<p>I’m having trouble in my Honors English class. I have always done well in English and have received good grades in the past. However, it seems like my current English teacher is grading based on how much she likes each student. </p>
<p>For example, kids in my class who suck up to her receive great grades on papers while I receive abysmal grades not even worth mentioning. I’m ranked in the top 5% of my high school and am now receiving grades I have never received in my life. Kids with crap GPAs and PSAT scores are beating me out despite the fact that my writing is more sophisticated than theirs. </p>
<p>The problem is this. I know that English is a subjective class. How then am I supposed to be graded objectively? This is so aggravating. Our teacher refuses to give us rubrics to follow and I suspect that she grades based on her own style of writing as well as on her preconceptions of her students (ie my peers). </p>
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<p>TLDR: My English teacher is grading subjectively. English is a subjective class. How do I force my teacher to start grading objectively?</p>
<p>Ask her to proofread your essay before you turn it in. Also follow up on your essays with your teacher and see what you can do better.
It’s not surprising to have a biased teacher. NervusBreakdown states perfectly, English is subjective. Don’t make it objective. Fit your writing style to her taste. My grades always falter in the 1st few months, but pick up after that as I get used to how teachers grade.</p>
<p>Correlation does not imply causation. Unless you’re reading these kids’ essays, then you can’t know why they’re really getting good grades. Hell, even if you were to read their essays, you aren’t reading them with the same pair of eyes as your teacher. Think for a moment, you’ve been writing “essays” for a couple years (I don’t count essays before honors level as the same at all), but your teacher has been reading and writing essays for years and years, and at much higher levels than you. Who has more experience in this case? Your teacher.</p>
<p>Ask for help. Meet with your teacher. Tell her that you are trying hard and want to succeed. Ask for pointers, suggestions. Ask if she’ll look at your rough drafts with you. If she agrees, your grades will most likely go up. Teachers like to help and when they help, they like to see improvement. I do not mean to imply that your papers aren’t fine, but obviously they are not what the teacher wants. </p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
<p>This worked for my son who got a B and C on 2 papers from an English teacher and had always received As from other teachers. He met with the teacher 5 to 10 minutes a week for a few weeks and they developed mutual respect for each other, and his final grade was an A.</p>
<p>Ask to speak with her after school about what you can do to get a better grade. Focus your talk on what you should do differently, not on her grading policies.</p>