All's Fair...

Salvete,

Today, I would like you to join me in a meditation on Fairness. What does "fair" mean? What does it mean "be fair"?

Dictionary.com defines "fair" as "free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice." Definition number two works for my purposes as well: "legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc; proper under the rules."

I assigned a mid-term review, to be completed at the students' discretion for extra credit. The students were not required to turn it in or complete it, or any combination of those two. The ones who did the review did better on the exam than those who did not do the review. Those who chose not to do it may have done so because of priorities, laziness, or spite. Say they had a Chemistry test the same day as my exam. Everyone knows that Chemistry is harder than English, or at least more useful and important. Perhaps the child has no intrinsic motivation. He certainly should not be blamed for predisposition to laziness. Maybe the child hates his parents, and refuses to study in order to spite them. I will not even go into how that simply proves to the parents that they are right, and damages the child's future. I am sure some wise and witty teenager would confirm that I am simply old fashioned or something, and say that I should be affirming him and telling him how special he is.

Regardless the reasons, the students had a review, and it was extra credit. Before I begin my meditation on fairness (which may actually become more of an anecdote), I should tell my dear readers, should they exist, my policy on extra credit. I believe that extra credit is simply that: extra. I owe the students nothing in the realm of bonus points. You will not ever find a bonus question on a quiz I have written, nor will you find many opportunities for extra credit in my class. If a student asks me for an extra credit assignment, I will not grant that opportunity until I have looked at the gradebook and asked myself the following questions:
1. Has the student turned in all of his regular credit (no zeroes)?
2. Has the student tried hard this year and is still struggling?
3. Is the student a jackass?

If the answers are 1) yes, 2) yes, 3) no, then I will allow the student to do extra credit. Some students complain that I do not give extra credit until I explain this policy to them. Then, after receiving the explanation, they walk thoughtfully away and are quiet for some time.

Now, on to the anecdote.

A young lady walked into my room during fourth period. In her hand she held a review. Lo! It was the afore mentioned review that I had assined as extra credit. As it happens, the review was due the moment before the start of the test during first period. I had asked for the review in that very moment, and received nine. Coincidentally, there was a tenth review, but it was on the young lady who walked into my room during fourth period. That young lady was (gasp) tardy to my class this morning, as she is most mornings, and missed the call for the review. Now here she was, standing before me, asking me to take the review despite the fact that I already took it approximately six hours ago.

After telling her I would not take it (a delicious moment for any teacher), she begged me to be fair and to enter the wee numbers into the gradebook for her immaculately completed-the-night-before review. Again I told her no. I also asked her what she meant by asking me to be fair. I reminded her that it would not be fair at all for me to take it, as the rest of the students who turned theirs in did so this morning at the deadline.

As our conversation went on, she reminded me of her tardy, which she apparently thought would help her case. It did not, but gave me ammunition, as up to that moment I had not remembered she was tardy (since it happens about three times a week, her tardiness has stopped being something I notice and remember). I reminded her that the rest of the students were here on time to turn in their reviews in at the deadline. For me to take her review now would, again, be unfair.

As a last ditch effort to reap what extra credit she could, she bunted with, "But no one is watching!" I then whipped out the plaque I have that says, "Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else is watching." It has come in handy many times for manipulating students, as it did today. With the saddest puppy dog face you have ever seen, she finally gave in and skulked out of my room, probably not realizing she was the poster child for teenagers thinking that them not getting their way is "unfair."

As a teacher, being fair is difficult. I do not always succeed at it, but I do try to when I can. Naturally, I like some students better than others, because in life, no matter what your education classes try to tell you, some people are just generally more likable than others. I try to assign fair assignments that are completable for all students. I try to make small groups that will consist of students who can help one another.

Inevitably, I have to have a "life isn't stinking fair" paragraph. When these kids get out of this building, and go into the real world, they will and do find that life is indeed unfair sometimes. People will cheat you, you will cheat people. People let you down, etc. As an educator and a pseudo-parent to these children, it is my duty to be as fair as I possibly can. In my mind, "fair" means "stable." It means "dependable." The rules are always the same, and they are the same for everyone. We could all use a little bit more of that in our lives, I think. So many of my kids have really horrible home lives, and if I can provide that stability for them, then good for me (and them). They may not like it sometimes that they cannot do whatever they please, but they will be better for it in the end. At least, I hope so.

Dum spiro spero, mei amici.

Valete, Magistra