"I tried hard so I deserve an A"
When students come to me with this statement, my question is: What does the evaluation form say? Before each assignment students are given an evaluation form that states exactly what I am looking for in each assignment. (For example, a pencil drawing might be broken into the following criteria: 1 point for use of class time, 2 points for correct proportion, 3 points for contrast, and 4 points for shading that indicates color and volume.) With the evaluation form in hand before starting the project, students know what they need to focus on to achieve an A. Notice that “trying” was not included in the sample evaluation form. “Trying” is never included in an evaluation form.
I hear a loud chorus of “that’s not fair!” coming from the students when I say that grades are not based on how hard they try. But when we think about it, where in life are we rewarded for “trying hard”? We are always promoted and rewarded based on results, no matter how hard we tried. A person in sales who has a naturally likable appearance and demeanor may be able to sell more without “trying” as hard as someone with a less pleasant look or gruff voice. This does not mean the first person will be more successful. Both have the potential to succeed. One of them, however, might need to try harder to get the sales or promotion. If the results of a person’s work were unsatisfactory, how could any employer base a promotion solely on how hard a person tries?
To put it into terms my students readily understand, I use the McDonand’s analogy. “But I really tried hard not to burn the burger,” an employee cries. What will the manager say to that employee? Do you think the employee will be patted on the back and told that it’s ok? Of course not. The employee will need to make another burger that is not burnt... And do it quickly. It doesn’t matter how hard the employee tries, the results are what matters.
Now let’s bring ourselves back to the art room. There are students who are naturally gifted and can make wonderful artwork effortlessly (without even trying). Some must try harder to achieve that wonderful artwork. If I grade a person on how hard they try, then the gifted student would surely fail but the student who struggles and “tries hard” may get an A --even if the artwork is inferior. Doesn’t seem fair to me... especially when Art classes are electives.
In addition to that, how would one go about grading how hard a person tries? There is no objective way of doing so. What I consider “trying hard” might not be the same as someone else’s opinion. Does “trying hard” mean the student works the entire class time only once a week? Does it mean the student works every day that class meets? Does it mean the student works during class and comes in after school a couple times? Or does it mean that the student works during class every day, comes in after school for help every day and works on the project at home? There is no definite, indisputable criteria for “trying hard”.
All this is not to say that students shouldn’t “try hard” to achieve their goals. “Trying hard” is a prerequisite for good work. No matter how much ability a person has, he or she should always put forth his or her best effort. Work done with one’s best effort will always be better than work done in a sloppy or lazy manner.
“Trying hard” should always be an element in a student’s artwork, but it should not-- and CAN NOT be a part of the student’s grade because we are unable to objectively qualify how “hard” a person “tries”.