Providing students with information on how and why midterm grades matter is an important part of the process. New Student Transitions & First Year Experience created a Midterms Matter resource that can help shape conversations with students. In addition, contextualizing mid-term grades for your students is helpful:
- Remind students that this grade is just a snapshot of their current performance in the class.
- If they’re doing well, but let up on what they’re doing, then their grade may decline. On the other hand, if they’re doing well and continue to let that success motivate them, they may continue to do well. The midterm grade is just a picture of the right now.
- If their grade is not where they would like it to be, they should contact you about what they can do to improve. They can also seek out campus resources such as the Communications Lab, the Academic Achievement Center, or the STEM Help Center. Students may need encouragement to seek out help (Fong et al 2023).
- Remind students that a grade is not a value judgement or a judgement on them as a person; it is a measurement of their current performance in the class versus assignment and syllabus standards.
- Anyone can do well in a class if they put forth the effort and seek out assistance as needed! Encouragement is part of developing growth mindsets in students, which are essential for learning.
Thank you for providing this essential feedback to our students!