Another Boring, and Honestly I Don't Know How Important: Extra Credit

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2 Comments
Ach: Extra Credit...

Every other kid is coming in at the end of the year asking for "extra credit."

I have sometimes, sparingly, throughout the year offered extra credit:

--Extra Credit using Desmos. Create a face using a parabola, a nose, a mouth and two eyes.       This is the minimum requirement

--Factor and Simplify Odds. Evens Extra Credit


--Extra Credit: Find 4 rectangular objects in your house. Make a quick sketch. Label what it is, and its dimensions.
Compare the length to the width: How close is this object to the Golden Proportion (1.62)

or there will be that one extra credit problem on the test. 

I try to conceive extra credit for two purposes: to challenge the students who want to be challenged, and to appeal to the "out the box" student whose intelligence is on the creative or artsy perspective.

What does extra credit mean to you? How do you factor it into the grade? Does anyone except the 100%ers do it?

Does it even freakin' matter? Does it change or effect the crunchiness, the wonder, the engagement, the value of the math?



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2 comments :

  1. Carissa PeckMay 20, 2013 at 8:53 AM

    I do not offer extra credit at the end of the year. I offer it throughout the year. I teach English (so different) but one of my big extra credit assignments is a peer review. Before they turn in a draft to me they have th eoption of printing a question list from blackboard. They switch essays with a friend and review each others. Then they make the changes. I do this because 1. They learn a lot from correctign one another 2. If they have done this it normally makes it easier for me to grade.

    Otherwise extra credit is usually offered as an addition to homework. Pick two of the three questions for homework or do all three for extra credit.

    I do have students that aren't the 100%ers who do extra credit.

    My boss knows that I offer extra credit throughout the semester so when a student goes to him at the end to complain about the grade he asks them if they ever did extra credit. When they say no in his eyes they aren't allowed to complain.

    I recently read a book called Extra Credit http://amzn.to/12PnZBR which gave an interesting perspective I try to keep in mind. Like you said, Extra credit shouldn't be offered irrelevant to the class. I admit that sometimes I will give extra credit if they attend a school event, but I also make them write me a paragraph. That it, it has to be something where they will practice the skills needed in my class.

    As for extra credit on tests? My favorite questions are, "How much is this test worth?" "What is your current grade in this class?" "What's my e-mail address" "What's my twitter name?" and other questions they should know, that aren't exactly relevant. They are easy points for a lot of them!

    Some of my constant extra credit assignments:
    Participial phrases: http://eslcarissa.blogspot.com/2013/04/literally-incorrect-participial-phrases.html
    Participation grades: http://eslcarissa.blogspot.com/2012/09/other-ways-to-grade-participation.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy zimmerMay 20, 2013 at 9:17 AM

      Thank you so much for your comments! Love the test questions! Gonna totally steal that! Next stop eslcarissa.blogspot!

      A

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Hi there, I'm Amy! A high school math teacher, poet, crafter, athlete, and mom. This blog features both math and teaching strategies, as well as some of my favorite recipes and everyday triumphs and struggles. Thanks for stopping by, feel free to share on Twitter, Facebook, or email me if you have any questions!

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