Tyumen Residents Debate School Behavior Grades

Starting September 1, Tyumen schools will begin giving students grades for their behavior. The Ministry of Education has published a draft order extending an experiment previously conducted in select regions to all educational institutions across the country.

The initiative has met with mixed reactions. Even among teachers and school principals, there is no consensus on its advisability.

«They gave behavior grades in Soviet times. Why is it a problem now? It was normal practice. A school student with poor behavior outside of school could be given a dressing-down at school later; if that didn»t help, they were sent to a special school. This saved many kids from the wrong path, they stopped their «fun and games» in time, and others from those who are incapable of living in society since childhood.«

«It»s possible to define criteria for assigning the grade. It«s not a subjective opinion but a record of the child»s behavior in class. If a poor grade is given, it«s a signal to everyone that they need to sort things out and pay attention to the child. It»s a tool for the child to be noticed. It«s a tool for the teacher to have some material for discussion. It»s a tool for the school to control both the student and the teacher. So it«s a normal idea. Secondly, knowing that the teacher has such a tool, the student will learn to control themselves; over time this will become the norm and then part of their character. Culture is a system of taboos and restrictions, and that also needs to be instilled in a person.»

«It»s high time to introduce behavior grades! Poor teachers—they don«t get a decent salary, and parents can»t even handle their own children. They dump everything on the teacher, and the children, with that kind of attitude, wipe their feet on them. It«s a perpetual problem.»

«My son»s class last year really lacked such a rule. There were students who studied well, but their behavior was beyond the pale. They should have been given a couple of failing grades for behavior, ruining their quarterly grade, then maybe they would have thought about their behavior right away.«

«Do teachers not have enough problems? Parents don»t leave them in peace as it is over disputes about grades... And now behavior... It«s very subjective. There»ll be nothing but drama!«

«What is this expression »to get a failing grade« anyway? A child is not a puppy to be graded for behavior. It»s very harmful for children. Not a single adult could sit through a boring and tedious lesson with uninteresting assignments and generally empty information. And also have to look at an aggressive teacher. And they gave such a madam a little power to bully children!«

«For behavior, they should give not grades, but the rod!»

«They»d be better off installing cameras in the classrooms. It would be much more useful for discipline. And teachers would get at least some protection from unruly kids.«

«In the 50s and 60s, we were given behavior grades in school and we perceived it as quite normal; besides that, students took turns on duty during breaks and monitored order, it was very disciplining. I don»t understand why they had to cancel it.«

«Maybe just leave the schools alone? Schools have long turned into hell for students, for teachers, and also for parents!»

It should be noted that some business representatives have also spoken on this matter. A well-known entrepreneur, for example, stated he would never hire a «behavioral honor student.»