Grading & The Curve: Rebuilding Hope and Confidence in Students Fighting to Abolish Systems of Oppression

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Session Type: Community Gatherings

Session Capacity: N/A

Hotel: N/A

Room: Union Square 5&6

Floor: 4th Floor

This Community Gathering will focus on grading and the curve in clinical courses. Colleagues at many schools around the country have reported that there has either been an effort to impose more stringent curve requirements on clinical courses, or in some instances efforts to change grading requirements from a curve to other systems have been met with resistance. This session will focus on evaluating the various methods of grading in clinical courses and highlight the pedagogical implications of different grading systems. One goal of this session is to empower faculty with better arguments to push for an appropriate grading system for clinical courses at their school. The discussion will focus on the pedagogical implications of different grading systems employed, the pros and cons of each approach, concerns about specific types of grading such as strict application of a curve to clinical or field placement credits, and any differences between grading systems for live-client in house clinics and externships or other clinical courses. The implications of applying grades to field work as opposed to seminar performance will be a key focus. Grading on a strict curve, as is done for most 1L classes, has the potential to discourage students and promote a sense of hopelessness. More relaxed and accurate grading in clinical courses thus has a strong potential to rekindle hope, particularly in students who struggled in their first year. Additionally, many clinics are important in fostering community among students, as students will self-select into groups with similar interests. Grading on a curve risks limiting those impacts, while a grading system where all can succeed helps to foster that sense of community. The gathering will include both presentations to scope out the problem, followed by an interactive session to help faculty engage administrators and faculty colleagues on grading issues.