parent decides, but with the information, the requirements can be discussed. Ask the teacher to give a clear statement of what actions my child must take to get the top five, write down everything in the presence of the teacher and agree with the child to do this at least once. If, in this case, the assessment is not satisfactory, we can safely complain at the instances.
Where to file a claim
So where to complain if the teacher understates the grades? Your patience has burst from tears of the child, meetings with the teacher do not bring any result, and the teacher resolutely and without explanation declares that he decided so, and there can be no other options? Only one way out - to write a complaint! Not sure how to write a complaint about a teacher? Read on.
The first thing to do is to look at the normative documents of the educational institution and study in them a section on the criteria for assessing knowledge. This is necessary in order not just to wave your arms, but to ask reasoned questions and to know when you can object. It is possible to familiarize oneself with the document only at the school, since the evaluation criteria are not established at the legislative level.
By the way, marks for students can be affixed for behavior, but they are affixed separately from the assessment for the subject and should not be reflected in the assessment of knowledge.
To review the final results, as a rule, a commission of three people is assembled and, in the presence of the parents, the actual knowledge of the child is tested.
What you need to pay attention to
Not sure what to do if a teacher underestimates grades? It is important to understand here that you can complain about every action of the teacher and prove the fact of understatement, and it can be very difficult to do this. The fact is that teaching is carried out in the framework of the Law on Education, which spells out his right to freely express his own opinion and to resist interference with his activities. In simple words, the teacher independently chooses the methods and means of training, as well as education. Therefore, you will have to try very hard to prove that the teacher is not pedagogical.
However, this can be fought. If the parent does not agree with the teaching method, he has the right to contact the school principal or the education department at the school location with a request for re-certification or replacement of a particular teacher, respectively, indicating significant reasons for this.
School visit
So, you have prepared, studied the grading criteria, so it's time to go to school.
- First you need to meet with a problem teacher. In the process of conversation, it is important to objectively assess the situation and understand whether the problem is really biased or whether the child is not completely honest with you or simply does not fully understand his own mistakes.
- If the meeting with the teacher did not help or you do not share his position, then you should share your thoughts with the school administration. Not sure how to write a complaint about a teacher? This can be done officially by writing a statement addressed to the director indicating specific situations and links to regulatory documents or discussing the problem in an informal setting over a cup of tea.
Where to contact if the teacher underestimates the grades? What to do when the administration of the institution defends the interests of the team and is not going to take any action? In this case, you will have to start “hostilities” by contacting the Department of Education or by sending a complaint to the school administration for inaction to the Federal Service for Supervision of Education and Science, which is responsible for the educational activities of your region.
Maybe leave it as it is?
Not every parent is ready to go to the school principal and defend the rights of the child, most often this is due to the stereotype, which will become even worse. There is, of course, some truth in this, but it is very unpleasant to put up with the fact that someone is wrong and continues to do as he wants, taking advantage of his official position. In addition, think about what example you are setting for a child: he will become in the habit of silently sitting on the sidelines and nodding to someone who is bolder and more authoritative than him.
Not sure how to influence a teacher who underestimates grades? If you are not one of those who will prove their own innocence and sort things out, then you have only one way out - to advise your child to be the best! That is, he will have to cram everything so that not a single teacher can find something to complain about.
This means that all written work should be done ideally not only on the topic, but also on design and literacy. The entire school curriculum must be 100% mastered.Only in this case, not a single teacher can find a weak spot. This approach is incredible effort, but it will lay a good foundation - the child will be able to pass any exams and get the highest score even if everyone is against it
Some prefer not to notice at all that they are underestimating their grades, and simply resign themselves to this. By and large, beautiful “fives” and “fours” are needed only by parents. Therefore, if your child is not at all worried that teachers underestimate grades in the graduating class, he does not need diplomas and medals, but he is sure that he will write a good exam, the results of which will open all roads to higher education institutions, is it worth it to spend nerves?
If this is a matter of principle, then victory in the olympiads will help wipe off the nose of the entire teaching staff. Prove to the teacher that you are the best by taking one of the prizes in a controversial subject. In this case, the teacher will certainly be called to the authorities and, looking in the eye, will ask how the winner of the Olympiad can have low scores on the subject?
What to do if the teacher understates the grades, you know. The decision should be made based on your own character, as well as the mood and desire of the child himself. Maybe for him it is not so important?
The key to success is exemplary behavior
In some cases, underestimation of grades may be due to inappropriate behavior of the child. No matter how well he is familiar with the program, the relationship between the student and the teacher plays a huge role in marking. Sometimes even a slight insolence on the part of the student can be regarded by the teacher as an encroachment on his authority. The child during the lesson does the following things:
- Impudently behaving.
- Interrupts the teacher.
- Does not listen to the teacher.
- Does not complete tasks and stuff.
Naturally, the teacher is trying by any means to put the student in place. Therefore, with excellent knowledge, but low scores, you should think about the behavior of the child. The best solution in this case would be an apology to the teacher and a change in behavior during the lesson.
Reverse situation
It happens that the teacher does his best to help the student, but this does not bring results. In this case, one can not do without the help of parents, who together with the teacher will be able to influence efforts. An intimate conversation can clarify the reasons and allow you to find a solution to improve student performance.
Finally
So what if the teacher underestimates the grades? If the grades are clearly underestimated, the student, as well as his parents, should take all possible steps to restore justice. Otherwise, the child may lose the opportunity to continue studying in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions. You can use all the options, like active proof with facts before the commission or victory at the Olympics with a demonstration of their own achievements. Someone will choose a different path and lower everything on the brakes. The main thing is that you must show your child that you always need to defend your rights by choosing the most suitable way for this and become a reliable shoulder for him that he can always rely on.